Community and Forest Protection Act

Bill: 108-s-1352
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2003-06-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Animals
Biomass energy
Building construction
Building materials
Citizen participation
Civil actions and liability
Commerce
Community organization
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Department of Agriculture
Department of the Interior
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Energy
Energy industries
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Environmental monitoring
Environmental protection groups
Evacuation of civilians
Families
Federal advisory bodies
Federal aid to Indians
Finance and Financial Sector
Fire prevention
Forest conservation
Forest ecology
Forest fires
Forest health
Forest management
Forest products
Forest roads
Forestry research
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Government publicity
Grants-in-aid
Housing and Community Development
Indian lands
Infrastructure
Injunctions
Insect control
Insurance premiums
Job creation
Judicial review
Jurisdiction
Labor and Employment
Landowners
Law
Local laws
Logging
Lumber trade
Minorities
National forests
National service
Native Americans
Non-native species
Nonprofit organizations
Occupational retraining
Old growth forests
Oregon
Pests
Poor children
Potable water
Private forests
Property insurance
Public meetings
Recruiting of employees
Revolving funds
Road construction
Rural economic development
Science, Technology, Communications
Small business
Social Welfare
Soil conservation
Storms
Sunset legislation
Timber sales
Transportation and Public Works
Tree diseases
Trees
Urban affairs
Water Resources Development
Water pollution control
Water quality
Water supply
Watersheds
Weather
Wood
Youth employment

Summary:
action_date: 2003-06-26
text: Community and Forest Protection Act - Directs the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior to conduct hazardous fuels reduction projects on an aggregate area of 20 million acres of Federal and Indian land under expedited procedures as provided for by this Act. Gives priority to: (1) wildland-urban interface; (2) municipal watersheds; and (3) fire regime I, II, and III lands. States that at least 70 percent of funds under this Act shall be spent on wildland-urban interface lands, with adjustments for a particular State upon request.
Provides for an expedited administrative process for hazardous fuels reduction projects, including: (1) categorical exclusion from certain environmental analysis for wildland-urban interface projects; (2) shortened appeals, review officer determination without remand, and documentation issuance without public review for priority projects outside such interface, and (3) a salvage monitoring pilot program in the Biscuit Fire area.
Limits judicial review to the United States District Court in which the project is located. States that Congress intends that such judicial review shall be expeditiously completed. Limits injunctive relief to 60-day renewable periods.
 Directs: (1) the Forest Service to monitor project contracts; and (2) that at least 50 percent of contracts shall be awarded on best value criteria.
Authorizes grants for: (1) biomass commercialization; and (2) improved biomass utilization.
Directs the Secretaries to carry out a forest stands inventory and monitoring program on Federal and private (with permission) lands. Locates the program facility in the Ochoco National Forest Headquarters, Prineville, Oregon.
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a grant program for emergency fuels reduction in areas that pose a threat to human life.
Expresses the sense of Congress that insurers should reduce insurance for homeowners who take specified home protection measures.
Gives priority for funding under the Community and Private Land Fire Assistance Program to communities with fire prevention ordinances.
Sunsets provisions of this Act five years after enactment.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-07-22
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 108-140.
action_date: 2003-06-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8741-8745)
action_date: 2003-06-26
text: Introduced in Senate