Bill > HR5823

This bill amends the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 to establish an Emergency Forest Watershed Program that authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Forest Service, to undertake emergency watershed protection measures on National Forest System land after a natural disaster or significant environmental event. The bill defines emergency watershed protection measures as actions necessary to address runoff, soil erosion, and flood mitigation that could significantly impair natural resources or pose immediate risks to water resources, property, or human life. Sponsors such as state or local governments, Indian Tribes, and water districts can request and collaborate with the Forest Service to implement these protection measures, with agreements to be executed expeditiously and projects completed within two years of the natural disaster. The bill provides financial flexibility by allowing partial payments, waiving matching requirements, and establishing liability protections for sponsors carrying out these measures, with exceptions for willful negligence. Additionally, the bill streamlines the process by deeming these actions as emergency response actions for environmental review purposes and requires coordination with the Natural Resources Conservation Service in fund distribution.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5823/all-info