FOREST COMMUNITY NEWS

Published by the National Network of Forest Practitioners
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No. 67
August 21, 2003

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NNFP Annual Meeting
October 28-November 1, 2003
St. Helena Island, South Carolina
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IN THIS ISSUE

NEWS
2003 Supplemental Spending Bill Passed Without Fire Money
Senate Ag Committee Approves Forest Health Legislation
Other Hazardous Fuels Reduction Legislation In Congress
Federal Tax Incentives For Conservation Donations?
Energy Bill Passes Senate
New Categorical Exclusions Become Policy

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NEWS
2003 SUPPLIMENTAL SPENDING BILL PASSED WITHOUT FIRE MONEY
Before the summer recess, Congress passed the FY2003 emergency spending
bill that authorizes $983.6 million for the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA). The bill did not contain the $289 million in emergency
wildfire suppression funding for the Forest Service and the Department
of Interior, requested by the Administration. The House passed the bill
352-60 on July 25 before it left town, presenting the Senate with a
take-it-or-leave-it choice. The Senate cleared it by unanimous consent.
The bill also eliminated other funding requests previously approved by
the Senate and the House Appropriations Committee, including $100
million for the Americorps program. With wildfires growing in number and
severity across the country, the Forest Service and DOI are expected to
need over $700 million in supplemental funds this year to fight
wildfire. Without supplemental funds, the Agencies will be forced to
borrow from other programs to cover wildfire suppression costs.

SENATE AG COMMITTEE APPROVES FOREST HEALTH LEGISLATION
Before leaving for recess, the Senate Agriculture Committee approved a
version of HR 1904 (Healthy Forests Restoration Act) that included a few
changes to the version passed by the House. The bill expands the areas
that are exempt from NEPA review. The bill includes language requested
by Energy Committee Chairman Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) to establish a
public land corps -- built on the existing federal youth conservation
corps, plus tribal, state and locally organized groups -- to work on
hazardous fuel reduction and forest beautification projects. The bill
also includes Domenici language to establish a program to provide
emergency grants to fight invasive plants that might worsen fire risks,
or serve as fire fuels. Additionally, the bill includes two provisions
from S. 1449, a bill by Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Blanche
Lincoln (D-Ark), that would direct the Forest Service to establish an
upland hardwood research center to study sustainable management needs
for the forests of the Ozark Mountains, and include a new rural
community forestry enterprise program to aid "resource-dependent
communities" in rural forest areas.

OTHER HAZARDOUS FUELS REDUCTION LEGISLATION IN CONGRESS
The following is a summary of other hazardous fuels reduction bills,
parts or all of which may be offered as amendments to HR 1904 when the
full Senate takes up the debate once they return from recess.
· S 1352 was introduced June 26 by Democratic Sens. Ron Wyden (Ore.) and
Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), to authorize a similar environmental review
exemption program in a slightly more restricted area, granting those
projects in the wildland-urban interface "categorical exclusions" from
review under NEPA. Agencies would not have to examine the projects
individually or cumulatively for the significance of their environmental
effects. The projects would be exempt from administrative appeal. But
the bill would direct the agencies to avoid clearcuts and to protect old
growth and large trees.
· S 1314, introduced by ranking Energy Democrat Jeff Bingaman (N.M.),
Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and Washington Sens. Patty Murray
and Maria Cantwell (both D), which would provide categorical exclusions
for fire-fuel reduction projects, earmark 70 percent of the money made
available for projects within a half-mile of communities or municipal
watersheds, and bar new road construction and require the agencies to
maintain old and large trees. In addition, S 1314 would make available
$100 million annually for grants to states, tribes and private
landowners for work to reduce wildfire risk on those lands.
· S 1453, introduced by Democratic Sens. Patrick Leahy (Vt.) and Barbara
Boxer (Calif), would restrict projects to within half a mile of a
community's structures and municipal drinking water infrastructure,
provide funding to accomplish the work and allow funds to be spent on
federal, state, tribal, local and non-industrial private land. The bill
would not place any restrictions on judicial review, but allows for
limited use of categorical exclusions. Logging in roadless areas and
building new or temporary roads for fuels reduction projects would be
prohibited.

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