Restoration and resilience partnership program

(a) Purposes The purposes of this section are— (1) to restore and improve the ecological integrity of forest, grassland, and rangeland ecosystems across the United States in partnership with State, local, and Tribal governments; (2) to create or sustain outdoor jobs by reducing the backlog of restoration and resilience projects on Federal land and non-Federal land; (3) to improve the resilience and carrying capacity of rangelands in the United States by preventing or mitigating invasive species, such as cheatgrass, that contribute to rangeland fire; and (4) to reduce uncharacteristic wildfires in the highest risk areas of the United States by carrying out, in accordance with applicable law, restoration and resilience projects. (b) Establishment There is established a Restoration and Resilience Partnership Program, under which the Secretary shall carry out restoration and resilience projects in partnership areas designated under subsection (c)(1). (c) Designation of partnership areas (1) In general Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall designate, for the purposes of carrying out restoration and resilience projects under subsection (e), any areas of Federal land and non-Federal land that the Secretary determines to be appropriate. (2) Submission of partnership areas by States and Tribes (A) In general The Governor of a State or an authorized representative of an Indian Tribe may submit to the Secretary, in writing, a request to designate certain Federal land or non-Federal land in the State or Indian Country, respectively, for restoration and resilience projects under subsection (e). (B) Inclusions A written request submitted under subparagraph (A) may include 1 or more maps or recommendations. (d) Requirements To be eligible for designation under subsection (c), an area shall— (1) have a high or very high wildfire potential as determined by— (A) the map of the Forest Service entitled Wildfire Hazard Potential Version 2020; (B) any other mapping resource or data source approved by the Secretary that depicts the risk of wildfires; or (C) fire-risk assessment resources or mapping tools maintained by the applicable State; (2) have high-priority wildlife habitat urgently in need of restoration, as determined by the Secretary, in consultation with eligible entities and the applicable Governor or representative of an Indian Tribe; or (3) in the case of Federal land, be in the wildland-urban interface. (e) Restoration and resilience projects (1) In general Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the Secretary shall carry out restoration and resilience projects on land designated under subsection (c). (2) Priority The Secretary shall give priority to restoration and resilience projects that would— (A) focus on the reintroduction of characteristic, low-intensity fire in frequent fire regime ecosystems; (B) reduce hazardous fuels by focusing on small-diameter trees, thinning, and strategic fuel breaks; (C) maximize the retention of old and large trees, as appropriate for the forest type; (D) measurably improve habitat conditions for at-risk wildlife; (E) measurably improve water quality or water quantity outcomes in waterways that flow through and out of priority areas; (F) establish plans for measuring project success and environmental outcomes; (G) promote community and homeowner involvement in planning and implementing actions to mitigate the risk posed by wildfire in the wildland-urban interface; (H) emphasize proactive wildfire risk mitigation actions in the wildland-urban interface; and (I) increase fire adaption in communities located within the wildland-urban interface. (3) Coordination The Secretary shall carry out restoration and resilience projects under this subsection— (A) on Federal land, in coordination with the Secretary of the Interior, as applicable; and (B) on non-Federal land, in coordination with eligible entities and other relevant stakeholders, as determined by the Secretary. (4) Requirements (A) In general A restoration and resilience project shall be carried out in accordance with— (i) in the case of a restoration and resilience project carried out on Federal land, the management objectives of an applicable land or resource management plan; and (ii) applicable law. (B) Inclusions The Secretary may use existing authorities when carrying out a restoration and resilience project on land designated under subsection (c), including any covered authority. (C) Exclusions A restoration and resilience project may not be carried out— (i) in a wilderness area or designated wilderness study area; (ii) to construct a permanent road or trail; (iii) on any Federal land on which, by an Act of Congress or Presidential proclamation, the removal of vegetation is restricted or prohibited; (iv) in an inventoried roadless area or comparable roadless area defined by a State-specific rule; or (v) to remove old growth stands (as defined in section 102(e)(1) of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6512(e)(1))).