Post-Disaster Reforestation and Restoration Act of 2024

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the Secretary, in coordination with the heads of the covered agencies, shall identify covered lands requiring reforestation and restoration following unplanned disturbances that are unlikely to experience natural regeneration without assistance.

In consultation with the heads of covered agencies, the Secretary—

(1) shall propose a list of priority projects for reforestation and restoration for each fiscal year;

(2) may carry out priority projects through—

(A) competitively awarded grants;

(B) contracts;

(C) contracts established under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.); and

(D) cooperative agreements, to be awarded in accordance with applicable requirements established by the Secretary; and

(3) may support any grant contract or cooperative agreement that may be necessary to ensure adequate and appropriate seed and seedling availability to further the objectives of priority projects.

To fulfill requirements of this section the heads of covered agencies shall conduct outreach to—

(1) Indian Tribes;

(2) States;

(3) territories;

(4) units of local government;

(5) Alaska Native organizations;

(6) Native Hawaiian organizations;

(7) institutions of higher education;

(8) Federal agencies with jurisdiction over Federal land adjoining or proximal to priority projects; and

(9) other stakeholders as determined by the Secretary.

Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the relevant Congressional Committees a report that includes the following:

(1) An accounting of all covered lands requiring reforestation and restoration.

(2) A list of priority projects and implementation progress to address reforestation and restoration objectives identified.

(3) An accounting of grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements established in furtherance of priority projects.

(4) Outreach efforts by covered agencies to advance priority projects.

(5) Assessments of, and recommendations relating to seed, seedling, and implementation gaps to advance priority projects and opportunities to establish dedicated funding necessary to address any backlog of reforestation and restoration needs.

In this section:

The term covered agency means—

(A) each Federal land management agency (as such term is defined in the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. 6801)); and

(B) the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The term covered lands means any Federal land or interest in land administered by a covered agency and Indian Forest Land or Rangeland.

The term Indian Tribe means any Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community individually identified (including parenthetically) in the list published most recently as of the date of enactment of this Act pursuant to section 104 of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131).

The term natural regeneration has the meaning given the term in section (e)(4) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (U.S.C. 36 1601).

The term reforestation has the meaning given the term in section (e)(4) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (U.S.C. 36 1601).

The term restoration means assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed, including the reestablishment of appropriate plant species composition and community structure.

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Interior.

The term unplanned disturbance means any unplanned disturbance that disrupts ecosystem structure or composition and may include a wildfire, an infestation of insects or disease, or a weather event.