[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2405 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2405
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the
Interior to carry out activities to provide for white oak restoration,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 27, 2025
Mr. Barr (for himself, Mr. Comer, Mr. DesJarlais, Mr. Rogers of
Kentucky, Mr. Guthrie, Mr. McGarvey, Mr. Cohen, and Mr. Bera)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the
Interior to carry out activities to provide for white oak restoration,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``The White Oak Resilience Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Governor.--The term ``Governor'' means the Governor or
any appropriate executive official of an affected State or
Indian Tribe or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(2) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the
meaning given that term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
(3) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several
States, the District of Columbia, and each territory of the
United States.
SEC. 3. WHITE OAK RESTORATION INITIATIVE COALITION.
(a) In General.--The White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition
shall be established--
(1) as a voluntary collaborative group of Federal, State,
Tribal, and local governments and private and non-governmental
organizations to carry out the duties described in subsection
(b); and
(2) in accordance with the charter titled ``White Oak
Initiative Coalition Charter'' adopted by the White Oak
Initiative Board of Directors on March 21, 2023 (or a successor
charter).
(b) Duties.--In addition to the duties specified in the charter
described in subsection (a)(2), the duties of the White Oak Restoration
Initiative Coalition are--
(1) to coordinate Federal, State, Tribal, local, private,
and non-governmental restoration of white oak in the United
States; and
(2) to make program and policy recommendations, consistent
with applicable forest management plans, with respect to--
(A) changes necessary to address Federal and State
policies that impede activities to improve the health,
resiliency, and natural regeneration of white oak;
(B) adopting or modifying Federal and State
policies to increase the pace and scale of white oak
regeneration and resiliency of white oak;
(C) options to enhance communication, coordination,
and collaboration between forest land owners,
particularly for cross-boundary projects, to improve
the health, resiliency, and natural regeneration of
white oak;
(D) research gaps that should be addressed to
improve the best available science on white oak;
(E) outreach to forest landowners with white oak or
white oak regeneration potential; and
(F) options and policies necessary to improve the
quality and quantity of white oak in tree nurseries.
(c) Administrative Support, Technical Services, and Staff
Support.--The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of
Agriculture shall make such personnel available to the White Oak
Restoration Initiative Coalition for administrative support, technical
services, and development and dissemination of educational materials as
the Secretaries determine necessary to carry out this section.
(d) Private Funding of White Oak Restoration Projects.--Subject to
the availability of appropriations made in advance for such purpose,
the Secretary of Agriculture may make funds available to the White Oak
Restoration Initiative Coalition to carry out this section from the
account established pursuant to section 1241(f) of the Food Security
Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841(f)).
SEC. 4. FOREST SERVICE PILOT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the
Chief of the Forest Service, shall establish and carry out 5 pilot
projects in national forests to restore white oak in such forests
through white oak restoration and natural regeneration practices that
are consistent with applicable forest management plans.
(b) National Forests Reserved or Withdrawn From the Public
Domain.--At least 3 pilot projects required under subsection (a) shall
be carried out on national forests reserved or withdrawn from the
public domain.
(c) Authority To Enter Into Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary
of Agriculture may enter into cooperative agreements to carry out the
pilot projects required under subsection (a).
(d) Sunset.--The authority under this section shall terminate on
the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 5. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR WHITE OAK REVIEW AND RESTORATION.
(a) Assessment.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior shall carry
out an assessment of land under the administrative jurisdiction
of the Department of the Interior, including fish and wildlife
refuges and abandoned mine land, to evaluate--
(A) whether white oak is present on such land; and
(B) the potential to restore white oak forests on
such land.
(2) Use of information.--In carrying out the assessment
under paragraph (1), the Secretary may use information from
sources other than the Department of the Interior, including
from the White Oak Initiative and the Forest Service.
(3) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to
Congress, and make publicly available on the website of the
Department of the Interior, a report regarding the results of
the assessment carried out under this subsection.
(b) Pilot Projects.--After the date on which the report required
under subsection (a)(3) is submitted, the Secretary shall establish and
carry out 5 pilot projects in different areas of land described in
subsection (a)(1) to restore and naturally regenerate white oak.
(c) Authority To Enter Into Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary
may enter into cooperative agreements to carry out the pilot projects
required under subsection (b).
(d) Sunset.--The authority under this section shall terminate on
the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 6. WHITE OAK REGENERATION AND UPLAND OAK HABITAT.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a
non-regulatory program to be known as the ``White Oak and Upland Oak
Habitat Regeneration Program'' (in this section referred to as the
``Program'').
(b) Duties.--In carrying out the Program, the Secretary shall--
(1) draw upon the best available science and management
plans for species of white oak to identify, prioritize, and
implement restoration and conservation activities that will
improve the growth of white oak within the United States;
(2) collaborate and coordinate with the White Oak
Restoration Initiative Coalition to prioritize white oak
restoration initiatives;
(3) adopt a white oak restoration strategy that--
(A) supports the implementation of a shared set of
science-based restoration and conservation activities
developed in accordance with paragraph (1);
(B) targets cost effective projects with measurable
results; and
(C) maximizes restoration outcomes with no net gain
of Federal full-time equivalent employees; and
(4) establish the voluntary grant and technical assistance
programs in accordance with subsection (e).
(c) Coordination.--In establishing the Program, the Secretary,
acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall consult with--
(1) the heads of Federal agencies, including--
(A) the Director of the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service; and
(B) the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation
Service; and
(2) the Governor of each State in which restoration efforts
will be carried out pursuant to the Program.
(d) Purposes.--The purposes of the Program include--
(1) coordinating restoration and conservation activities
among Federal, State, local, and Tribal entities and
conservation partners to address white oak restoration
priorities;
(2) improving and regenerating white oak and upland oak
forests and the wildlife habitat such forests provide;
(3) carrying out coordinated restoration and conservation
activities that lead to the increased growth of species of
white oak in native white oak regions on Federal, State,
Tribal, and private land;
(4) facilitating strategic planning to maximize the
resilience of white oak systems and habitats under changing
climate conditions;
(5) engaging the public through outreach, education, and
citizen involvement to increase capacity and support for
coordinated restoration and conservation activities for species
of white oak; and
(6) increasing scientific capacity to support the planning,
monitoring, and research activities necessary to carry out such
coordinated restoration and conservation activities.
(e) Grants and Assistance.--
(1) In general.--To the extent that funds are available to
carry out this section, the Secretary shall establish a
voluntary grant and technical assistance program (in this
section referred to as the ``grant program'') to achieve the
purposes of the Program described in subsection (d).
(2) Administration.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary shall enter into a
cooperative agreement with the National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation (in this subsection referred to as
the ``Foundation'') to manage and administer the grant
program.
(B) Funding.--Subject to the availability of
appropriations made in advance for such purpose, after
the Secretary enters into a cooperative agreement with
the Foundation under subparagraph (A), the Foundation
shall for each fiscal year, receive amounts to carry
out this subsection in an advance payment of the entire
amount on October 1, or as soon as practicable
thereafter, of that fiscal year.
(3) Application of national fish and wildlife foundation
establishment act.--Amounts received by the Foundation to carry
out the grant program shall be subject to the National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.),
excluding section 10(a) of that Act (16 U.S.C. 3709(a)).
(f) Sunset.--The authority under this section shall terminate on
the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 7. TREE NURSERY SHORTAGES.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this section, the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief
of the Forest Service, shall--
(1) develop and implement a national strategy to increase
the capacity of Federal, State, Tribal, and private tree
nurseries to address the nationwide shortage of tree seedlings;
and
(2) coordinate such strategy with--
(A) the national reforestation strategy of the
Forest Service; and
(B) each regional implementation plan for National
Forests.
(b) Elements.--The strategy required under subsection (a) shall--
(1) be based on the best available science and data; and
(2) identify and address--
(A) regional seedling shortages of bareroot and
container tree seedlings;
(B) regional reforestation opportunities and the
seedling supply necessary to fulfill such
opportunities;
(C) opportunities to enhance seedling diversity and
close gaps in seed inventories; and
(D) barriers to expanding, enhancing, or creating
new infrastructure to increase nursery capacity.
SEC. 8. WHITE OAK RESEARCH.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture may enter into a
memorandum of understanding with an Indian Tribe or institution,
including a covered land grant college, to collaboratively conduct
research on--
(1) white oak genes with resistance or tolerance to stress;
(2) white oak trees that exhibit vigor for the purpose of
increasing survival and growth;
(3) establishing a genetically diverse white oak seeds bank
capable of responding to stressors;
(4) providing a sustainable supply of white oak seedlings
and genetic resources;
(5) improved methods for aligning seed sources with the
future climate at planting sites;
(6) reforestation of white oak through natural and
artificial regeneration;
(7) improved methods for retaining and increasing white oak
trees in forests;
(8) improved methods for reforesting abandoned mine land
sites; and
(9) economic and social aspects of white oak forest
management across land ownerships.
(b) Consult.--In carrying out the research under subsection (a),
the Indian Tribe or institution, including a covered land grant
college, that enters into the memorandum of understanding under such
subsection may consult with such States, nonprofit organizations,
institutions of higher education, and other scientific bodies, as the
entity subject to such memorandum determines appropriate.
(c) Sunset.--The authority under this section shall terminate on
the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
(d) Covered Land Grant College Defined.--In this section, the term
``covered land grant college'' means an 1862 Institution, an 1890
Institution, or a 1994 Institution (as such terms are defined,
respectively, in section 2 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and
Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7601)).
SEC. 9. USDA FORMAL INITIATIVE.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the
Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service and in coordination
with the Chief of the Forest Service, shall establish a formal
initiative on white oak to--
(1) re-establish white oak forests where appropriate;
(2) improve management of existing white oak forests to
foster natural regeneration of white oak;
(3) provide technical assistance to private landowners to
re-establish, improve management of, and naturally regenerate
white oak;
(4) improve and expand white oak nursery stock; and
(5) adapt and improve white oak seedlings.
(b) Sunset.--The authority under this section shall terminate on
the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 10. AUTHORITIES.
To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary of the Interior
and the Secretary of Agriculture shall use the authorities provided
under this title in combination with other authorities to carry out
projects, including--
(1) good neighbor agreements entered into under section
8206 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (16 U.S.C. 2113a); and
(2) stewardship contracting projects entered into under
section 604 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16
U.S.C. 6591c).
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