S.Amdt. 2856

1. Adds TITLE III--TIMBER SALE CONTRACTS at the end of the bill

   Adds a title

   In S. 3525 · Placed on Calendar Senate

   "(B) promoting voluntary, public-private partnerships to eradicate or control nutria and restoring nutria-damaged wetlands in the coastal States.".

   Inserted: TITLE III--TIMBER SALE CONTRACTS

   Inserted: SEC. 301. EXTENDING NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM TIMBER SALE CONTRACTS.

   Inserted: (a) Definitions.--In this section:

   Inserted: (1) Qualifying contract.--The term "qualifying contract" means a contract (including an integrated resource timber contract) for the sale of timber on National Forest System land--

   Inserted: (A) that was awarded before January 1, 2010;

   Inserted: (B) for which the original contract term was for 2 or more years;

   Inserted: (C) for which there is unharvested volume of timber remaining;

   Inserted: (D) for which, not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the contract awardee makes a written request to the Secretary for an extension of time;

   Inserted: (E) for which the Secretary determines there is not an urgent need to harvest due to deteriorating timber conditions;

   Inserted: (F) for which the Secretary determines there is not an urgent need to harvest to accomplish fuel reduction objectives in wildland-urban interface areas; and

   Inserted: (G) that is not in breach or default.

   Inserted: (2) Secretary.--The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.

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   Inserted: (3) 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).

   Inserted: (b) Extension of Time.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law and subject to the conditions described in paragraph (2), the Secretary may extend the term of a qualifying contract for not more than 2 years after the applicable contract termination date.

   Inserted: (2) Conditions.--An extension of a qualifying contract under paragraph (1) shall be subject to the following conditions:

   Inserted: (A) The total contract term shall not exceed 10 years, including the extension granted under this section.

   Inserted: (B) A qualifying contract that receives a 1-year substantial overriding public interest extension authorized by the Chief of the Forest Service in 2012 may only receive an extension of 1 year under this section.

   Inserted: (C) Periodic payment dates that have not been reached as of the date of a request by a contract awardee under this section shall be adjusted in accordance with applicable law and policies.

   Inserted: (c) Effect.--

   Inserted: (1) No surrender of claims.--Nothing in this section shall result in the surrendering of any claim by the United States against any contract awardee that arose under a qualifying contract before the date on which the Secretary extends the qualifying contract term under this section.

   Inserted: (2) Release of liability.--Before receiving an extension of a contract term under this section, the contract awardee shall release the United States from all liability, including further consideration or compensation, resulting from--

   Inserted: (A) the extension of the qualifying contract term; or

   Inserted: (B) a determination by the Secretary under this section to not extend the contract term.

   Inserted: (3) Future administrative actions.--Nothing in this section precludes the Secretary from modifying a qualifying contract extended under this section to grant administrative relief consistent with applicable law (including regulations) and policy.

   Original wording

   At the end, add the following:

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As printed