Tree Spiking Mitigation Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.4842 | Sponsor: Rep. Newhouse, Dan (R-WA)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Tree Spiking Mitigation Act of 2021
This bill directs the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to coordinate to take necessary actions to ensure the detection, identification, and, as determined to be appropriate, mitigation of tree spiking devices located on federal lands. A tree spiking device includes spikes, nails, or other objects hammered, driven, fastened, or otherwise placed into or on any timber to impede logging.
To carry out such activities, the Forest Service and the BLM shall prioritize areas in which (1) incidences of tree spiking devices have occurred, or (2) the Forest Service and the BLM suspect that there are tree spiking devices.
No later than 90 days after the enactment of this bill, the Forest Service and the BLM shall, where appropriate, update safety guidelines and training protocols to include the awareness, detection, identification, and mitigation of tree spiking devices.

To require the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of 
 the Forest Service, and the Secretary of the Interior, acting through 
   the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, to take actions to 
 mitigate tree spiking devices on certain Federal land, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Tree Spiking Mitigation Act of 
2021''.

SEC. 2. DETECTION, IDENTIFICATION, AND MITIGATION OF TREE SPIKING 
              DEVICES ON FEDERAL LAND.

    (a) In General.--The Secretaries, acting in coordination, shall 
take necessary actions to ensure the detection, identification, and, as 
the Secretaries determine to be appropriate, mitigation of tree spiking 
devices located on Federal land.
    (b) Prioritization.--For purposes of carrying out activities under 
subsection (a), the Secretaries shall prioritize areas in which--
            (1) incidences of tree spiking devices have occurred; or
            (2) the Secretaries suspect that there are tree spike 
        devices.
    (c) Memoranda of Understanding.--The Secretaries may enter into 
memoranda of understanding for carrying out activities on Federal land 
under this section.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretaries to carry out this section $10,000,000 
for fiscal year 2022, to remain available until September 30, 2026.

SEC. 3. UPDATES TO SAFETY GUIDELINES AND TRAINING PROTOCOLS.

    Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretaries shall, where appropriate, update safety guidelines and 
training protocols to include the awareness, detection, identification, 
and mitigation of tree spiking devices.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means--
                    (A) land of the National Forest System (as defined 
                in section 11(a) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable 
                Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1609(a))), 
                except--
                            (i) the national grasslands and land 
                        utilization projects administered under title 
                        III of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act (7 
                        U.S.C. 1010 et seq.); or
                            (ii) National Forest System land east of 
                        the 100th meridian; and
                    (B) land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of 
                the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau 
                of Land Management.
            (2) Secretaries.--The term ``Secretaries'' means each of--
                    (A) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through 
                the Chief of the Forest Service; and
                    (B) the Secretary of the Interior, acting through 
                the Director of the Bureau of Land Management.
            (3) Tree spiking device.--The term ``tree spiking device'' 
        means any tree spiking device described in section 1864(d)(3) 
        of title 18, United States Code.
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