S.Amdt. 1171

1. Adds SEC. 8___. TROPICAL FOREST RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION on page 986, between lines 4 and 5

   Adds a sectionPrinted page

   Inserted: SEC. 8___. TROPICAL FOREST RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION.

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

   Inserted: (1) State.--The term "State" has the meaning given the term in section 6(f) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Research Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1645(f)).

   Inserted: (2) Tropical forest.--The term "tropical forest" means any area of forest land that is located between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.

   Inserted: (b) Tropical Forest Conservation.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--For purposes of tropical forest conservation, rehabilitation, reforestation, and research, the Secretary may--

   Inserted: (A) acquire tropical forest land and interests in tropical forest land in any State by purchase, donation, exchange, transfer, or interchange; and

   Inserted: (B) designate the land and interests in land as national tropical research forests.

   Inserted: (2) Conservation objectives.--The Secretary shall manage each national tropical research forest designated under this section in a manner that protects and conserves indigenous flora and fauna, water quality, streams and aquifers, and the geological, ecological and other natural values.

   Inserted: (3) Research and management practices.--Research and land management practices conducted in a national tropical research forest may include--

   Inserted: (A) silviculture; and

   Inserted: (B) the control of ungulates and invasive species.

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   Inserted: (4) Other uses.--Public recreation and other multiple uses may be allowed in a national tropical research forest if the uses are compatible, and do not interfere, with conservation objectives and research and management practices.

   Inserted: (5) Applicable laws.--

   Inserted: (A) In general.--A national tropical research forest shall be managed in accordance with the laws (including regulations) applicable to the National Forest System and this section.

   Inserted: (B) Hawaii.--The Secretary may designate a national tropical research forest acquired in Hawaii as a unit of the Hawaii national tropical research forest in furtherance of the purposes of the Hawaii Tropical Forest Recovery Act (Public Law 102-574; 106 Stat. 4593) and the amendments made by that Act.

   Inserted: (C) Supplemental applicability.--This section shall be considered supplemental to, and not in derogation of--

   Inserted: (i) the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1600 et seq.);

   Inserted: (ii) title XXIV of Public Law 101-624 (7 U.S.C. 6701 et seq.); and

   Inserted: (iii) the Hawaii Tropical Forest Recovery Act (Public Law 102-574; 106 Stat. 4593) and amendments made by that Act.

   Inserted: (c) Realty Management.--

   Inserted: (1) Willing sellers.--Land and interests in land acquired under this section shall be from willing sellers only.

   Inserted: (2) Land valuation.--Land and interests in land acquired under this section shall be valued--

   Inserted: (A) in accordance with appraisals prepared in conformity with the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions developed by the Interagency Land Acquisition Conference; or

   Inserted: (B) for areas of land for which elements of value (such as physical characteristics and other amenities) are readily apparent and substantially similar, in accordance with market surveys or mass appraisal techniques approved by the Chief Appraiser of the Forest Service.

   Inserted: (3) Cooperative management.--The Secretary may allow a unit of State or local government, an institution of higher education, or a nonprofit organization to cooperate in the management of a national tropical research forest in accordance with such terms and conditions as the Secretary may establish.

   Inserted: (4) Funding.--For the acquisition of land and interests in land under this section, the Secretary may use amounts--

   Inserted: (A) deposited for general use in the fund established under Public Law 90-171 (commonly known as the "Sisk Act") (16 U.S.C. 484a);

   Inserted: (B) donated or appropriated for research purposes;

   Inserted: (C) appropriated from the land and water conservation fund established under section 2 of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l-5);

   Inserted: (D) appropriated to the Forest Service that are otherwise unobligated and available;

   Inserted: (E) derived and available from payments under any Federal permitting program for the mitigation or offset of environmental impacts; and

   Inserted: (F) derived and available from the sale or disposition of land pursuant to the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act (43 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.).

   Inserted: (5) Puerto rico.--

   Inserted: (A) Revenues from el yunque national forest.--

   Inserted: (i) In general.--To fund land acquisition solely in Puerto Rico that is authorized by subsection (b)(1), in addition to the amounts otherwise made available under paragraph (4), the Secretary may use all amounts generated from El Yunque National Forest that are deposited in the National Forest Fund, other than those amounts required by law to be paid to Puerto Rico.

   Inserted: (ii) Availability of amounts.--Amounts made available to the Secretary under this subparagraph shall remain available until expended and without further appropriation.

   Inserted: (B) El yunque national forest boundary adjustment.--

   Inserted: (i) In general.--To the extent that the Secretary acquires land that abuts the boundaries of El Yunque National Forest, the Secretary shall adjust the boundaries of El Yunque National Forest to include the acquired land.

   Inserted: (ii) Relation to other law.--For purposes of section 7 of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l-9), the boundaries of El Yunque National Forest, as adjusted pursuant to this subparagraph, shall be considered to be boundaries of the National Forest as of January 1, 1965.

   Inserted: (d) Institutes of Tropical Forestry.--Section 2407 of title XXIV of Public Law 101-624 (7 U.S.C. 6701 et seq.) (7 U.S.C. 6706) is amended--

   Inserted: (1) in the first sentence, by striking "The Secretary" and inserting the following:

   Inserted: "(a) In General.--The Secretary"; and

   Inserted: (2) in the second sentence, by striking "The Institutes" and inserting the following:

   Inserted: "(b) Acquisition and Management of Land.--The Institutes may--

   Inserted: "(1) acquire and manage land and interests in land for tropical forest conservation purposes and research; and

   Inserted: "(2) provide public outreach and educational opportunities consistent with research and conservation objectives, including, to the maximum extent practicable, to international partners and allies.

   Inserted: "(c) Research.--The Institutes".

   Original wording

   On page 986, between lines 4 and 5, insert the following:

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As printed