Firewood Banks Act of 2022
Bill: S.4944 | Sponsor: Sen. Burr, Richard (R-NC)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Firewood Banks Act of 2022
This bill directs the Department of Energy, in collaboration with the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service, to establish a pilot program to provide heat energy for residences of low-income and disabled individuals with wood-burning stoves. Under the program, trees on federal land shall be made available to firewood banks and federal land may be made available for firewood banks. The bill also directs the Forest Service, using certain funds made available by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, to provide financial assistance for operating firewood banks. Cooperatives, nonprofit organizations, and state, local, or tribal governments may apply for financial assistance.

To provide for the operation and establishment of, and procurement of 
         supplies for, firewood banks, 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 ``Firewood Banks Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Cooperating party.--The term ``cooperating party'' 
        means a State, local, or Tribal government, a nonprofit 
        organization, or a cooperative.
            (2) Federal land.--The term ``Federal Land'' means--
                    (A) public lands (as defined in section 103 of the 
                Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 
                U.S.C. 1702));
                    (B) trust land (as defined in section 3765 of title 
                38, United States Code); and
                    (C) National Forest System land.
            (3) Firewood bank.--The term ``firewood bank'' means a 
        site--
                    (A) at which firewood is collected, processed, or 
                stored; and
                    (B) that is used by a cooperating party to 
                distribute firewood to low-income or disabled 
                individuals for personal, residential use.
            (4) Secretaries.--The term ``Secretaries'' means--
                    (A) the Secretary of Energy;
                    (B) the Secretary of the Interior; and
                    (C) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through 
                the Chief of the Forest Service.
            (5) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned'' 
        means--
                    (A) the Secretary of the Interior, in the case of 
                Federal land administered by the Secretary of the 
                Interior; and
                    (B) the Secretary of Agriculture, in the case of 
                Federal land administered by the Secretary of 
                Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest 
                Service.

SEC. 3. GRANTS.

     Using funds made available under section 40803(c)(17)(B) of the 
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (16 U.S.C. 6592(c)(17)(B)), the 
Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest 
Service, shall provide financial assistance to a cooperating party for 
the operation of firewood banks, including for the procurement of--
            (1) personal protective equipment;
            (2) liability insurance policies;
            (3) processing equipment; and
            (4) supplies and materials procured on a regular basis.

SEC. 4. FIREWOOD BANKS PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy, in collaboration with the 
Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, acting 
through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall establish and carry out 
a pilot program (referred to in this section as the ``pilot program'') 
to provide heat energy for residences of low-income and disabled 
individuals with wood-burning stoves.
    (b) Firewood Banks on Federal Land.--
            (1) In general.--Under the pilot program, the Secretary 
        concerned may authorize 1 or more firewood banks to be 
        established and operated on Federal land.
            (2) Requirements.--A firewood bank described in paragraph 
        (1)--
                    (A) shall occupy an area of not less than \1/2\ 
                acre and not more than 6 acres;
                    (B) shall be able to store not fewer than 20 cords 
                of firewood; and
                    (C) may have privately or publicly owned equipment 
                on site to process logs into firewood.
            (3) Cooperating parties.--The Secretary concerned may 
        authorize or consult with cooperating parties--
                    (A) to maintain the Federal land on which a 
                firewood bank is established under this subsection; and
                    (B) to operate the firewood bank.
            (4) Use of federal land.--The Secretary concerned, or a 
        cooperating party, as applicable, shall use the Federal land on 
        which a firewood bank is established under this subsection 
        exclusively as a firewood bank.
            (5) Permits.--The Secretary concerned may require a 
        cooperating party to apply for and obtain a special use permit 
        to establish and operate a firewood bank on Federal land under 
        this subsection.
            (6) Liability.--The Secretary concerned shall not--
                    (A) be liable for any action taken by the Secretary 
                concerned or a cooperating party in establishing or 
                operating a firewood bank on Federal land under this 
                subsection; or
                    (B) require a cooperating party to maintain a 
                general liability insurance policy to establish and 
                operate a firewood bank on Federal land under this 
                subsection.
    (c) Securing Supplies of Firewood for Firewood Banks.--
            (1) In general.--Under the pilot program, the Secretary 
        concerned shall--
                    (A) designate trees for cutting and removal on 
                Federal land by marking; and
                    (B) make those trees available to firewood banks, 
                consistent with this subsection.
            (2) Designation.--The Secretary concerned shall designate 
        trees under paragraph (1)(A)--
                    (A) in an area located within 10 miles of each 
                firewood bank established under subsection (b); and
                    (B) in other areas that the Secretary concerned 
                determines to be appropriate.
            (3) Requirement.--The Secretary concerned shall designate 
        trees under paragraph (1)(A) in a sufficient quantity to 
        provide not less than 100 cords of firewood continuously to 
        each firewood bank established under subsection (b).
            (4) No fee required.--
                    (A) In general.--Any Federal employee or party 
                designated by a cooperating party may cut, remove, and 
                transport to a firewood bank a tree designated under 
                paragraph (1)(A) without the cooperating party 
                incurring any fee.
                    (B) Limitations.--
                            (i) Permits.--The Secretary concerned may 
                        require a cooperating party to apply for and 
                        obtain a permit for the cutting and removal of 
                        a tree designated under paragraph (1)(A).
                            (ii) No significant damage to resources.--A 
                        Federal employee or a cooperating party shall 
                        not be permitted to significantly damage any 
                        resource while cutting or removing a tree 
                        designated under paragraph (1)(A).
            (5) Closed entry.--The Secretary concerned may close to 
        entry an area with trees designated under paragraph (1)(A), or 
        make that entry subject to such conditions as the Secretary 
        concerned determines are necessary--
                    (A) for periods of not longer than 60 consecutive 
                calendar days; and
                    (B) for not longer than 150 calendar days during 
                any 1 calendar year.
    (d) Duration.--The authority to carry out the pilot program 
terminates on the date that is 10 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act.

SEC. 5. REPORT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, and 5 years thereafter, the Secretaries shall prepare a 
report describing the implementation of this Act.
    (b) Submission.--On completion of each report described in 
subsection (a), the Secretaries shall submit the report to--
            (1) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 
        Senate; and
            (2) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
        Representatives.
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