NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM RESTORATION AND FUELS REDUCTION PROJECTS.

SEC. 23001. NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM RESTORATION AND FUELS REDUCTION PROJECTS.(a) Appropriations.—In addition to amounts otherwise available, there are appropriated to the Secretary for fiscal year 2022, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to remain available until September 30, 2031—(1) $1,800,000,000 for hazardous fuels reduction projects on National Forest System land within the wildland-urban interface; (2) $200,000,000 for vegetation management projects on National Forest System land carried out in accordance with a plan developed under section 303(d)(1) or 304(a)(3) of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6542(d)(1) or 6543(a)(3)); (3) $100,000,000 to provide for environmental reviews by the Chief of the Forest Service in satisfying the obligations of the Chief of the Forest Service under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 through 4370m–12); and (4) $50,000,000 for the protection of old-growth forests on National Forest System land and to complete an inventory of old-growth forests and mature forests within the National Forest System.136 STAT. 2024 (b) Restrictions.—None of the funds made available by paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a) may be used for any activity—(1) conducted in a wilderness area or wilderness study area; (2) that includes the construction of a permanent road or motorized trail; (3) that includes the construction of a temporary road, except in the case of a temporary road that is decommissioned by the Secretary not later than 3 years after the earlier of—(A) the date on which the temporary road is no longer needed; and (B) the date on which the project for which the temporary road was constructed is completed; (4) inconsistent with the applicable land management plan; (5) inconsistent with the prohibitions of the rule of the Forest Service entitled “Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation” (66 Fed. Reg. 3244 (January 12, 2001)), as modified by subparts C and D of part 294 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations; or (6) carried out on any land that is not National Forest System land, including other forested land on Federal, State, Tribal, or private land. (c) Limitations.—Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to authorize funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation for activities under this section if such funds are not expressly authorized or currently expended for such purposes. (d) Cost-sharing Waiver.—(1) In general.—The non-Federal cost-share requirement of a project described in paragraph (2) may be waived at the discretion of the Secretary. (2) Project described.—A project referred to in paragraph (1) is a project that—(A) is carried out using funds made available under this section; (B) requires a partnership agreement, including a cooperative agreement or mutual interest agreement; and (C) is subject to a non-Federal cost-share requirement. (e) Definitions.—In this section:(1) Decommission.—The term “decommission” means, with respect to a road—(A) reestablishing native vegetation on the road; (B) restoring any natural drainage, watershed function, or other ecological processes that were disrupted or adversely impacted by the road by removing or hydrologically disconnecting the road prism and reestablishing stable slope contours; and (C) effectively blocking the road to vehicular traffic, where feasible. (2) Ecological integrity.—The term “ecological integrity” has the meaning given the term in section 219.19 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act). (3) Hazardous fuels reduction project.—The term “hazardous fuels reduction project” means an activity, including the use of prescribed fire, to protect structures and communities from wildfire that is carried out on National Forest System land.136 STAT. 2025 (4) Restoration.—The term “restoration” has the meaning given the term in section 219.19 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act). (5) Vegetation management project.—The term “vegetation management project” means an activity carried out on National Forest System land to enhance the ecological integrity and achieve the restoration of a forest ecosystem through the removal of vegetation, the use of prescribed fire, the restoration of aquatic habitat, or the decommissioning of an unauthorized, temporary, or system road. (6) Wildland-urban interface.—The term “wildland-urban interface” has the meaning given the term in section 101 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511).