summary
Introduced
07/16/2013
07/16/2013
In Committee
12/19/2013
12/19/2013
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
01/03/2015
01/03/2015
Introduced Session
113th Congress
Bill Summary
Stewardship Contracting Reauthorization and Improvement Act - Amends the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 to authorize the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), until September 30, 2023, to enter into stewardship contracting projects with private persons or other public or private entities to perform services to achieve land management goals for the national forests and public lands that meet local and rural community needs. States that the land management goals of a project may include: (1) road and trail maintenance or obliteration to restore or maintain water quality; (2) soil productivity, habitat for wildlife and fisheries, or other resource values; (3) setting of prescribed fires to improve the composition, structure, condition, and health of stands or to improve wildlife habitat; (4) removing vegetation or other activities to promote healthy forest stands, reduce fire hazards, or achieve other land management objectives; (5) watershed restoration and maintenance; (6) restoration and maintenance of wildlife and fish; or (7) control of noxious and exotic weeds and reestablishing native plant species. Repeals a section of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 that provides for forest health protection.
AI Summary
This bill, the Stewardship Contracting Reauthorization and Improvement Act, extends and enhances the ability of the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to enter into "stewardship contracting projects" until September 30, 2023. These contracts allow these agencies to work with private individuals or entities to achieve land management goals on national forests and public lands, while also addressing the needs of local and rural communities. The bill outlines a broad range of potential land management goals, including maintaining or improving roads and trails for water quality, enhancing soil productivity and wildlife habitats, conducting controlled burns to improve forest health and reduce fire risks, removing vegetation for forest health and fire hazard reduction, restoring watersheds, and controlling invasive weeds while reestablishing native plants. Importantly, the bill allows the value of timber or other forest products removed under these contracts to be used to offset the cost of the services provided, and it repeals a previous provision related to forest health protection, consolidating these authorities.
Committee Categories
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Sponsors (11)
Jeff Flake (R)*,
John Barrasso (R),
Max Baucus (D),
Mike Crapo (R),
Michael Enzi (R),
Martin Heinrich (D),
Dean Heller (R),
John McCain (R),
Jim Risch (R),
Jon Tester (D),
Tom Udall (D),
Last Action
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 406. (on 06/02/2014)
Official Document
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bill summary
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