DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service forest and rangeland research For necessary expenses of forest and rangeland research as authorized by law, $296,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That of the funds provided, $70,000,000 is for the forest inventory and analysis program. state and private forestry For necessary expenses of cooperating with and providing technical and financial assistance to States, territories, possessions, and others, and for forest health management, including treatments of pests, pathogens, and invasive or noxious plants and for restoring and rehabilitating forests damaged by pests or invasive plants, 128 STAT. 2428 cooperative forestry, and education and land conservation activities and conducting an international program as authorized, $232,653,000, to remain available until expended, as authorized by law; of which $53,000,000 is to be derived from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. national forest system (including transfers of funds) For necessary expenses of the Forest Service, not otherwise provided for, for management, protection, improvement, and utilization of the National Forest System, $1,494,330,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That of the funds provided, $40,000,000 shall be deposited in the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Fund for ecological restoration treatments as authorized by 16 U.S.C. 7303(f): Provided further, That of the funds provided, $339,130,000 shall be for forest products: Provided further, That of the funds provided, up to $81,941,000 is for the Integrated Resource Restoration pilot program for Region 1, Region 3 and Region 4: Provided further, That of the funds provided for forest products, up to $65,560,000 may be transferred to support the Integrated Resource Restoration pilot program in the preceding proviso: Provided further, That the Secretary of Agriculture may transfer to the Secretary of the Interior any unobligated funds appropriated in this fiscal year or in a previous fiscal year for operation of the Valles Caldera National Preserve. capital improvement and maintenance (including transfer of funds) For necessary expenses of the Forest Service, not otherwise provided for, $360,374,000, to remain available until expended, for construction, capital improvement, maintenance and acquisition of buildings and other facilities and infrastructure; and for construction, reconstruction, decommissioning of roads that are no longer needed, including unauthorized roads that are not part of the transportation system, and maintenance of forest roads and trails by the Forest Service as authorized by 16 U.S.C. 532–538 and 23 U.S.C. 101 and 205: Provided, That $40,000,000 shall be designated for urgently needed road decommissioning, road and trail repair and maintenance and associated activities, and removal of fish passage barriers, especially in areas where Forest Service roads may be contributing to water quality problems in streams and water bodies which support threatened, endangered, or sensitive species or community water sources: Provided further, That funds becoming available in fiscal year 2015 under the Act of March 4, 1913 (16 U.S.C. 501) shall be transferred to the General Fund of the Treasury and shall not be available for transfer or obligation for any other purpose unless the funds are appropriated: Provided further, That of the funds provided for decommissioning of roads, up to $14,743,000 may be transferred to the “National Forest System” to support the Integrated Resource Restoration pilot program.128 STAT. 2429 land acquisition For expenses necessary to carry out the provisions of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965, (16 U.S.C. 460l–4 et seq.), including administrative expenses, and for acquisition of land or waters, or interest therein, in accordance with statutory authority applicable to the Forest Service, $47,500,000, to be derived from the Land and Water Conservation Fund and to remain available until expended. acquisition of lands for national forests special acts For acquisition of lands within the exterior boundaries of the Cache, Uinta, and Wasatch National Forests, Utah; the Toiyabe National Forest, Nevada; and the Angeles, San Bernardino, Sequoia, and Cleveland National Forests, California, as authorized by law, $950,000, to be derived from forest receipts. acquisition of lands to complete land exchanges For acquisition of lands, such sums, to be derived from funds deposited by State, county, or municipal governments, public school districts, or other public school authorities, and for authorized expenditures from funds deposited by non-Federal parties pursuant to Land Sale and Exchange Acts, pursuant to the Act of December 4, 1967, (16 U.S.C. 484a), to remain available until expended (16 U.S.C. 460l–516–617a, 555a; Public Law 96–586; Public Law 76–589, 76–591; and Public Law 78–310). range betterment fund For necessary expenses of range rehabilitation, protection, and improvement, 50 percent of all moneys received during the prior fiscal year, as fees for grazing domestic livestock on lands in National Forests in the 16 Western States, pursuant to section 401(b)(1) of Public Law 94–579, to remain available until expended, of which not to exceed 6 percent shall be available for administrative expenses associated with on-the-ground range rehabilitation, protection, and improvements. gifts, donations and bequests for forest and rangeland research For expenses authorized by 16 U.S.C. 1643(b), $45,000, to remain available until expended, to be derived from the fund established pursuant to the above Act. management of national forest lands for subsistence uses For necessary expenses of the Forest Service to manage Federal lands in Alaska for subsistence uses under title VIII of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (Public Law 96–487), $2,500,000, to remain available until expended.128 STAT. 2430 wildland fire management (including transfers of funds) For necessary expenses for forest fire presuppression activities on National Forest System lands, for emergency fire suppression on or adjacent to such lands or other lands under fire protection agreement, hazardous fuels management on or adjacent to such lands, emergency rehabilitation of burned-over National Forest System lands and water, and for State and volunteer fire assistance, $2,333,298,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That such funds including unobligated balances under this heading, are available for repayment of advances from other appropriations accounts previously transferred for such purposes: Provided further, That such funds shall be available to reimburse State and other cooperating entities for services provided in response to wildfire and other emergencies or disasters to the extent such reimbursements by the Forest Service for non-fire emergencies are fully repaid by the responsible emergency management agency: Provided further, That, notwithstanding any other provision of law, $6,914,000 of funds appropriated under this appropriation shall be available for the Forest Service in support of fire science research authorized by the Joint Fire Science Program, including all Forest Service authorities for the use of funds, such as contracts, grants, research joint venture agreements, and cooperative agreements: Provided further, That all authorities for the use of funds, including the use of contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements, available to execute the Forest and Rangeland Research appropriation, are also available in the utilization of these funds for Fire Science Research: Provided further, That funds provided shall be available for emergency rehabilitation and restoration, hazardous fuels management activities, support to Federal emergency response, and wildfire suppression activities of the Forest Service: Provided further, That of the funds provided, $361,749,000 is for hazardous fuels management activities, $19,795,000 is for research activities and to make competitive research grants pursuant to the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Research Act, (16 U.S.C. 1641 et seq.), $78,000,000 is for State fire assistance, and $13,000,000 is for volunteer fire assistance under section 10 of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2106): Provided further, That amounts in this paragraph may be transferred to the “National Forest System”, and “Forest and Rangeland Research” accounts to fund forest and rangeland research, the Joint Fire Science Program, vegetation and watershed management, heritage site rehabilitation, and wildlife and fish habitat management and restoration: Provided further, That, of the funds provided, $65,000,000 shall be available for the purpose of acquiring aircraft for the next-generation airtanker fleet to enhance firefighting mobility, effectiveness, efficiency, and safety, and such aircraft shall be suitable for contractor operation over the terrain and forested-ecosystems characteristic of National Forest System lands, as determined by the Chief of the Forest Service: Provided further, That the costs of implementing any cooperative agreement between the Federal Government and any non-Federal entity may be shared, as mutually agreed on by the affected parties: Provided further, That up to $15,000,000 of the funds provided herein may be used by the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into procurement contracts 128 STAT. 2431 or cooperative agreements or to issue grants for hazardous fuels management activities and for training or monitoring associated with such hazardous fuels management activities on Federal land or on non-Federal land if the Secretary determines such activities implement a community wildfire protection plan (or equivalent) and benefit resources on Federal land: Provided further, That funds made available to implement the Community Forest Restoration Act, Public Law 106–393, title VI, shall be available for use on non-Federal lands in accordance with authorities made available to the Forest Service under the “State and Private Forestry” appropriation: Provided further, That the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture may authorize the transfer of funds appropriated for wildland fire management, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $50,000,000, between the Departments when such transfers would facilitate and expedite wildland fire management programs and projects: Provided further, That of the funds provided for hazardous fuels management, not to exceed $15,000,000 may be used to make grants, using any authorities available to the Forest Service under the “State and Private Forestry” appropriation, for the purpose of creating incentives for increased use of biomass from National Forest System lands: Provided further, That funds designated for wildfire suppression, including funds transferred from the “FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund,” shall be assessed for cost pools on the same basis as such assessments are calculated against other agency programs: Provided further, That of the funds for hazardous fuels management, up to $28,077,000 may be transferred to the “National Forest System” to support the Integrated Resource Restoration pilot program. flame wildfire suppression reserve fund (including transfers of funds) For necessary expenses for large fire suppression operations of the Department of Agriculture and as a reserve fund for suppression and Federal emergency response activities, $303,060,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That such amounts are only available for transfer to the “Wildland Fire Management” account following a declaration by the Secretary in accordance with section 502 of the FLAME Act of 2009 (43 U.S.C. 1748a). administrative provisions—forest service (including transfers of funds) Appropriations to the Forest Service for the current fiscal year shall be available for: (1) purchase of passenger motor vehicles; acquisition of passenger motor vehicles from excess sources, and hire of such vehicles; purchase, lease, operation, maintenance, and acquisition of aircraft to maintain the operable fleet for use in Forest Service wildland fire programs and other Forest Service programs; notwithstanding other provisions of law, existing aircraft being replaced may be sold, with proceeds derived or trade-in value used to offset the purchase price for the replacement aircraft; (2) services pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 2225, and not to exceed $100,000 for employment under 5 U.S.C. 3109; (3) purchase, erection, and alteration of buildings and other public improvements (7 U.S.C. 2250); (4) acquisition of land, waters, and interests therein pursuant 128 STAT. 2432 to 7 U.S.C. 428a; (5) for expenses pursuant to the Volunteers in the National Forest Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 558a, 558d, and 558a note); (6) the cost of uniforms as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 5901–5902; and (7) for debt collection contracts in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3718(c). Any appropriations or funds available to the Forest Service may be transferred to the Wildland Fire Management appropriation for forest firefighting, emergency rehabilitation of burned-over or damaged lands or waters under its jurisdiction, and fire preparedness due to severe burning conditions upon the Secretary’s notification of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations that all fire suppression funds appropriated under the headings “Wildland Fire Management” and “FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund” will be obligated within 30 days: Provided, That all funds used pursuant to this paragraph must be replenished by a supplemental appropriation which must be requested as promptly as possible. Funds appropriated to the Forest Service shall be available for assistance to or through the Agency for International Development in connection with forest and rangeland research, technical information, and assistance in foreign countries, and shall be available to support forestry and related natural resource activities outside the United States and its territories and possessions, including technical assistance, education and training, and cooperation with U.S., private, and international organizations. The Forest Service, acting for the International Program, may sign direct funding agreements with foreign governments and institutions as well as other domestic agencies (including the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Department of State, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation), U.S. private sector firms, institutions and organizations to provide technical assistance and training programs overseas on forestry and rangeland management. Funds appropriated to the Forest Service shall be available for expenditure or transfer to the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, for removal, preparation, and adoption of excess wild horses and burros from National Forest System lands, and for the performance of cadastral surveys to designate the boundaries of such lands. None of the funds made available to the Forest Service in this Act or any other Act with respect to any fiscal year shall be subject to transfer under the provisions of section 702(b) of the Department of Agriculture Organic Act of 1944 (7 U.S.C. 2257), section 442 of Public Law 106–224 (7 U.S.C. 7772), or section 10417(b) of Public Law 107–107 (7 U.S.C. 8316(b)). None of the funds available to the Forest Service may be reprogrammed without the advance approval of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations in accordance with the reprogramming procedures contained in the explanatory statement accompanying this Act. Not more than $82,000,000 of funds available to the Forest Service shall be transferred to the Working Capital Fund of the Department of Agriculture and not more than $14,500,000 of funds available to the Forest Service shall be transferred to the Department of Agriculture for Department Reimbursable Programs, commonly referred to as Greenbook charges. Nothing in this paragraph shall prohibit or limit the use of reimbursable agreements requested 128 STAT. 2433 by the Forest Service in order to obtain services from the Department of Agriculture’s National Information Technology Center. Nothing in this paragraph shall limit the Forest Service portion of implementation costs to be paid to the Department of Agriculture for the International Technology Service. Of the funds available to the Forest Service, up to $5,000,000 shall be available for priority projects within the scope of the approved budget, which shall be carried out by the Youth Conservation Corps and shall be carried out under the authority of the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993, Public Law 103–82, as amended by Public Lands Corps Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2005, Public Law 109–154. Of the funds available to the Forest Service, $4,000 is available to the Chief of the Forest Service for official reception and representation expenses. Pursuant to sections 405(b) and 410(b) of Public Law 101–593, of the funds available to the Forest Service, up to $3,000,000 may be advanced in a lump sum to the National Forest Foundation to aid conservation partnership projects in support of the Forest Service mission, without regard to when the Foundation incurs expenses, for projects on or benefitting National Forest System lands or related to Forest Service programs: Provided, That of the Federal funds made available to the Foundation, no more than $300,000 shall be available for administrative expenses: Provided further, That the Foundation shall obtain, by the end of the period of Federal financial assistance, private contributions to match on at least one-for-one basis funds made available by the Forest Service: Provided further, That the Foundation may transfer Federal funds to a Federal or a non-Federal recipient for a project at the same rate that the recipient has obtained the non-Federal matching funds. Pursuant to section 2(b)(2) of Public Law 98–244, up to $3,000,000 of the funds available to the Forest Service may be advanced to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in a lump sum to aid cost-share conservation projects, without regard to when expenses are incurred, on or benefitting National Forest System lands or related to Forest Service programs: Provided, That such funds shall be matched on at least a one-for-one basis by the Foundation or its sub-recipients: Provided further, That the Foundation may transfer Federal funds to a Federal or non-Federal recipient for a project at the same rate that the recipient has obtained the non-Federal matching funds. Funds appropriated to the Forest Service shall be available for interactions with and providing technical assistance to rural communities and natural resource-based businesses for sustainable rural development purposes. Funds appropriated to the Forest Service shall be available for payments to counties within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, pursuant to section 14(c)(1) and (2), and section 16(a)(2) of Public Law 99–663. Any funds appropriated to the Forest Service may be used to meet the non-Federal share requirement in section 502(c) of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3056(c)(2)). Funds available to the Forest Service, not to exceed $55,000,000, shall be assessed for the purpose of performing fire, administrative and other facilities maintenance and decommissioning. Such assessments shall occur using a square foot rate 128 STAT. 2434 charged on the same basis the agency uses to assess programs for payment of rent, utilities, and other support services. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any appropriations or funds available to the Forest Service not to exceed $500,000 may be used to reimburse the Office of the General Counsel (OGC), Department of Agriculture, for travel and related expenses incurred as a result of OGC assistance or participation requested by the Forest Service at meetings, training sessions, management reviews, land purchase negotiations and similar nonlitigation-related matters. Future budget justifications for both the Forest Service and the Department of Agriculture should clearly display the sums previously transferred and the requested funding transfers. An eligible individual who is employed in any project funded under title V of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3056 et seq.) and administered by the Forest Service shall be considered to be a Federal employee for purposes of chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code.