Title: To require the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study on the establishment of, and the potential land that could be included in, a unit of the National Forest System in the State of Hawaii, and for other purposes.
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
This bill directs the Forest Service to conduct a study to (1) determine the suitability and feasibility of establishing a unit of the National Forest System in the islands of Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Oahu, and Kauai in the state of Hawaii; and (2) identify available land within the study area that could be included in such unit.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 297 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 297

   To require the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study on the 
 establishment of, and the potential land that could be included in, a 
  unit of the National Forest System in the State of Hawaii, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 13, 2021

 Mr. Case (for himself and Mr. Kahele) introduced the following bill; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To require the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study on the 
 establishment of, and the potential land that could be included in, a 
  unit of the National Forest System in the State of Hawaii, 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. HAWAII NATIONAL FOREST STUDY.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.
            (2) Study area.--The term ``study area'' means the islands 
        of Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Oahu, and Kauai in the State 
        of Hawaii.
    (b) Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct a study--
                    (A) to determine the suitability and feasibility of 
                establishing a unit of the National Forest System in 
                the study area; and
                    (B) to identify available land within the study 
                area that could be included in the unit described in 
                subparagraph (A).
            (2) Coordination and consultation.--In conducting the study 
        under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall--
                    (A) coordinate with the Hawaii Department of Land 
                and Natural Resources; and
                    (B) consult with the Hawaii Department of 
                Agriculture and other interested governmental entities, 
                private and nonprofit organizations, and any interested 
                individuals.
            (3) Contents.--In conducting the study under paragraph (1), 
        the Secretary shall--
                    (A) consider unique vegetation types that occur in 
                the study area and that should be targeted for 
                inclusion in the unit of the National Forest System 
                described in paragraph (1)(A);
                    (B) evaluate the ability of the Secretary--
                            (i) to improve and protect forest areas 
                        within the study area; and
                            (ii) to secure favorable water flows within 
                        the study area;
                    (C) determine whether the unit of the National 
                Forest System described in paragraph (1)(A) would 
                expand, enhance, or duplicate--
                            (i) resource protection; and
                            (ii) visitor-use opportunities;
                    (D) consider parcels of an appropriate size or 
                location to be capable of economical administration as 
                part of the National Forest System separately or 
                jointly with the other land identified under paragraph 
                (1)(B);
                    (E) evaluate the willingness of landowners to sell 
                or transfer land in the study area to the Secretary;
                    (F) evaluate the suitability of land in the study 
                area for potential selection and designation as a 
                research natural area or an experimental forest;
                    (G) identify cost estimates for any Federal 
                acquisition, development, operation, and maintenance 
                that would be needed to establish the unit of the 
                National Forest System described in paragraph (1)(A); 
                and
                    (H) consider other alternatives for the 
                conservation, protection, and use of areas within the 
                study area by the Federal Government, State or local 
                government entities, or private and nonprofit 
                organizations.
    (c) Effect.--Nothing in this section authorizes the Secretary to 
take any action that would affect the use of any land owned by the 
United States or not owned by the United States.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources 
of the House of Representatives a report that describes--
            (1) the results of the study; and
            (2) any conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary.
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