To authorize collaborative forest restoration and wildland fire hazard mitigation projects on National Forest System lands and other public and private lands, to improve the implementation of the National Fire Plan, and for other purposes.

To authorize collaborative forest restoration and wildland fire hazard mitigation projects on National Forest System lands and other public and private lands, to improve the implementation of the National Fire Plan, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

(a) SHORT TITLE- This Act may be cited as the `Forest Restoration and Fire Risk Reduction Act'.

(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS- The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.

Sec. 2. Findings.

Sec. 3. Purposes.

Sec. 4. Definitions.

Sec. 5. Transition.

Sec. 6. Cooperative program for hazardous fuel reduction projects.

Sec. 7. Selection process for hazardous fuels reduction projects.

Sec. 8. Monitoring and evaluation requirements.

Sec. 9. Administrative procedures under cooperative community protection and forest restoration program.

Sec. 10. Special Department of Agriculture administrative appeals process for hazardous fuels reduction projects.

Sec. 11. Forest restoration and homeowner assistance program and projects.

Sec. 12. Forest Restoration and Value-added Centers.

Sec. 13. Competitive service hiring preference for graduates of certified youth service or conservation corps.

Sec. 14. Research and training.

Sec. 15. Authorization of appropriations.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:

(1) More than a century of intensive fire suppression, logging, livestock grazing, and urban development has altered the natural fire regimes of some forested Federal public lands.

(2) One aspect of this altered ecological dynamic is the presence of many dense tree stands characterized by small diameter trees and excessive fuel buildups on the forest floor. These conditions reduce biodiversity, provide fewer benefits to human communities, wildlife, and watersheds, and pose an increased risk of catastrophic wildfires that can destroy or seriously damage both human and natural resources.

(3) Unnaturally severe wildfires on highly erodible soils can result in disastrous flood events and sediment deposition if such a fire is followed by heavy rains. This combination of events poses a particular threat to communities that rely on municipal drinking water supply facilities located on Federal public lands or that rely on water flowing from these lands.

(4) Healthy and productive forested watersheds minimize the threat of unnaturally high-intensity wildfires, provide abundant and diverse wildlife habitat, and produce a variety of products or benefits, including clean water.

(5) The risk of damage to human life and property from unnaturally severe wild fires is greatly increased in areas where rapidly expanding urban populations are intermingled with forested wildlands, and a primary purpose of the National Fire Plan is to reduce the risk of such wild fires in these areas, known as the `wildland/urban interface'.

(6) Restoration efforts are more successful when there is involvement from Federal and State land managers, as well as neighboring communities and other interested persons, when projects are prioritized in high-risk areas where municipal water supplies and human lives and property are threatened, and when both decisions and implementation activities are carried out across ownership boundaries.

(7) Designing demonstration restoration projects through a collaborative approach may contribute to the development of cost-effective restoration activities, empower diverse organizations to implement activities that value local and traditional knowledge, build ownership and civic pride, and ensure healthy, diverse, and productive forests and watersheds.

SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

The purposes of this Act are as follows:

(1) To reduce the risks to human life and property and municipal drinking water supplies from large, high-intensity wildfires on forested lands.

(2) To refocus the implementation of the National Fire Plan to the areas of highest risk to people, property, and water supplies by redirecting the National Fire Plan funding and hazardous fuels reduction projects through State-established project selection panels.

(3) To improve communication and joint-problem solving among Federal, State, and local land managers, as well as other individuals and groups who are interested in reducing the risk of unnaturally severe wildfires and restoring the diversity of forested lands.

(4) To encourage sustainable communities and sustainable forests through collaborative partnerships focused on forest restoration and reducing the risk of unnaturally severe wildfires.

(5) To develop, demonstrate, and evaluate ecologically sound forest restoration techniques and to assist in carrying out forest restoration projects.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) FEDERAL LANDS- The term `Federal lands' means--

(A) National Forest System lands; and

(B) public lands administered by the Secretary of the Interior acting through the Bureau of Land Management.

(2) HAZARDOUS FUELS REDUCTION PROJECT- The term `hazardous fuels reduction project' means a project--

(A) undertaken for the purpose of reducing the amount of hazardous fuels resulting from alteration of a natural fire regime as a result of fire suppression or other activities or from insect infestation; and

(B) accomplished through the use of prescribed burning or mechanical treatment.

(3) INVENTORIED ROADLESS AREAS- The term `inventoried roadless areas' means the areas identified in a set of inventoried roadless area maps contained in the Forest Service Roadless Area Conservation, Final Environmental Impact Statement, Volume 2, dated November 2000.

(4) MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM- The term `municipal water supply system' means the dams, reservoirs, canals, ditches, flumes, laterals, pipes, pipelines, or other surface facilities and systems constructed or installed for the impoundment, storage, transportation, or distribution of drinking water for a community.

(5) NATIONAL FIRE PLAN- The term `National Fire Plan' means the plans, strategies, projects, and activities of the Secretary concerned to respond to adverse impacts on communities and the environment from wildfires on Federal lands, which are based on and reflect--

(A) the report of the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior entitled `Managing the Impact of Wildfires on Communities and the Environment', dated September 8, 2000; and

(B) congressional direction accompanying appropriations to the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior for wildland fire management for fiscal year 2001 and subsequent years.

(6) SECRETARY CONCERNED- The term `Secretary concerned' means--

(A) the Secretary of Agriculture (or the designee of the Secretary) with respect to National Forest System lands; and

(B) the Secretary of the Interior (or the designee of the Secretary) with respect to public lands administered by the Secretary through the Bureau of Land Management.

(7) STAKEHOLDER- The term `stakeholder' includes forest landowners, local communities and political leaders, tribal governments, local volunteer firefighters, conservation organizations, educational institutions, and other interested public and private entities.

(8) WILDERNESS STUDY AREA- The term `Wilderness Study Area' means--

(A) a portion of the Federal lands that is designated as suitable for wilderness in a land and resources management plan; or

(B) other Federal lands that are managed so as not to impair the suitability of such lands for preservation as wilderness through inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System.

(9) WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE- The term `wildland-urban interface' means a geographic area designated by the Secretary concerned as an area--

(A) that is within or adjacent to an interface community or intermix community, as those terms are defined on page 753 of volume 66 of the Federal Register, as published on January 4, 2001;

(B) on which conditions are conducive to large-scale fire disturbance events; and

(C) for which a significant risk exists of a resulting spread of the fire disturbance event, after ignition, which would threaten human life and property.

SEC. 5. TRANSITION.

(a) IMPLEMENTATION- No hazardous fuels reduction project shall be planned or carried out by the Secretary concerned under the National Fire Plan unless the project is planned and carried out pursuant to this Act.

(b) EXCEPTION FOR ONGOING PROJECTS- This Act shall not apply to a hazardous fuels reduction project for which analysis required pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4331 et seq.) has been completed on or before the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 6. COOPERATIVE PROGRAM FOR HAZARDOUS FUEL REDUCTION PROJECTS.

(a) COOPERATIVE COMMUNITY PROTECTION AND FOREST RESTORATION PROGRAM-

(1) ESTABLISHMENT- The Secretary concerned shall establish a cooperative community protection and forest restoration program under the National Fire Plan to make cost-share grants to enable stakeholders to participate with the Secretary concerned in planning and carrying out hazardous fuels reduction projects that--

(A) are conducted in the wildland-urban interface or to protect municipal water supply systems;

(B) are designed, implemented, and monitored through a collaborative process that includes a diverse and balanced group of stakeholders, as well as appropriate Federal, tribal, State and local government representatives;

(C) create local employment or training opportunities within the context of accomplishing restoration objectives that are consistent with the purposes of this Act; and

(D) satisfy the other requirements specified in subsection (d).

(2) CROSS-BOUNDARY PROJECTS AND PARTICIPATION- Except as otherwise provided in this section, hazardous fuels reduction projects under the program may be carried out entirely on, or involve any combination of, Federal lands, tribal lands, State or local government lands, or private forest lands. Prioritization, decisionmaking, and implementation of approved hazardous fuels reduction projects should be on a cross-boundary, landscape-scale basis, with both State and Federal land managers able to act as agents of the other parties to the project.

(3) ADMINISTRATION- A grant made under the program shall be administered by the appropriate State Forester, in cooperation with the Secretary concerned in the same manner as grants made pursuant to the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.).

(4) COST-SHARE REQUIREMENTS- The Federal share of the cost of a hazardous fuels reduction project under the program shall not exceed 80 percent of the total cost of the project. The required 20 percent matching funds may be provided in the form of cash or in-kind contributions.

(b) EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN FEDERAL LANDS- A hazardous fuels reduction project under the program shall not be conducted on the following Federal lands:

(1) A component of the National Wilderness Preservation System.

(2) Federal lands where, by Act of Congress, Presidential proclamation, or applicable land and resource management plan, the removal of vegetation is prohibited or restricted.

(3) Wilderness Study Areas.

(4) Inventoried Roadless Areas.

(c) TREE REMOVAL AND THINNING LIMITATIONS- In conducting a hazardous fuels reduction project under the program, if the Federal lands to be treated by the project contain fire resistant, pre-fire-exclusion old or large trees, the Secretary concerned shall limit the number and size of the trees to be removed so as to maintain as nearly as possible an ecologically optimum number of such trees, as determined by the Secretary concerned on a project-by-project basis, appropriate for each ecosystem type. The Secretary concerned shall also emphasize the removal of small-diameter trees and thinning from below for the project.

(d) OTHER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS-

(1) OBJECTIVES- To be an eligible hazardous fuels reduction project under the program, the project shall address the following objectives:

(A) Reduce the threat of large, high-intensity wildfires in the area of the project and the negative effects of excessive competition between trees by restoring ecosystem functions, structures, and species composition, including the reduction of nonnative species populations and the retention of old or large native-species trees.

(B) Reestablish fire regimes approximating those that shaped forest ecosystems prior to intensive fire suppression.

(C) Improve the ability of State and local fire departments to safely and effectively perform initial fire control in the area of the project.

(D) Mitigate areas at high risk for flood, erosion, or sediment damage following a wildland fire, rehabilitate areas that have experienced such fire-related damage, or both.

(E) Where appropriate, improve the use of, or add value to, small diameter trees.

(2) COMPLIANCE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS- The planning and implementation of a hazardous fuels reduction project under the program shall comply with all applicable Federal and State environmental laws and incorporate current scientific forest restoration information.

(3) ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS- Each hazardous fuels reduction project under the program shall include a multiparty assessment--

(A) to identify both the existing ecological condition of the proposed project area and the desired future condition; and

(B) to evaluate, upon project completion, the positive or negative impact and effectiveness of the project.

(e) ANNUAL WORKSHOP- Each stakeholder that desires to participate in a hazardous fuels reduction project under the program shall enter into an agreement to attend an annual workshop with other stakeholders for the purpose of discussing the program and the hazardous fuels reduction projects implemented under the program. The Secretary concerned shall coordinate and fund the annual workshop, and stakeholders may use a portion of the funds provided for projects under the program to pay for travel and per diem expenses to attend the workshop.

(f) REPORT- Not later than five years after the end of the first fiscal year in which funding is made available for the program, the Secretary concerned shall submit a report to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives containing an assessment on whether, and to what extent, the hazardous fuel reduction projects funded under the program are meeting the purposes of this Act.

SEC. 7. SELECTION PROCESS FOR HAZARDOUS FUELS REDUCTION PROJECTS.

(a) DETERMINATION OF PROJECT FUNDING PRIORITIES- Prior to the selection of hazardous fuels reduction projects under section 6, the State Forester and Regional Forester, and the State Forester and State Director of the Bureau of Land Management, of each State in which such projects will be conducted shall meet with the technical advisory panel for the State established in subsection (c) to determine priorities for project funding.

(b) SELECTION OF PROPOSALS TO BE FUNDED-

(1) RECOMMENDATIONS- After consulting with the technical advisory panels for a State, the State Forester, Regional Forester, and State Director of the Bureau of Land Management shall jointly submit to the Secretary concerned recommendations regarding priority hazardous fuels reduction projects that should be funded under section 6.

(2) SELECTION- Based on the recommendations received under paragraph (1), the Secretary concerned shall then select the hazardous fuels reduction project proposals to be funded under section 6.

(3) PRIORITIES- The Secretary concerned shall give priority to hazardous fuels reduction projects that can be conducted across ownership boundaries for the benefit of a larger landscape or watershed.

(c) TECHNICAL ADVISORY PANEL-

(1) PANEL REQUIRED; PURPOSE- The Secretary concerned shall convene a technical advisory panel for each State in which hazardous fuels reduction projects will be conducted under section 6 for the purpose of setting protection and restoration priorities, evaluating all proposed projects, and providing recommendations under subsection (a). The Secretary concerned shall establish the procedures through which each panel will develop its recommendations.

(2) ADMINISTRATION- The technical advisory panel for a State shall be jointly administered by the State Forester and the Regional Forester, in the case of panels convened by the Secretary of Agriculture, or the State Forester and the State Director of the Bureau of Land Management, in the case of panels convened by the Secretary of the Interior.

(3) COMPOSITION- Each technical advisory panel shall be composed of 10 to 13 members appointed by the Secretary concerned from persons recommended by the respective State Forester and Regional Forester or State Director of the Bureau of Land Management.

(4) REQUIRED MEMBERS- At a minimum, the technical advisory panel for a State shall include the following members:

(A) An official of the natural resource department of the State or an equivalent State agency.

(B) Two representatives from Federal land management agencies.

(C) One tribal representative, if the State includes at least one federally-recognized Indian tribe.

(D) One representative of the State's local fire departments.

(E) Two independent scientists with experience in forest ecosystem restoration.

(F) An equal number of representatives from each of the following:

(i) One or more recognized conservation organizations.

(ii) Local communities.

(iii) Local commodity interests.

SEC. 8. MONITORING AND EVALUATION REQUIREMENTS.

(a) MULTI-PARTY PROCESS- The Secretary concerned shall establish a multiparty monitoring and evaluation process in order to assess the cumulative accomplishments or adverse impacts of hazardous fuels reduction projects conducted under section 6. To the extent practicable, the Secretary concerned shall include any interested individual or organization in the monitoring and evaluation process.

(b) DEPARTMENT MONITORING- The Secretary concerned also shall conduct a monitoring program to assess the short- and long-term ecological effects of the hazardous fuels reduction projects conducted under section 6. The monitoring of a project shall be performed for a minimum of 15 years.

SEC. 9. ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES UNDER COOPERATIVE COMMUNITY PROTECTION AND FOREST RESTORATION PROGRAM.

(a) SCOPING- In accordance with applicable regulations and administrative guidelines in effect on January 1, 2003, the Secretary concerned shall conduct scoping for each hazardous fuel reduction project involving Federal lands to be conducted under section 6. Scoping shall include an opportunity for public participation.

(b) PUBLIC MEETING- Upon completion of the scoping for a hazardous fuel reduction project involving Federal lands, the Secretary concerned shall conduct a public meeting at an appropriate location with respect to the project.

SEC. 10. SPECIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS PROCESS FOR HAZARDOUS FUELS REDUCTION PROJECTS.

(a) APPLICABILITY- The Secretary of Agriculture shall use the following administrative appeal process to consider appeals regarding hazardous fuels reduction projects to be conducted on National Forest System lands under section 6.

(b) DOCUMENTS-

(1) COMPLETE AND AVAILABILITY- Under this administrative appeal process, the environmental analysis document, analysis file, and decision document for a hazardous fuels reduction project shall be complete and available for public review once notice of the decision document is provided in the local paper of record. The Secretary of Agriculture shall seek to make these documents as widely available as possible, through posting on the Internet and in other ways.

(2) REVISION- Except as provided in this section, the environmental analysis document, analysis file, and decision document may not be revised after it is made available to the public unless the Secretary of Agriculture provides new public notice and recommences the time limits specified in this subsection for the project.

(c) ELIGIBILITY- To be eligible to appeal a hazardous fuels reduction project under this administrative appeal process, a person must have submitted written comments during the preparation stage of the project on an issue specifically related to the project for which the appeal is sought. For purposes of this subsection, a written comment includes a comment sent by e-mail or facsimile.

(d) SUBMISSION OF NOTICE OF INTENT TO APPEAL-

(1) TIME FOR SUBMISSION- The Secretary of Agriculture shall give eligible persons a 10-day period, beginning on the date the signed decision document for a hazardous fuels reduction project is made available to the public, during which to submit written notice of an intent to appeal the decision. Notice submitted after the end of such period shall not be accepted. For purposes of this paragraph, a written notice includes a notice submitted by e-mail or facsimile, and written notice submitted by mail shall be considered to have been submitted on the date shown by a postmark or other evidence of the date on which it was mailed.

(2) EFFECT OF FAILURE TO TIMELY SUBMIT- If no valid notice of appeal is submitted within the required period, the hazardous fuels reduction project shall not be subject to appeal under this administrative appeal process or any other provision of law, and the decision document shall be considered the final agency decision.

(e) FILING OF APPEAL- The Secretary of Agriculture shall give an eligible person who timely submits the notice of intent to appeal with regard to a hazardous fuels reduction project a 15-day period during which to file the administrative appeal. This period shall begin at the end of the 10-day period required by subsection (d), not on the day the person actually submitted the notice.

(f) STAY OF ACTION- Upon the timely submission of a notice of an intent to appeal a hazardous fuels reduction project under subsection (d), the Secretary of Agriculture shall take no action to implement the hazardous fuels reduction project until the completion of the appeal process and any judicial review of the project, unless the person submitting a notice of intent fails to timely file the administrative appeal under subsection (e).

(g) TIME FOR REVIEW- Upon receipt of the administrative appeal with regard to a hazardous fuels reduction project, the appeals officer shall consider and render a decision on the appeal within 25 days.

(h) HANDLING OF APPEALS-

(1) NEGOTIATIONS AUTHORIZED- The appeals officer may enter into negotiations with the appellant and other interested persons who filed comments during the preparation stage of the hazardous fuels reduction project subject to the review. Any decision document resulting from the negotiations shall be considered the final agency decision.

(2) NEW DECISION DOCUMENT- The appeals officer may sign a new decision document correcting errors or otherwise modifying the decision document or may remand the case for further proceedings. If the appeals officer signs a new decision document, the appeals officer shall supplement the record with explanatory analysis and documentation. The new decision document shall be considered the final agency decision.

(3) EXTENSION OF TIME PERIODS- In order to facilitate negotiations, or for any other reason considered appropriate by the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary may extend either or both of the periods specified in subsections (d) and (e) for submission of a notice of intent to appeal and for filing of an appeal.

(i) RELATION TO EXISTING AUTHORITY- Any provision of section 322 of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1993 (Public Law 102-381; 16 U.S.C. 1612 note), that is inconsistent with the process established by this section shall not apply to a hazardous fuels reduction project covered by this Act.

SEC. 11. FOREST RESTORATION AND HOMEOWNER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND PROJECTS.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM- The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior (in this section referred to as the `Secretaries') shall jointly establish a program to identify and carry out projects to implement this section on the Federal lands and, subject to subsections (c) and (d), certain non-Federal lands.

(b) AUTHORIZED PROJECT ACTIVITIES- Projects identified and implemented under the program are limited to one or more of the following activities:

(1) Erosion control and restoration of healthy, properly functioning watersheds, including meadows, upslope areas, riparian and floodplain areas, stream channels, and wetlands.

(2) Activities to implement a recovery plan for a threatened or endangered species.

(3) Road and trail assessments and plans and the maintenance, obliteration, or closure of roads and trails.

(4) Wildlife and fish habitat management activities designed to restore native species and their habitats.

(5) Monitoring, including multiparty monitoring, of the implementation and effectiveness of the projects.

(6) Watershed analysis, including resource conditions and trend assessments.

(7) Restoration job training and the support of existing, and the creation of new, micro- and small enterprises related to restoration and the utilization and marketing of by-products derived from the projects.

(8) Activities to ensure compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4331 et seq.).

(9) Ecologically appropriate actions for the control and removal of noxious and invasive species.

(10) Reimbursement of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service for the costs of carrying out their responsibilities under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1536) related to consultation and conference in connection with the projects.

(11) Assisting the owners of eligible residences to reduce the risk of damage to such residences and appurtenant structures from wild fires on adjacent lands.

(c) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS-

(1) PROJECTS ON NON-FEDERAL LAND- The Secretaries may enter into cooperative agreements with State and local governments, tribal governments, private and nonprofit entities, and landowners for protection, restoration, and enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat and other resources on public or private lands, or both, that benefit these resources within a watershed.

(2) COST-SHARING REQUIREMENT- If funds provided under this section are expended on a project conducted in whole or part on non-Federal lands, the Federal share of the project's total costs shall not exceed 70 percent.

(d) HOMEOWNER ASSISTANCE-

(1) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS- Funds provided pursuant to a cooperative agreement under subsection (c) may be expended to reduce the likelihood of damage from fire to a residence located in the wildland-urban interface, or to a structure appurtenance to such a residence, if the Secretary concerned determines that such a residence is vulnerable to damage from a wildfire originating on adjacent lands.

(2) APPLICABILITY OF OTHER PROVISIONS- Subsections (e) through (i) shall not apply to a project under this section involving only the provision of assistance under this subsection.

(3) IMPLEMENTATION CRITERIA- The Secretaries, in consultation with the State Foresters, shall develop criteria for implementation of this subsection in order to achieve the most effective and efficient use of Federal funds.

(e) MONITORING-

(1) MULTIPARTY MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND ACCOUNTABILITY PROCESS- The Secretaries shall establish a multiparty monitoring, evaluation, and accountability process in order to assess the ecological, social, and economic impacts of projects conducted under the program. A project may not be implemented, in whole or in part, under the program until the Secretaries reserve sufficient funds to ensure that the multiparty monitoring and evaluation required by this subsection will be performed with respect to the project.

(2) MONITORING REPORT- The Secretaries shall complete a detailed monitoring report for each project conducted under the program that evaluates whether the project was properly implemented and was effective in accomplishing restoration objectives, whether the assumptions that went into the project's design were valid, and whether funding amounts and sources were sufficient. The monitoring report shall provide for validation monitoring and include an assessment and identification of the following:

(A) Whether or not the project met desired ecological conditions, including soils, water, and native fish and wildlife, and used low-impact equipment.

(B) Whether or not the project created high-skill, long-duration employment or training opportunities for local crews, small or micro-enterprises, underserved communities, or mobile workers, including whether or not the project created, or used existing, natural-resource related small or micro-enterprises.

(C) The duration of each contract used to implement the project; the average wage received by persons implementing the contract, and the name and size of the entity that secured the contract.

(D) An overall assessment of the positive or negative impact and effectiveness of the project.

(3) ANNUAL REPORT- The Secretaries shall submit an annual report to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives detailing the information identified pursuant to this subsection.

(4) COLLECTION AND COMPILATION OF DATA- The Secretaries shall ensure that monitoring data is collected and compiled in a way that the general public can easily access. The Secretaries may collect the data using cooperative agreements, grants, or contracts with small or micro-enterprises, or Youth Conservation Corps work crews or related partnerships with State, local, and non-profit youth groups.

(f) REQUIRED ASSESSMENT AND ESTIMATES. Before initiating a project under the program, the Secretaries shall complete the following with respect to the project:

(1) An assessment of the expected outcomes, including how the project will help to accomplish restoration objectives to improve the health, diversity, or ecological processes of the lands covered by the project. Specific benefits to soil, water, and native wildlife and fish habitats must be identified, as well as how the project will restore naturally occurring ecological processes.

(2) Within the context of accomplishing restoration objectives, an estimation of the number of jobs or training opportunities, crew size, contract duration, and equipment requirements that may be created by the project, including opportunities for Youth Conservation Corps work crews or partnerships with non-Federal youth groups.

(3) An estimate of the number of natural resource-related small or micro-enterprises that may be created as a result of the project and the number of existing small or micro-enterprises that may benefit from the project.

(g) REQUIRED SET-ASIDES-

(1) SET-ASIDE OF FUNDS- The Secretaries shall ensure that all contracts to implement projects under the program are issued or awarded to--

(A) natural-resource related small or micro-enterprises;

(B) Youth Conservation Corps crews or related partnerships with State, local and nonprofit youth groups;

(C) entities (including Indian tribes and the Restoration and Value-added Centers established under section 12) that will hire or train local people, or re-train nonlocal traditional forest workers, to perform activities under the contract; or

(D) local entities that meet the criteria to qualify for the Historically Underutilized Business Zone Program under section 31 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657a).

(2) SET-ASIDE OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES- The Secretaries shall ensure that, on an annual basis, 50 percent of all projects involving the sale of merchantable material under the program are implemented using separate contracts for--

(A) the harvesting or collection of merchantable material; and

(B) the sale of such material.

(h) BEST-VALUE CONTRACTING- In order to implement a project under the program, and consistent with the Federal acquisition requirements for best-value contracting, the Secretaries shall select a source for performance of a contract or agreement on a best-value basis, after consideration of the following:

(1) Understanding of the technical demands and complexity of the work to be done.

(2) Ability of the offeror to meet desired ecological objectives of the project and the sensitivity of the resources being treated.

(3) The offeror's commitment to hiring or training workers from the local area and the potential for benefit to local small and micro-enterprises involved in the processing of by-products derived from the project.

(4) The past performance by the offeror with the type of work being done, the application of low-impact equipment, and the ability of the offeror to meet desired ecological conditions.

(5) The commitment and feasibility of the contractor to training workers for high wage and high skill jobs that are long in duration.

(6) The commitment of the offeror to hiring highly qualified workers and local residents.

(i) SOLE SOURCE PROCUREMENT AUTHORITY-

(1) USE TO PROMOTE MICRO- AND SMALL-ENTERPRISES- In implementing this section, a contracting officer may award on a sole source basis projects up to $100,000 for the purpose of providing projects to micro- and small-enterprises in order to help establish them as viable enterprises.

(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES- To be eligible for a sole source contract under this subsection, a micro- or small-enterprise must complete training provided by a Restoration and Value-added Center established under section 12 or other program for certification as a micro- or small-enterprise, such as the Jobs-in-the-Woods program. The micro- or small-enterprise must present certification from the training provider that the micro- or small-enterprise is ready to perform.

(3) ADVANCE PAYMENTS- The contracting officer may make advance payment to enterprises certified as provided in paragraph (2).

(4) LIMIT ON CONTRACTS- Based on the performance of the micro- or small-enterprise, and in consultation with the training provider under paragraph (2), the contracting officer may award up to five contracts under this subsection, after which the enterprise will no longer be eligible for any further sole source awards.

(5) PROCUREMENT PERSONNEL- The Secretaries shall hire additional procurement personnel, including contracting officer trainees, in order to implement this section.

SEC. 12. FOREST RESTORATION AND VALUE-ADDED CENTERS.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT- The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Regional Foresters, shall establish Forest Restoration and Value-added Centers in order to improve the implementation of collaborative, community-based restoration projects on the National Forest System lands and other lands. The Secretary may enter into partnerships with other Federal agencies or other organizations, including local non-profit organizations, conservation groups, and community colleges to establish and maintain the Restoration Centers.

(b) LOCATION- The Secretary of Agriculture shall ensure that at least one Restoration Center is located in each Forest Service Region and that every Restoration Center is located in a small, rural community adjacent to or surrounded by National Forest System lands.

(c) PROVISION OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND GRANTS- The Restoration Centers shall develop programs to provide technical assistance and grants to non-profit organizations, existing small or micro-enterprises, and individuals interested in creating a natural-resource related small or micro-enterprise for the purpose of--

(1) conducting forest restoration activities, including environmental assessments and monitoring; or

(2) utilizing processing techniques for the by-products of restoration and value-added manufacturing.

(d) TYPES OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE- The Restoration Centers shall provide technical assistance in--

(1) using the latest scientific information and methodology to accomplish restoration and land health objectives;

(2) accessing capital from public and private sources;

(3) workforce training for value-added manufacturing and restoration activities, including environmental assessments and monitoring;

(4) marketing and business support for conservation-based small and micro-businesses located in rural communities to better access urban markets;

(5) developing technology for restoration activities and use of products resulting from restoration activities.

(e) ESTABLISHMENT PROCESS- The Secretary of Agriculture shall select the location at which each Restoration Center will be established based on requests for proposals. The Secretary shall appoint an advisory committee for each Forest Service Region that, consistent with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, will recommend a location for the Restoration Center for that Region.

(f) ADVISORY COMMITTEE- The advisory committees appointed pursuant to subsection (e) shall include--

(1) Representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and relevant State wildlife-management agencies.

(2) Representatives of any affected Indian tribes or pueblos.

(3) Representatives of the Department of Labor, the Small Business Administration, and appropriate State agencies with expertise in micro-enterprises.

(4) Representatives (other than elected officials) of community groups active in National Forest or public land conservation.

(5) At least two scientists with expertise in ecosystem restoration who are not employees of any Federal or State agency.

(6) Representatives of national or regional environmental organizations.

(7) Representatives of regional value-added forest products companies.

(g) FEDERAL FUNDING- The Secretary of Agriculture shall make grants to each Restoration Center in amounts sufficient to cover 75 percent of the Restoration Center's operating costs, but not to exceed $1,000,000 annually per Restoration Center. After a Restoration Center has operated for five years, the Secretary may begin to reduce the level of Federal funding for the Restoration Center's operating costs, based on the performance of the Restoration Center.

(h) EXPANSION TO OTHER FEDERAL LANDS- In order to determine whether a similar Restoration Center program is appropriate for public lands, the Secretary of the Interior shall establish one Restoration Center meeting the requirements of this section. Not later than three years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit a report to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives containing recommendations regarding whether additional Restoration Centers should be established to serve communities adjacent to or surrounded by public lands.

SEC. 13. COMPETITIVE SERVICE HIRING PREFERENCE FOR GRADUATES OF CERTIFIED YOUTH SERVICE OR CONSERVATION CORPS.

(a) HIRING PREFERENCE- The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture may appoint in the competitive service any person who--

(1) is at least 21 years of age;

(2) has satisfactorily completed a minimum of one year of service in a certified youth service or conservation corps;

(3) received satisfactory evaluations of knowledge, skills, and abilities by both corps supervisors or crew leaders as well as agency liaison personnel.

(b) DURATION OF PREFERENCE- A person's eligibility for preferential hiring under this section expires after one year after the date of the person's graduation from a certified youth service or conservation corps.

SEC. 14. RESEARCH AND TRAINING.

(a) APPLIED RESEARCH PROGRAM- The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a program of applied research using the resources of the Forest Products Laboratory for the purpose of--

(1) identifying restoration methods, including assessments and monitoring, and treatments that minimize adverse impacts to the land, such as through the use of low-impact techniques and equipment; and

(2) testing and developing value-added products created from the by-products of restoration.

(b) DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS- The Secretary of Agriculture shall disseminate the results of the applied research to the Restoration and Value-added Centers, rural communities adjacent to or surrounded by Federal lands. The Secretary shall annually conduct training workshops and classes for the Restoration Centers as well as for other interested communities to ensure that residents of such communities have access to the information.

(c) RESEARCH AGENDA- The Restoration and Value-added Centers shall work with the Forest Products Laboratory to develop the research agenda so that research efforts respond to the needs of the user community.

SEC. 15. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.