Depleting Risk from Insect Infestation, Soil Erosion, and Catastrophic Fire Act of 2012

Bill: 112-hr-5960
Sponsor: Rep. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA-7]
Introduced: 2012-06-19 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Agricultural conservation and pollution
Agricultural prices, subsidies, credit
Animal and plant health
Arizona
California
Colorado
Fires
Forests, forestry, trees
Idaho
Insects
Intergovernmental relations
Montana
Nevada
New Mexico
Oregon
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Pest management
Public contracts and procurement
Roads and highways
Rural conditions and development
South Dakota
Water quality
Watersheds
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2012-06-19
text: 
Depleting Risk from Insect Infestation, Soil Erosion, and Catastrophic Fire Act of 2012 - Amends the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 to state findings concerning the threat to forests in the Western region of the United States posed by the mountain pine beetle.
 
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) or the Secretary of the Interior, as appropriate, to designate as part of an insect and disease treatment and research pilot program at least one subwatershed in at least one national forest in each state that is experiencing an insect or disease epidemic and characterized by: (1) substantially increased tree mortality due to infestation; (2) the risk of substantially increased tree mortality over the next 15 years due to infestation; or (3) presence in an area in which the risk of hazard trees poses an imminent risk to public infrastructure, health, or safety.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to carry out priority projects on federal land in the designated subwatersheds to reduce the risk or extent of, or increase the resilience to, insect or disease infestation in the subwatersheds. Deems such projects to be authorized hazardous fuel reduction projects.
 
Extends the authorization of appropriations for the insect infestation and related diseases program through FY2017.
 
Allows the Secretary to use amounts appropriated to carry out the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act to cover the costs of technical assistance, management, and enforcement responsibilities for land enrolled in the healthy forests reserve program.
 
Authorizes the Chief of the Forest Service and the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to enter into stewardship contracting projects to perform services to achieve land management goals for the national forests and the public lands that meet local and rural community needs. Replaces a similar program established by the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999.
 
Allows the Secretary to issue a task order for, or enter into a good neighbor agreement or a cooperative agreement or contract with, a governor for purposes of carrying out similar and complementary forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration services on adjacent federal and non-federal land (with exceptions).
 
Amends emergency runoff retardation and soil erosion preventive provisions of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 to require the Secretary of Agriculture to give priority consideration to applications for assistance submitted by landowners and land users for measures needed to remediate the effects of catastrophic wildfire on federal land that is the source of drinking water for the landowners and land users.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-07-20
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2012-06-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Horticulture .
action_date: 2012-06-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
action_date: 2012-06-19
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural 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: 2012-06-19
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural 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: 2012-06-19
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2012-06-19
text: Introduced in House