Granite Watershed Enhancement and Protection Act of 1998
PL 105-281 (H.R.2886), enacted 10/26/1998

PUBLIC LAW 105-281—OCT. 26, 1998 
112 STAT. 2695 
Public Law 105-281 
105th Congress 
An Act 
To provide for a demonstration project in the Stanislaus National Forest, California, 
under which a private contractor will perform multiple resource management 
activities for that unit of the National Forest System. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of 
America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the "Granite Watcsrshed Enhancement 
and Protection Act of 1998". 
SEC. 
2. 
DEMONSTRATION RESOURCE 
MANAGEMENT PROJECT, 
STANISLAUS 
NATIONAL 
FOREST, 
CALIFORNIA, 
TO 
ENHANCE AND PROTECT THE GRANIITE WATERSHED. 
(a) 
RESOURCE 
MANAGEMENT 
CONTRACT AuTHORiZED.^The 
Secretary of Agriculture may enter into a contract with a single 
private contractor to perform multiple resource management activi-
ties on Federal lands within the Stanislaus National Forest in 
the State of California for the piirpose of demonstrating enhanced 
ecosystem health and water equality, and significantly reducing the 
risk of catastrophic wildfire, in the Granite watershed at a reduced 
cost to the Government. The contract shall be for a term of 5 
years. 
(b) AUTHORIZED 
MANAGEMENT 
ACTIVITIES.—The types of 
resource management activities performed under the contract shall 
include the following 
(1) Reduction of forest fuel loads through the use of 
precommercial and commercial thinning £ind prescribed bums 
in the Granite watershed. 
(2) Monitoring of ecosystem health sind water quaUty in 
the Granite watershed. 
(3) Monitoring of the presence of wildlife in the area in 
which management activities are performed and the effect of 
the activities on wildlife presence. 
(4) Such other resource management activities as the 
Secretary considers appropriate to demonstrate enhanced eco-
system health and water quaUty in the Granite watershed. 
(c) COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL LAW AND SPOTTED OWL GUIDE-
LINES.—^All resource management activities performed under the 
contract shall be performed in a manner consistent with appUcable 
Federal law and the standards and guidelines for the conservation 
of the California spotted owl (as set forth in the California Spotted 
Owl Sierran Province Interim GuideUnes or the subsequently issued 
final guidelines, whichever is in effect). 
(d) FUNDING.— 
Oct. 26, 1998 
(H.R. 2886] 
Granite 
Watershed 
Enhancement 
and Protection 
Act of 1998. 
112 STAT. 2696 
PUBLIC LAW 105-281—OCT. 26, 1998 
(1) SOURCES OP FUNDS.—^To provide funds for the resource 
management activities to be performed under the contract, 
the Secretary may use— 
(A) funds appropriated to carry out this section; 
(B) funds specifically provided to the Forest Service 
to implement projects to demonstrate enhanced water qual-
ity and protect aquatic and upland resources; 
(C) excess funds that are allocated for the administra-
tion and management of the Stanislaus National Forest, 
California; 
(D) hazardous fuels reduction funds allocated for 
Region 5 of the Forest Service; and 
(E) a contract provision allowing the cost of performing 
authorized management activities described in subsection 
(b) to be offset by the values owed to the United States 
for any forest products removed by the contractor. 
(2) PROHIBITION ON USE OF CERTAIN FUNDS.—Except as 
provided in paragraph (1), the Secretary may not carry out 
the contract using funds appropriated for any other unit of 
the National Forest System. 
(3) CONDITIONS ON FUNDS TRANSFERS.—Any transfer of 
funds under paragraph (1) may be made only in accordance 
with the procedures concerning notice to, and review by, the 
Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate that are 
applied by the Secretary in the case of a transfer of funds 
between appropriations. 
(e) ACCEPTANCE AND U S E OF STATE FUNDS.—The Secretary 
may accept and use funds provided by the State of California 
to assist in the implementation of the contract under this section. 
(f) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—Not later than February 28 
of each year during the term of the contract, the Secretary shall 
submit to Congress a report describing— 
(1) the resource management activities performed under 
the contract during the period covered by the report; 
(2) the source and amount of funds used under subsection 
(d) to carry out the contract; and 
(3) the resource management activities to be performed 
under the contract during the calendar year in which the report 
is submitted. 
PUBLIC LAW 105-281—OCT. 26,1998 
112 STAT. 2697 
(g) RESJ^TIONSHIP TO OTHER LAWS.—^Nothing in this section 
exempts the contract, or resource management activities to be per-
formed under the contract, from any Federal environmental law. 
Approved October 26, 1998. 
LEGISLATIVE 
fflSTORY—HJt. 
2886: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 105-527 (Comm. on Resoiirces). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 105-292 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Reso\irces). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 144 (1998): 
May 12, considered and passed House. 
Oct. 2, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
Oct. 10, House concurred in Senate amendment.