Forest Restoration and Fire Risk Reduction Act

Bill: 108-hr-1042
Sponsor: Rep. Udall, Mark [D-CO-2]
Introduced: 2003-02-27 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Agriculture and Food
Animals
Commerce
Conferences
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Department of Agriculture
Department of the Interior
Economic impact statements
Economics and Public Finance
Ecosystem management
Electronic government information
Emergency Management
Endangered species
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Environmental monitoring
Environmental technology
Executive reorganization
Exotic plants
Families
Federal advisory bodies
Federal aid to housing
Federal employees
Federal-Indian relations
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Fire prevention
Fishery management
Flood damage prevention
Forest ecology
Forest fires
Forest management
Forest products
Forest roads
Forestry research
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Government paperwork
Government procurement
Government publicity
Grants-in-aid
Habitat conservation
Housing and Community Development
Indian lands
Infrastructure
Injunctions
Internet
Job creation
Judicial review
Labor and Employment
Landowners
Law
Minorities
National forests
Pest control
Planning
Public meetings
Restoration ecology
Rural economic development
Science, Technology, Communications
Sediment control
Small business
Soil erosion
Trails
Transportation and Public Works
Trees
Urban affairs
Urban areas
Wages
Water Resources Development
Water supply
Watersheds
Wilderness areas
Wildlife management
Youth employment

Summary:
action_date: 2003-02-27
text: Forest Restoration and Fire Risk Reduction Act - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior, in their respective areas, to establish a cooperative community protection and forest restoration program under the National Fire Plan to make cost-share grants for hazardous fuels reduction projects. Sets forth a project selection process.
States that such projects may be carried out entirely on, or involve any combination of, Federal lands, tribal lands, State or local government lands, or private forest lands. Prohibits such projects on the following Federal lands: (1) National Wilderness Preservation System components; (2) lands where the removal of vegetation is prohibited or restricted; (3) Wilderness Study Areas; and (4) Inventoried Roadless Areas. Provides for a special Department of Agriculture administrative appeals process for such projects.
Directs the Secretaries to jointly establish a program of forest-related projects for: (1) erosion control and watershed restoration; (2) road and trail assessment; (3) wildlife and fish management; (4) restoration job training and small business development; (5) noxious and invasive species control; and (6) wildfire-threatened homeowner assistance.
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture, through the Regional Foresters, to establish Forest Restoration and Value-Added Centers to improve implementation of collaborative, community-based projects in National Forest System and other lands. Requires that: (1) at least one Center be located in each Forest Service Region; and (2) each Center be located in a small rural community in proximity to National Forest System lands.
Authorizes the Secretaries to give competitive service hiring preference to graduates of certified youth service or conservation corps.
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program of applied research (through the Forest Products Laboratory) in order to: (1) identify minimal impact restoration methods; and (2) test and develop value-added products created from restoration by-products.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-11
text: Executive Comment Requested from USDA.
action_date: 2003-03-11
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry.
action_date: 2003-03-10
text: Executive Comment Requested from USDA, Interior.
action_date: 2003-03-10
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands.
action_date: 2003-03-10
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health.
action_date: 2003-02-27
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-02-27
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-02-27
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-02-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E325-326, E331)
action_date: 2003-02-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-02-27
text: Introduced in House