A bill to amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to authorize certain construction activities on public lands, and for other purposes.

Bill: 118-s-297
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced: 2023-02-07
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Agricultural equipment and machinery

Agricultural practices and innovations

Air quality

Building construction

Climate change and greenhouse gases

Employment and training programs

Land use and conservation

Livestock

Public-private cooperation

Water quality
Latest action: action_date: 2023-10-25
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 118-311.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-02-07
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This bill provides for the construction of nurseries on public lands. </p> <p>Using funds made available under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to restore native vegetation and mitigate environmental hazards on mined land on federal and nonfederal lands, the Department of the Interior shall carry out a pilot program to establish and operate nurseries on lands under its jurisdiction.</p> <p>Likewise, the Forest Service shall carry out a pilot program to establish and operate nurseries on National Forest System lands.</p> <p>Interior shall carry out its pilot program in (1) four of the eleven contiguous Western states, and (2) one state that is not one of the eleven contiguous Western states.</p> <p>The Forest Service shall carry out its pilot program in (1) four of the eleven contiguous Western states; and (2) one state, including Vermont, that is not one of the eleven contiguous Western states.</p>

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 297 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 7, 2023 Mr. Sanders introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources A BILL To amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to authorize certain construction activities on public lands, and for other purposes.

1. Nurseries Title VI of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1781 et seq. ) is amended by adding at the end the following: 604. Nurseries (a) In general Using funds made available under section 40804(b)(8) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act ( 16 U.S.C. 6592a(b)(8) )— (1) the Secretary shall carry out a pilot program to establish and operate nurseries on public lands and other Federal land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary; and (2) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall carry out a pilot program to establish and operate nurseries on National Forest System land. (b) Locations (1) Department of the Interior The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program established under subsection (a)(1) in— (A) 4 of the eleven contiguous Western States; and (B) 1 State that is not 1 of the eleven contiguous Western States. (2) Forest Service The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall carry out the pilot program established under subsection (a)(2) in— (A) 4 of the eleven contiguous Western States; and (B) 1 State, including the State of Vermont, that is not 1 of the eleven contiguous Western States. (c) Activities (1) Definition of Secretary concerned In this subsection, the term Secretary concerned means— (A) the Secretary, with respect to public lands and other Federal land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary; and (B) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, with respect to National Forest System land. (2) Authorizations In carrying out a pilot program established under subsection (a), the Secretary concerned may— (A) establish a tree nursery on Federal land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned, and develop the infrastructure necessary to support that nursery, to address Federal and regional conservation tree planting needs, consistent with the Bureau of Land Management National Seed Strategy; (B) purchase necessary equipment and machinery and construct the necessary facilities on Federal land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned to store material, equipment, and machinery authorized under this section; (C) enter into cooperative agreements with non-Federal entities to use trees produced in nurseries established under the pilot program; (D) conduct necessary research on grazing and forest management on Federal land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned, ensuring the long-term sustainability of such grazing and forest management, to maximize the ability— (i) to sequester carbon; (ii) to prevent soil erosion; and (iii) to improve air and water quality; and (E) hire and train personnel to carry out the activities described in this section. .