Repairing Existing Public Land by Adding Necessary Trees Act

Bill: 117-s-866
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2021-03-18
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Agricultural conservation and pollution

Agricultural practices and innovations

Air quality

Animal and plant health

Atmospheric science and weather

Climate change and greenhouse gases

Congressional oversight

Ecology

Fires

Forests, forestry, trees

Government trust funds

Insects

Land use and conservation

Outdoor recreation

Pest management

Water quality

Wildlife conservation and habitat protection
Latest action: action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-03-18
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Repairing Existing Public Land by Adding Necessary Trees Act or the REPLANT Act</b></p> <p>This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) annually for each of the 10 years after enactment of this bill to transmit to Congress an estimate of the sums necessary to be appropriated, in addition to the funds available from other sources, to replant and otherwise treat an acreage equal to the acreage to be cut over that year, plus a sufficient portion of the backlog of lands found to be in need of treatment to eliminate the backlog within the 10-year period.</p> <p>After such 10-year period, USDA shall transmit annually to Congress an estimate of the sums necessary to replant and otherwise treat all lands being cut over and maintain planned timber production on all other forested lands in the National Forest System to prevent the development of a backlog of needed work larger than the needed work at the beginning of the fiscal year. </p> <p>Each reforestation activity included in a renewable resource assessment shall be carried out in accordance with applicable Forest Service management practices and definitions, including definitions relating to silvicultural practices and forest management.</p> <p>The Forest Service shall, based on recommendations from regional foresters, create a priority list of reforestation projects that primarily take place on priority land, promote effective reforestation following unplanned events, and may include activities to ensure adequate and appropriate seed availability. </p> <p>USDA shall give priority to projects on the priority list. </p>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 866 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 18, 2021 Ms. Stabenow (for herself, Mr. Portman , Mrs. Shaheen , Mrs. Capito , Mr. Bennet , Mr. Marshall , and Mr. Heinrich ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry A BILL To amend the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 to promote reforestation following unplanned events on Federal land, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Repairing Existing Public Land by Adding Necessary Trees Act or the REPLANT Act . 2. Reforestation following wildfires and other unplanned events (a) Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (1) National forest cover policy (A) In general Section 3 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 ( 16 U.S.C. 1601 ) is amended— (i) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); (ii) by redesignating the second subsection (d) (relating to the policy of Congress regarding forested land in the National Forest System) as subsection (e); and (iii) in subsection (e) (as so redesignated)— (I) in paragraph (2)— (aa) in the first sentence— (AA) by striking 9 of this Act, the Secretary shall annually for eight years following the enactment of this subsection and inserting 9, the Secretary shall, annually during each of the 10 years beginning after the date of enactment of the REPLANT Act ; and (BB) by striking eight-year and inserting 10-year ; (bb) in the second sentence, by striking such eight-year period and inserting the 10-year period ; and (cc) in the third sentence, by striking 1978 and inserting 2021 ; (II) in paragraph (3), in the first sentence, by striking subsection (d) and inserting subsection ; and (III) by adding at the end the following: (4) Reforestation requirements (A) Definitions In this paragraph: (i) Natural regeneration (I) In general The term natural regeneration means the establishment of a tree or tree age class from natural seeding, sprouting, or suckering in accordance with the management objectives of an applicable land management plan. (II) Inclusion The term natural regeneration may include any site preparation activity to enhance the success of regeneration to the desired species composition and structure. (ii) Priority land The term priority land means National Forest System land that, due to an unplanned event— (I) does not meet the conditions for appropriate forest cover described in paragraph (1); (II) requires reforestation to meet the objectives of an applicable land management plan; and (III) is unlikely to experience natural regeneration without assistance. (iii) Reforestation The term reforestation means the act of renewing tree cover, taking into consideration species composition and resilience, by establishing young trees through— (I) natural regeneration; (II) natural regeneration with site preparation; or (III) planting or direct seeding. (iv) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service. (v) Unplanned event (I) In general The term unplanned event means any unplanned disturbance that— (aa) disrupts ecosystem or forest structure or composition; or (bb) changes resources, substrate availability, or the physical environment. (II) Inclusions The term unplanned event may include— (aa) a wildfire; (bb) an infestation of insects or disease; (cc) a weather event; and (dd) animal damage. (B) Requirement Each reforestation activity under this section shall be carried out in accordance with applicable Forest Service management practices and definitions, including definitions relating to silvicultural practices and forest management. (C) Reforestation priority (i) In general In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to projects on the priority list described in clause (ii). (ii) Priority list (I) In general The Secretary shall, based on recommendations from regional foresters, create a priority list of reforestation projects that— (aa) primarily take place on priority land; (bb) promote effective reforestation following unplanned events; and (cc) may include activities to ensure adequate and appropriate seed availability. (II) Ranking The Secretary shall rank projects on the priority list under subclause (I) based on— (aa) documentation of an effective reforestation project plan; (bb) the ability to measure the progress and success of the project; and (cc) the ability of a project to provide benefits relating to forest function and health, soil health and productivity, wildlife habitat, improved air and water quality, carbon sequestration potential, resilience, job creation, and enhanced recreational opportunities. . (B) Conforming amendment Section 9 of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2105 ) is amended, in the undesignated matter following paragraph (5) of subsection (g)— (i) by striking section 3(d) and inserting subsection (e) of section 3 ; and (ii) by striking 1601(d) and inserting 1601 . (2) National Forest System program elements Section 9 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 ( 16 U.S.C. 1607 ) is amended, in the second sentence, by striking 2000 and inserting 2030 . (b) Reforestation Trust Fund Section 303 of Public Law 96–451 ( 16 U.S.C. 1606a ) is amended— (1) in subsection (b)— (A) by striking paragraph (2); (B) in paragraph (3)— (i) in the second sentence, by striking Proper adjustment and inserting the following: (3) Adjustment of estimates Proper adjustment ; and (ii) by striking (3) The amounts and inserting the following: (2) Frequency The amounts ; and (C) by striking the subsection designation and all that follows through the Secretary in paragraph (1) and inserting the following: (b) Transfers to Trust Fund (1) In general The Secretary ; and (2) in subsection (d)(1)— (A) by striking section 3(d) and inserting subsection (e) of section 3 ; and (B) by striking 1601(d) and inserting 1601 . 3. Report Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives, and make publicly available on the website of the Forest Service, a report that describes, with respect to the preceding year— (1) an evaluation of the degree to which the Secretary has achieved compliance with the requirements contained in the amendments made by this Act, including, as a result of those amendments, the number of acres covered by reforestation projects that follow unplanned events (such as wildfires); (2) the total number of acres of land reforested under each authority of the Secretary under which reforestation projects have been carried out; (3) the number of acres of National Forest System land affected by, and the substance of reforestation needs on that land resulting from, unplanned events; and (4) the number of acres in need of reforestation under subsection (e)(1) of section 3 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 ( 16 U.S.C. 1601 ).