An amendment No. 39 printed in Part B of House Report 113-117 to help the U.S. Forest Service streamline forest management decisions to treat insect infestations on public lands in order to protect natural resources and reduce fuel loads that contribute to wildfires.

Strike sections 8301 through 8303 (page 481, line 20, through page 485, line 23) and insert the following:

SEC. 8301. INSECT AND DISEASE INFESTATION.

Title VI of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6591 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“SEC. 602. DESIGNATION OF TREATMENT AREAS.

“(a) Definition of Declining Forest Health.--In this section, the term ‘declining forest health' means a forest that is experiencing--

“(1) substantially increased tree mortality due to insect or disease infestation; or

“(2) dieback due to infestation or defoliation by insects or disease.

“(b) Designation of Treatment Areas.--

“(1) Initial areas.--Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013, the Secretary shall, if requested by the Governor of the State, designate as part of an insect and disease treatment program 1 or more subwatersheds (sixth-level hydrologic units, according to the System of Hydrologic Unit Codes of the United States Geological Survey) in at least 1 national forest in each State that is experiencing an insect or disease epidemic.

“(2) Additional areas.--After the end of the 60-day period described in paragraph (1), the Secretary may designate additional subwatersheds under this section as needed to address insect or disease threats.

“(c) Requirements.--To be designated a subwatershed under subsection (b), the subwatershed shall be--

“(1) experiencing declining forest health, based on annual forest health surveys conducted by the Secretary;

“(2) at risk of experiencing substantially increased tree mortality over the next 15 years due to insect or disease infestation, based on the most recent National Insect and Disease Risk Map published by the Forest Service; or

“(3) in an area in which the risk of hazard trees poses an imminent risk to public infrastructure, health, or safety.

“(d) Treatment of Areas.--

“(1) In general.--The Secretary may carry out priority projects on Federal land in the subwatersheds designated under subsection (b) to reduce the risk or extent of, or increase the resilience to, insect or disease infestation in the subwatersheds.

“(2) Authority.--Any project under paragraph (1) for which a public notice to initiate scoping is issued on or before September 30, 2018, may be carried out in accordance with subsections (b), (c), and (d) of section 102, and sections 104, 105, and 106.

“(3) Effect.--Projects carried out under this subsection shall be considered authorized hazardous fuel reduction projects for purposes of the authorities described in paragraph (2).

“(4) Report.--Not later than September 30, 2018, the Secretary shall issue a report on actions taken to carry out this subsection, including--

“(A) an evaluation of the progress towards project goals; and

“(B) recommendations for modifications to the projects and management treatments.

“(e) Tree Retention.--The Secretary shall carry out projects under subsection (d) in a manner that maximizes the retention of old-growth and large trees, as appropriate for the forest type, to the extent that the trees promote stands that are resilient to insects and disease.”.

Page 485, line 24, strike “8304” and insert “8302”.