Title: Trillion Trees and Natural Carbon Storage Act
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Trillion Trees and Natural Carbon Storage Act
This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA), in collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to establish (1) objectives for increased net carbon stock for the forest, grassland, wetland, and coastal blue carbon habitat ecosystems of the United States that are owned or managed by the federal government; and (2) objectives that shall be developed collaboratively between one or more nonfederal entities and one or more federal partners for increased net carbon stock for the forest, grassland, wetland, and coastal blue carbon habitat ecosystems of the United States that are owned or managed by a state or local government, an Indian Tribe, or a private person.
USDA shall establish a program, to be known as the Rural Forest Market Investment Program, to guarantee an environmental impact bond, loan, or other investment vehicle issued for the sole purpose of financing eligible projects developed to facilitate the sale of credits in the voluntary carbon market or other recognized environmental market to enable rural private forest landowners to participate in an innovative market for forest carbon or other products.
USDA may enter into an agreement, or expand on existing partnerships, with a nonprofit organization to establish an International Forest Foundation to, among other things, support forest landscape restoration, end deforestation, and conserve and restore grasslands, wetlands, and blue carbon habitats around the world.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4985 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4985

     To establish forestry policies that facilitate reforestation, 
 conservation, international cooperation, and other ecologically sound 
management practices that reduce atmospheric carbon, to support United 
 States efforts in partnership with the One Trillion Trees Initiative, 
to encourage the sustainable management, restoration, and conservation 
of global forests, grasslands, wetlands, and coastal habitats, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            December 9, 2020

Mr. Braun (for himself, Mr. Coons, Mr. Young, and Mr. King) introduced 
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 
                on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To establish forestry policies that facilitate reforestation, 
 conservation, international cooperation, and other ecologically sound 
management practices that reduce atmospheric carbon, to support United 
 States efforts in partnership with the One Trillion Trees Initiative, 
to encourage the sustainable management, restoration, and conservation 
of global forests, grasslands, wetlands, and coastal habitats, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Trillion Trees and 
Natural Carbon Storage Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Sense of Congress.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
  TITLE I--CARBON SEQUESTRATION THROUGH FOREST CONSERVATION AND LAND 
                         MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

Sec. 101. Domestic forest carbon stock objectives.
Sec. 102. Renewable resource assessment and survey update.
Sec. 103. Forest nursery revival program.
Sec. 104. Carbon sequestration through wetland and grassland.
Sec. 105. Carbon sequestration through the healthy forest reserve 
                            program.
Sec. 106. National Forest Foundation activities.
Sec. 107. Carbon sequestration on State and private land.
Sec. 108. Carbon sequestration research and monitoring programs.
          TITLE II--MARKET INCENTIVES FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION

Sec. 201. Clarification of research and development program for 
                            cellulosic biochemical and bioplastics.
Sec. 202. Rural Forest Market Investment Program.
TITLE III--ENGAGING AMERICA'S ALLIES IN CONSERVATION AND STRONGER LAND 
                               MANAGEMENT

Sec. 301. Statement of policy.
Sec. 302. International support for conservation.
Sec. 303. Establishment of foundation.
Sec. 304. International sustainable land-use management plans.
Sec. 305. Blue carbon monitoring.
Sec. 306. Report to Congress.
Sec. 307. International forestry cooperation.
Sec. 308. Modifications to authorities relating to tropical forests.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) forests and other ecosystems, including grasslands and 
        coastal wetlands, sequester and store atmospheric carbon on 
        climatologically relevant timescales;
            (2) conserving, protecting, and restoring forest, 
        grassland, and wetland ecosystems globally would sequester a 
        substantial amount of atmospheric carbon and constitute a 
        pragmatic step towards addressing global carbon emissions and 
        the degradation of biodiversity;
            (3) blue carbon habitat can also store a substantial amount 
        of atmospheric carbon and provide numerous other environmental, 
        cultural, and economic benefits;
            (4) as methods to address the changing climate, restore 
        ecosystems, and benefit human health, the United States 
        Government should take a leadership role, both domestically and 
        abroad, in--
                    (A) ending deforestation;
                    (B) supporting tree planting, natural regeneration, 
                forest landscape restoration, wildfire risk reduction, 
                and sustainable forest management; and
                    (C) conserving and restoring grasslands, wetlands, 
                blue carbon habitats, and other lands and waters at 
                scale; and
            (5) the 1t.org trillion trees platform established by the 
        World Economic Forum, the Global Environment Facility, and 
        other domestic and international efforts to conserve and expand 
        healthy forest and tree cover, grasslands, wetlands, and blue 
        carbon habitats globally should be supported.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
        Development.
            (2) Blue carbon habitat.--The term ``blue carbon habitat'' 
        means a coastal habitat in the soils and vegetation of which 
        carbon is stored, including a tidal wetland, a mangrove forest, 
        a seagrass bed, a kelp forest, and other saltwater and 
        estuarine coastal systems.
            (3) Carbon sequestration.--The term ``carbon 
        sequestration'' means the processes of capturing and storing 
        atmospheric carbon dioxide for a climatologically relevant 
        period of time.
            (4) Forest landscape restoration.--The term ``forest 
        landscape restoration'' means a process that aims to regain 
        ecological functionality and enhance human well-being in 
        deforested or degraded landscapes.
            (5) National forest system.--The term ``National Forest 
        System'' has the meaning given the term in section 11(a) of the 
        Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 
        (16 U.S.C. 1609(a)).
            (6) Naturally regenerate.--The term ``naturally 
        regenerate'' means the regeneration of natural tree growth 
        from--
                    (A) available seed sources native to the specific 
                forest area; or
                    (B) any other natural process that does not 
                primarily involve planting.
            (7) Net carbon stock.--The term ``net carbon stock'' means 
        the absolute quantity of carbon held within a discrete portion 
        of the biosphere (including carbon held within a discrete 
        portion of aboveground forest biomass and forest soil) at a 
        specified time.
            (8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture.
            (9) Sustainable.--The term ``sustainable'' means the manner 
        in which a land-use activity will, over the long-term--
                    (A) satisfy the human and ecological needs 
                associated with the use of land;
                    (B) conserve critical habitat and conserve and 
                enhance the environmental quality of the land; and
                    (C) optimize current and future land uses to ensure 
                any enhancements in productivity are at a rate and in a 
                manner that does not threaten decline.

  TITLE I--CARBON SEQUESTRATION THROUGH FOREST CONSERVATION AND LAND 
                         MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

SEC. 101. DOMESTIC FOREST CARBON STOCK OBJECTIVES.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary, in collaboration with the Administrator of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shall establish--
            (1) objectives for increased net carbon stock for the 
        forest, grassland, wetland, and coastal blue carbon habitat 
        ecosystems of the United States that are owned or managed by 
        the Federal Government; and
            (2) objectives that shall be developed collaboratively 
        between 1 or more non-Federal entities and 1 or more Federal 
        partners for increased net carbon stock for the forest, 
        grassland, wetland, and coastal blue carbon habitat ecosystems 
        of the United States that are owned or managed by a State or 
        local government, an Indian Tribe, or a private person.
    (b) Requirements.--Objectives established under subsection (a)--
            (1) shall be based on the best available scientific and 
        commercial information, including current and reference net 
        carbon stock conditions for each ecosystem;
            (2) shall be based on information relating to the 
        maintenance or restoration of the ecological integrity of the 
        ecosystems described in subsection (a), including maintaining 
        or restoring ecologically appropriate forest, grassland, 
        wetland, and blue carbon habitat structure, function, 
        composition, and connectivity;
            (3) shall consider naturally regenerated plant growth and 
        planted growth;
            (4) shall be established at levels that assist in 
        achieving--
                    (A) the optimally feasible and ecologically 
                appropriate increase in the total net carbon stock that 
                private domestic, State, and Tribal landowners and the 
                Federal Government can achieve by January 1, 2030, and 
                every 10 years thereafter through January 1, 2100; and
                    (B) the maximum practicable retention, recruitment, 
                and restoration of critical habitats, as appropriate 
                for the forest type, to the extent that the trees 
                promote increased net carbon stock;
            (5) shall be informed by data collected through the Forest 
        Inventory and Analysis program of the Forest Service and other 
        relevant data;
            (6) shall not negatively impact forest ecological 
        integrity, forest function, forest composition, forest 
        connectivity, and sustained yield and multiple uses;
            (7) shall be published in the Federal Register, after 
        notice and an opportunity for public comment, together with a 
        statement of the basis and justification for the objectives;
            (8) shall consider input from and the interests of local 
        stakeholders; and
            (9) shall consider--
                    (A) the conservation of existing ecosystems that 
                sequester carbon; and
                    (B) the impact that a changing climate may have 
                on--
                            (i) existing net carbon stocks in forest, 
                        grassland, wetland, and coastal blue carbon 
                        habitat ecosystems; and
                            (ii) the carbon sequestration potential of 
                        the ecosystems described in clause (i).

SEC. 102. RENEWABLE RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND SURVEY UPDATE.

    (a) Renewable Resource Assessment.--Section 3 of the Forest and 
Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1601) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in each of paragraphs (4) and (5), by striking 
                ``and'' at the end;
                    (B) in paragraph (6), by striking the comma at the 
                end and inserting a semicolon; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(7) an analysis of the total carbon storage capacity of 
        the National Forest System based on the lifecycle analysis 
        established under section 102(b) of the Trillion Trees and 
        Natural Carbon Storage Act; and
            ``(8) an analysis of the opportunities to enhance and 
        optimize total net carbon stock (as defined in section 3 of 
        that Act and taking into consideration the requirements 
        described in section 101(b) of that Act) in the National Forest 
        System.''; and
            (2) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) the potential for increased utilization of forest and 
        wood products and byproducts that are sustainable (as defined 
        in section 3 of the Trillion Trees and Natural Carbon Storage 
        Act), including recommendations to Congress for actions 
        relating to those products and byproducts that would lead to 
        increased net carbon sequestration (as defined in that 
        section).''.
    (b) Lifecycle Analysis.--
            (1) Lifecycle storage model.--As a part of the assessment 
        required under section 3 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable 
        Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1601), the Secretary 
        shall develop, using the best available science, including data 
        collected through the Forest Inventory and Analysis program of 
        the Forest Service, computational models to analyze the 
        lifecycle forest and grassland carbon sequestration potential 
        associated with the National Forest System.
            (2) Considerations.--In developing the model under 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider--
                    (A) the net carbon stock in forests, grasslands, 
                and wetlands, including in wood and forest soils;
                    (B) the rate of carbon sequestration in new trees 
                and young forests;
                    (C) the rate of carbon sequestration in old trees 
                and older forests;
                    (D) the carbon impacts from tree mortality;
                    (E) the carbon impacts from logging, milling, and 
                other forest management activities;
                    (F) the carbon impacts from wildfire, pests, and 
                other natural disturbances;
                    (G) the full lifecycle of carbon impacts from the 
                manufacture of wood-based products, including storage 
                benefits and substitution benefits from the use of 
                wood-based products as compared to the use of more 
                greenhouse-gas-intensive materials, including impacts 
                on forest ecosystem net carbon stocks;
                    (H) the net carbon impact of a cycle of--
                            (i) harvest and regeneration; or
                            (ii) harvest and replanting;
                    (I) the carbon impacts from ecologically sound 
                active forest management;
                    (J) the carbon impacts from retention, forest 
                conservation, improved management, and restoration of 
                other landscapes, including grasslands, sagebrush, 
                steppe, wetlands, abandoned mine land, brownfields, and 
                other degraded lands that were historically forested; 
                and
                    (K) other factors, as determined by the Secretary.
            (3) Validation program.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a 
                program for validation and independent testing of the 
                lifecycle models developed under paragraph (1).
                    (B) Requirements.--In carrying out the validation 
                program under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall--
                            (i) regularly perform retrospective 
                        assessments comparing model predictions to 
                        field data on the carbon stored on the National 
                        Forest System; and
                            (ii) require third-party evaluation and 
                        comparison of lifecycle models developed under 
                        paragraph (1) against existing models, 
                        including enabling empirical testing of 
                        hypotheses regarding the net effects on land 
                        and atmospheric carbon stocks and other 
                        greenhouse gas impacts.
            (4) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the 
        Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and 
        the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the 
        Senate a report on the findings of the analysis conducted using 
        the lifecycle models developed under paragraph (1).

SEC. 103. FOREST NURSERY REVIVAL PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 2 of the Act of June 9, 1930 (commonly 
known as the ``Knutson-Vandenberg Act'') (16 U.S.C. 576a), is amended--
            (1) by striking the section designation and all that 
        follows through ``the Secretary of Agriculture'' and inserting 
        the following:

``SEC. 2. FOREST NURSERY REVIVAL PROGRAM.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall use amounts 
made available under subsection (b)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out subsection 
(a) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2030.''.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture, 
Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture 
of the House of Representatives a report describing the shortcomings 
of, and barriers to, reforestation activities under section 2 of the 
Act of June 9, 1930 (commonly known as the ``Knutson-Vandenberg Act'') 
(16 U.S.C. 576a).

SEC. 104. CARBON SEQUESTRATION THROUGH WETLAND AND GRASSLAND.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration and the Secretary of the Interior, in 
consultation with the Secretary and the heads of other relevant 
agencies, are encouraged to identify and pursue opportunities for the 
restoration or conservation of grasslands, wetlands, and coastal blue 
carbon habitats of the United States that are owned or managed by the 
Federal Government, State or local governments, Indian Tribes, or 
private persons that will--
            (1) increase the net carbon stock of the United States, 
        allowing the United States to reach the objectives established 
        under section 101(a); and
            (2) provide other environmental, cultural, and economic 
        benefits to the region in which the restoration or conservation 
        is carried out.
    (b) Blue Carbon Monitoring.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
in collaboration with the Secretary of the Interior and the heads of 
other relevant agencies, shall monitor the net carbon stock in blue 
carbon habitats.
    (c) Grassland Carbon Monitoring.--In carrying out subsection (a), 
the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary, and the heads of other 
relevant agencies shall collaborate to monitor the net carbon stock in 
grassland.

SEC. 105. CARBON SEQUESTRATION THROUGH THE HEALTHY FOREST RESERVE 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--Section 501(a) of the Healthy Forests 
Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6571(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(5) to promote, in pursuit of the objectives for 
        increasing net carbon stock established under section 101(a) of 
        the Trillion Trees and Natural Carbon Storage Act--
                    ``(A) first in priority, the conservation and 
                management of existing forests; and
                    ``(B) second in priority, the planting or 
                regeneration of additional trees in an ecologically 
                appropriate manner.''.
    (b) Enrollment Priority.--Section 502(f) of the Healthy Forests 
Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6572) is amended by striking 
paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall give 
        priority to the enrollment in the healthy forests reserve 
        program of land that--
                    ``(A) provides the greatest conservation benefit 
                to--
                            ``(i) species listed as endangered or 
                        threatened under section 4 of the Endangered 
                        Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1533); and
                            ``(ii) species that--
                                    ``(I) are not listed as endangered 
                                or threatened under section 4 of the 
                                Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 
                                U.S.C. 1533); but
                                    ``(II)(aa) are candidates for such 
                                listing, State-listed species, or 
                                special concern species; or
                                    ``(bb) are deemed a species of 
                                greatest conservation need under a 
                                State wildlife action plan;
                    ``(B) promotes the restoration of marginal farmland 
                or degraded forestland into healthy forest ecosystems; 
                or
                    ``(C) promotes the continuation of an ecologically 
                appropriate ecosystem.''.
    (c) Restoration Plans.--Section 503(b) of the Healthy Forests 
Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6573(b)) is amended by striking 
paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
            ``(4) Practices, including reforestation and other forestry 
        practices, to increase net carbon stock (as defined in section 
        3 of the Trillion Trees and Natural Carbon Storage Act).''.

SEC. 106. NATIONAL FOREST FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES.

    (a) Purposes of Foundation.--Section 402(b) of the National Forest 
Foundation Act (16 U.S.C. 583j(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting a semicolon; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) encourage, accept, and administer private gifts of 
        money and of real and personal property for the benefit of, or 
        in connection with, the objectives for optimizing total 
        domestic carbon stocks established under section 101(a) of the 
        Trillion Trees and Natural Carbon Storage Act; and
            ``(5) carry out the Theodore Roosevelt Jr. Prize for Forest 
        Restoration under section 410.''.
    (b) Theodore Roosevelt Jr. Prize for Forest Restoration.--The 
National Forest Foundation Act (16 U.S.C. 583j et seq.) is amended--
            (1) in section 405, by striking ``410'' both places it 
        appears and inserting ``411'';
            (2) by redesignating section 410 as section 411; and
            (3) by inserting after section 409 the following:

``SEC. 410. THEODORE ROOSEVELT JR. PRIZE FOR FOREST RESTORATION.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture.
            ``(2) Theodore roosevelt jr. prize.--The term `Theodore 
        Roosevelt Jr. Prize' means the Theodore Roosevelt Jr. Prize for 
        Forest Restoration established under subsection (b).
    ``(b) Establishment.--The Foundation shall, in consultation with 
the Secretary, establish a program to award an incentive prize, to be 
known as the `Theodore Roosevelt Jr. Prize for Forest Restoration', to 
support domestic reforestation activities carried out by individuals, 
communities, nonprofit organizations, and corporations.
    ``(c) Eligible Recipients.--The following entities are eligible to 
receive the Theodore Roosevelt Jr. Prize:
            ``(1) A State agency.
            ``(2) A nonprofit entity that the Secretary determines has 
        a demonstrated expertise in tree planting activity and 
        reforestation.
            ``(3) Other entities that the Secretary determines to be 
        appropriate, such as a local government or a private owner of 
        land covered by a forest management plan.
    ``(d) Coordination.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary 
may coordinate on an ongoing basis with appropriate Federal, State, 
Tribal, and local resource management departments, local nonprofit 
organizations, private landowners, and corporations--
            ``(1) to identify land suitable for reforestation;
            ``(2) to encourage, accept, and administer private gifts of 
        money, technical expertise, and real and personal property for 
        the benefit of the program under this section; and
            ``(3) to manage and maintain reforested land.''.

SEC. 107. CARBON SEQUESTRATION ON STATE AND PRIVATE LAND.

    (a) Adding Net Carbon Stock as a Purpose.--Section 2(b) of the 
Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2101(b)) is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (6) through (10) as 
        paragraphs (7) through (11), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following:
            ``(6) the encouragement of reforestation, conservation, and 
        related optimization of net carbon stock (as defined in section 
        3 of the Trillion Trees and Natural Carbon Storage Act and 
        taking into consideration the requirements described in section 
        101(b) of that Act);''.
    (b) Support for State Assessments and Strategies for Forest 
Resources When Considering Carbon Emissions.--Section 2A(a)(1) of the 
Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2101a(a)(1)) is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as 
        subparagraphs (D) and (E), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following:
                    ``(C)(i) the net carbon stock (as defined in 
                section 3 of the Trillion Trees and Natural Carbon 
                Storage Act and taking into consideration the 
                requirements described in section 101(b) of that Act) 
                on State land and private land in the State; and
                    ``(ii) opportunities to increase that net carbon 
                stock, taking into consideration the requirements 
                described in section 101(b) of that Act;''.
    (c) Carbon Storage Through the Forest Stewardship Program.--Section 
5(d)(1) of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 
2103a(d)(1)) is amended by inserting ``carbon sequestration (as defined 
in section 3 of the Trillion Trees and Natural Carbon Storage Act),'' 
before ``and the aesthetic''.
    (d) Carbon Storage Through the Community Forest and Open Space 
Conservation Program.--Section 7A(c)(1)(B)(ii) of the Cooperative 
Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2103d(c)(1)(B)(ii)) is 
amended by inserting ``, net carbon stock (as defined in section 3 of 
the Trillion Trees and Natural Carbon Storage Act and taking into 
consideration the requirements described in section 101(b) of that 
Act),'' before ``and wildlife''.
    (e) Carbon Storage Through the Promotion of Forest Health.--Section 
8(a) of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 
2104(a)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (6) as 
        paragraphs (5) through (7), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
            ``(4) protect or enhance net carbon stock (as defined in 
        section 3 of the Trillion Trees and Natural Carbon Storage Act 
        and taking into consideration the requirements described in 
        section 101(b) of that Act) on healthy forestland;''.
    (f) Carbon Storage Through Urban and Community Forestry.--Section 
9(d)(3) of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 
2105(d)(3)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in subparagraph (D), by inserting ``and'' at the end; 
        and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(E) identifying opportunities to increase carbon 
                stored through tree planting and scientific urban 
                forestry management;''.
    (g) Carbon Storage Through the State and Private Forest Landscape-
Scale Restoration.--Section 13A of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance 
Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2109a) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (e)--
                    (A) in paragraph (6), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph 
                (8); and
                    (C) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following:
            ``(7) to improve the potential to increase the net carbon 
        stock (as defined in section 3 of the Trillion Trees and 
        Natural Carbon Storage Act and taking into consideration the 
        requirements described in section 101(b) of that Act) of forest 
        ecosystems through methods that result in real, measurable, and 
        verifiable changes in that net carbon stock; and''; and
            (2) in subsection (l), by striking paragraph (3) and 
        inserting the following:
            ``(3) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated to the Fund $25,000,000 for the first full 
        fiscal year after the date of enactment of the Trillion Trees 
        and Natural Carbon Storage Act and each fiscal year thereafter 
        through fiscal year 2025, to remain available until 
        expended.''.

SEC. 108. CARBON SEQUESTRATION RESEARCH AND MONITORING PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--Section 3 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable 
Resources Research Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1642) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), in the 
                second sentence, by striking ``include,'' and all that 
                follows through ``subsection.'' and inserting ``include 
                the following 6 major areas of renewable resource 
                research:'';
                    (B) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``further 
                expanding the understanding of wood product carbon 
                sequestration (as defined in section 3 of the Trillion 
                Trees and Natural Carbon Storage Act), including by 
                developing and improving carbon accounting strategies 
                for specific, ecologically sound forest management 
                practices;'' before ``and developing''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) Renewable resource assessment research shall include, 
        as appropriate, research activities relating to the 
        sequestration of carbon, including--
                    ``(A) accounting strategies for specific, 
                ecologically sound forest management practices in 
                specific forest types;
                    ``(B) increased carbon storage through 
                reforestation, natural regeneration (as defined in 
                section 3 of the Trillion Trees and Natural Carbon 
                Storage Act) or conservation, and forest and rangeland 
                management; and
                    ``(C) the utilization of wood and other materials 
                derived from forest and rangeland renewable resources 
                to store carbon in building materials and industrial or 
                consumer products.'';
            (2) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
                        (A), by striking ``United States'' and all that 
                        follows through ``referred to'' and inserting 
                        ``Chief of the Forest Service, shall carry out 
                        a program (referred to in this subsection'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (G), by striking 
                        ``and'' at the end;
                            (iii) in subparagraph (H), by striking the 
                        period at the end and inserting a semicolon; 
                        and
                            (iv) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(I) accelerate and expand existing research 
                efforts to improve forest carbon measurement and 
                monitoring technologies--
                            ``(i) to better predict changes in forest 
                        carbon due to a changing climate; and
                            ``(ii) to reduce costs of participation, 
                        and increase participation, by private forest 
                        landowners in carbon markets; and
                    ``(J) conduct a study to monitor impacts from 
                carbon-enhancing activities.''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (4)--
                            (i) by striking subparagraphs (A) and (C);
                            (ii) by striking ``the following reports:'' 
                        and all that follows through ``shall submit'' 
                        in the matter preceding clause (i) of 
                        subparagraph (B) and inserting ``, not later 
                        than January 15 of each year,''; and
                            (iii) by redesignating clauses (i) through 
                        (iv) as subparagraphs (A) through (D), 
                        respectively, and indenting appropriately; and
            (3) in subsection (d)(2), by adding at the end the 
        following:
                    ``(F) Carbon sequestration (as defined in section 3 
                of the Trillion Trees and Natural Carbon Storage 
                Act).''.
    (b) Technical Amendment.--Section 2(c) of the Forest and Rangeland 
Renewable Resources Research Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1641(c)) is amended 
by inserting ``of Agriculture (referred to in this Act as the 
`Secretary')'' after ``Secretary''.

          TITLE II--MARKET INCENTIVES FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION

SEC. 201. CLARIFICATION OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR 
              CELLULOSIC BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPLASTICS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Cellulosic biochemical product.--The term ``cellulosic 
        biochemical product'' means any biochemical, including 
        bioethanol and its derivatives, that is derived from wood or 
        plant cellulose fiber.
            (2) Cellulosic bioplastics product.--The term ``cellulosic 
        bioplastics product'' means any bioplastic that is derived from 
        wood or plant cellulose fiber.
            (3) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001).
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary, 
        acting through the Research and Development deputy area and the 
        State and Private Forestry deputy area of the Forest Service.
    (b) Authorization.--The Secretary shall conduct performance-driven 
research and development and provide for education and technical 
assistance for the purpose of facilitating the use of cellulosic 
biochemical and bioplastics products in the United States.
    (c) Activities.--In carrying out subsection (b), the Secretary 
shall, after collaboration with the wood products and chemical 
industries, conservation organizations, and institutions of higher 
education--
            (1) conduct research and development, and provide for 
        education and technical assistance, at the Forest Products 
        Laboratory or through the State and Private Forestry deputy 
        area that meets measurable performance goals for the 
        achievement of the priorities described in paragraphs (1) 
        through (4) of subsection (d); and
            (2) make competitive grants to institutions of higher 
        education for those institutions to conduct research and 
        development, carry out educational programs, and provide 
        technical assistance.
    (d) Priorities.--In awarding grants under subsection (c)(2), the 
Secretary shall give priority to applications from institutions of 
higher education proposing projects--
            (1) to address ways to improve the commercialization of 
        cellulosic biochemical products and biodegradable cellulosic 
        bioplastics products that, based on the best available science 
        and analyses conducted using the lifecycle models developed 
        under section 102(b), will allow for an increase in net carbon 
        stock;
            (2) to develop advanced biofuels (as defined in section 
        211(o)(1) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545(o)(1))) that--
                    (A) are cellulosic biofuels suitable for use in 
                aviation, shipping, and heavy-duty vehicles; and
                    (B) based on the best available science and 
                analyses conducted using the lifecycle models developed 
                under section 102(b), will allow for an increase in net 
                carbon stock;
            (3) for the conduct of applied research, including projects 
        designed to bring products from benchtop to production scale; 
        or
            (4) to address one or more other research areas identified 
        by the Secretary, in consultation with conservation 
        organizations, institutions of higher education, and the wood 
        products industry.
    (e) Timeframe.--To the maximum extent practicable, the measurable 
performance goals for the research and development, education, and 
technical assistance under subsection (b) shall be achievable within 5 
years.

SEC. 202. RURAL FOREST MARKET INVESTMENT PROGRAM.

    (a) Definition of Rural.--In this section, the term ``rural'' has 
the meaning given the term in section 343 of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991).
    (b) Establishment of Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a program, 
        to be known as the ``Rural Forest Market Investment Program'', 
        to guarantee an environmental impact bond, loan, or other 
        investment vehicle, as determined by the Secretary, issued for 
        the sole purpose of financing eligible projects described in 
        subsection (c), to enable rural private forest landowners to 
        participate in an innovative market for forest carbon or other 
        products.
            (2) Consideration.--In establishing the program under 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary may consider ways to ensure that 
        the program minimizes, to the extent practicable, disruptions 
        to traditional forest products markets.
    (c) Eligible Projects.--An eligible project referred to in 
subsection (b)(1) is a project developed by private entity, or a 
publicly supported, charitable nonprofit organization, engaged in the 
aggregation of sustainable forestry practices implemented by rural 
private forest landowners to facilitate the sale of credits in the 
voluntary carbon market or other recognized environmental market, using 
a methodology approved by a credible, third-party entity, as determined 
by the Secretary.
    (d) Requirements.--A project described in subsection (c) that 
includes the practice of tree planting may only be carried out, as 
determined by the Secretary--
            (1) on land that was historically forested;
            (2) using tree species that are native to the region and at 
        ecologically appropriate densities; and
            (3) in a manner that does not create other negative impacts 
        to biodiversity or the environment.
    (e) Guarantee Amount.--The Secretary may guarantee not more than 
$150,000,000 with respect to each bond, loan, or other investment 
vehicle under subsection (b)(1).
    (f) Regulations.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue regulations to 
implement the program established under subsection (b)(1).
    (g) Termination of Authority.--The authority provided by this 
section terminates on September 30, 2023.

TITLE III--ENGAGING AMERICA'S ALLIES IN CONSERVATION AND STRONGER LAND 
                               MANAGEMENT

SEC. 301. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

    It shall be the policy of the United States to--
            (1) lead the world in creating incentives and investments 
        to protect intact forests, reduce deforestation and support 
        tree planting and forest landscape restoration, conservation, 
        and sustainable management in support of the goal to plant and 
        conserve one trillion trees globally;
            (2) support carbon sequestration through sustainable 
        management and restoration of coastal and inland aquatic 
        ecosystems, including wetlands and blue carbon habitats; and
            (3) utilize the vast natural assets and technical expertise 
        of the United States to assist with sustainable management and 
        utilization, conservation, and restoration of forests, 
        grasslands, wetlands, blue carbon habitats, and agricultural 
        lands for sequestering carbon globally.

SEC. 302. INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR CONSERVATION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of State (referred to in this title 
as the ``Secretary''), in coordination with the Administrator, the 
Secretary of Agriculture, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, the Director of the United States Fish and 
Wildlife Service, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the heads of other 
relevant agencies and international organizations, shall prioritize 
programs to support forest landscape restoration, end deforestation, 
and conserve and restore grasslands, wetlands, and blue carbon habitats 
at landscape scale, including incorporating these activities into other 
programs or forms of assistance.
    (b) Prioritization and Types of Assistance.--In providing the 
support outlined in subsection (a), the Secretary, in coordination with 
the Administrator, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Administrator of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Director 
of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, shall--
            (1) prioritize partnerships with developing countries and 
        regions that have experienced significant levels of 
        deforestation, grassland conversion, wetland loss, or blue 
        carbon habitat degradation or whose biodiversity, local 
        economy, and stability has been or could be significantly 
        impacted by loss of forest and tree cover, grasslands, 
        wetlands, or blue carbon habitat;
            (2) prioritize partnerships that have been determined by 
        agencies and partners with relevant expertise to sequester or 
        have the potential to sequester significant amounts of 
        atmospheric carbon and that will provide other benefits to the 
        region, as determined by the Secretary;
            (3) encourage countries receiving relevant aid, as 
        determined by the Secretary, to report transparently 
        information about this aid, including local ownership and 
        benefit sharing of programs;
            (4) encourage countries receiving relevant aid, as 
        determined by the Secretary, to adopt legislation or other 
        measures domestically to protect, restore, and sustainably 
        manage forests (both existing and newly planted), grasslands, 
        wetlands, blue carbon habitats, and other ecologically 
        important lands and waters; and
            (5) take a leadership role in ending deforestation and 
        habitat conversion and encouraging the sustainable management, 
        conservation, and restoration of forests, grasslands, wetlands, 
        blue carbon habitats, and other lands and waters at landscape 
        scale.
    (c) Coordination.--In carrying out the programs authorized by this 
section, the Secretary and the Administrator shall, to the maximum 
extent practicable, make use of public-private partnerships to 
facilitate engagement by nonprofit organizations and industry partners.

SEC. 303. ESTABLISHMENT OF FOUNDATION.

    (a) Establishment of Foundation.--The Secretary may enter into an 
agreement, or expand on existing partnerships, with a nonprofit 
organization to establish an ``International Forest Foundation'' (in 
this section referred to as the ``Foundation''), which shall not be an 
agency or instrumentality of the United States Government.
    (b) Purposes of Foundation.--The purposes of the Foundation shall 
be to--
            (1) encourage, accept, and administer private gifts of 
        money and of real and personal property for the benefit of, or 
        in connection with, the activities and services carried out by 
        the United States to support forest landscape restoration, end 
        deforestation, and conserve and restore grasslands, wetlands, 
        and blue carbon habitats around the world;
            (2) use private funds to support, undertake, and conduct 
        activities that further the goals set forth in section 301; and
            (3) undertake, conduct, and encourage educational, 
        technical, and other assistance, and other activities, that 
        support international goals to increase global carbon 
        sequestration and ecosystem health through the conservation and 
        restoration of healthy forests, grasslands, wetlands, blue 
        carbon habitats, and sustainably managed agricultural land.
    (c) Transfer of Funds; Liability.--
            (1) Transfer of funds.--The Secretary may authorize, 
        pursuant to an agreement entered into in accordance with 
        section 302(c), the transfer of funds of the United States to a 
        nonprofit organization for the purpose of offsetting any 
        administrative costs of the Foundation.
            (2) Liability.--The United States shall not be liable for 
        any debts, defaults, acts, or omissions of the Foundation. The 
        full faith and credit of the United States shall not extend to 
        any obligations of the Foundation.

SEC. 304. INTERNATIONAL SUSTAINABLE LAND-USE MANAGEMENT PLANS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, in coordination with the 
Administrator, the Secretary of Agriculture, the heads of other 
relevant Federal agencies, and international organizations, shall 
encourage countries receiving funding or other forms of assistance 
related to agriculture that is funded or partially funded by the United 
States to produce, make publicly available, and adhere to detailed 
land-use management plans that identify and preserve areas important to 
ecosystem health and carbon sequestration and prioritize landscape 
restoration.
    (b) Land-Use Management Plan Criteria.--The Secretary shall work 
with the Administrator, the Secretary of Agriculture, the heads of 
other relevant Federal agencies, international and nongovernmental 
organizations, and other relevant experts to work with recipient 
countries to develop and make publicly available, not later than one 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act, science-based 
criteria for land-use management plans that support conservation of 
critical ecosystems, which may take material or ideas from existing 
land-use management criteria. The criteria shall prioritize--
            (1) identifying and preserving areas important to ecosystem 
        health and carbon sequestration;
            (2) conserving critical habitat and other significant 
        areas;
            (3) prioritizing conservation and preservation where 
        possible;
            (4) restoring forests, grasslands, wetlands, blue carbon 
        habitats, and other lands and waters important for carbon 
        sequestration and ecosystem health; and
            (5) stakeholder engagement with local communities, 
        including indigenous communities and marginalized groups, 
        including women.
    (c) Identification of Countries.--The Secretary shall work with the 
Administrator, the Secretary of Agriculture, the heads of other 
relevant United States agencies, international organizations, and other 
relevant experts to identify and publish on a preexisting website the 
countries receiving direct funding or benefits derived from United 
States international aid related to agricultural development, 
agricultural education, or agricultural trade.
    (d) Encouraging Use of Land-Use Management Plans.--The Secretary, 
in coordination with the Administrator, the Secretary of Agriculture, 
and the heads of other relevant agencies shall--
            (1) encourage identified countries to develop and publish 
        on a preexisting website land-use management plans, or to 
        improve existing land-use management plans, following criteria 
        that include clear annual objectives for achieving the 
        priorities set forth in subsection (b);
            (2) consider the progress that countries have made in 
        developing conservation and land-use management plans and the 
        progress these countries have made in adhering to these plans 
        when determining future aid related to agricultural 
        development;
            (3) encourage international organizations that the United 
        States supports and other governments with which it cooperates 
        to support land-use management plans and planning; and
            (4) integrate United States financial assistance and 
        support for such plans with the assistance of others to the 
        extent doing so advances their effectiveness.

SEC. 305. BLUE CARBON MONITORING.

    The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration shall--
            (1) collaborate with and provide technical assistance to 
        the Secretary and the Administrator in order to implement best 
        practices for monitoring blue carbon inventory in programs and 
        projects established under this title; and
            (2) work in collaboration with the Smithsonian 
        Environmental Research Center to develop a global blue carbon 
        database and ensure data collection and reporting are 
        consistent with the Center's Coastal Carbon Data Clearinghouse.

SEC. 306. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
and annually thereafter, the Secretary, in consultation with the 
Administrator, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Administrator of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Director of the 
United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the heads of other 
relevant United States agencies, shall submit a report to Congress 
that--
            (1) outlines funding, activities, and other support 
        provided to advance the priorities outlined in sections 302, 
        303, 304, and 305 on a country-by-country basis, including work 
        to develop land-use management plan criteria and efforts to 
        encourage identified countries to develop and adhere to land-
        use management plans consistent with the developed criteria; 
        and
            (2) makes use of modern satellite imagery techniques to 
        monitor grassland, forest, and tree canopy cover and track the 
        effectiveness of the programs of the United States Government 
        and its partners.

SEC. 307. INTERNATIONAL FORESTRY COOPERATION.

    Section 602(b)(1) of the International Forestry Cooperation Act of 
1990 (16 U.S.C. 4501(b)(1)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (G), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in subparagraph (H), by inserting ``and'' at the end; 
        and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                                    ``(I) carbon sequestration (as 
                                defined in section 3 of the Trillion 
                                Trees and Natural Carbon Storage Act) 
                                activities, including forest landscape 
                                restoration (as defined in that 
                                section) programs, conducted in an 
                                ecologically appropriate manner;''.

SEC. 308. MODIFICATIONS TO AUTHORITIES RELATING TO TROPICAL FORESTS.

    Section 118 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151p-
1) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(2), by inserting ``, and an increase 
        in global carbon sequestration'' before the period at the end;
            (2) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``, 
                restoration,'' after ``conservation'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ``and impact 
                on global carbon emissions'' after ``irreversible 
                losses'';
                    (C) in paragraph (6), by inserting ``(including 
                partnerships to increase and retain carbon 
                sequestration, as defined in section 3 of the Trillion 
                Trees and Natural Carbon Storage Act)'' after 
                ``sustainable forestry projects and practices''; and
                    (D) in paragraph (8), by inserting ``increase 
                carbon sequestration (as defined in section 3 of the 
                Trillion Trees and Natural Carbon Storage Act) and,'' 
                after ``other activities to''; and
            (3) in subsection (f), by inserting ``and a study on the 
        total carbon sequestered through increases in and retention of 
        tropical forest stocks globally as a result of programs, 
        projects, and activities carried out under this section'' 
        before the period at the end.
                                 <all>