H.R. 2709

Save Our Sequoias Act

Sponsor: Vince Fong · 29 cosponsors

Follow this bill

Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

Save Our Sequoias Act

This bill provides for the conservation of giant sequoia trees (Sequoiadendron giganteum) in California.

Specifically, it provides statutory authority for the Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition and outlines the coalition's duties. The coalition must submit a Giant Sequoia Health and Resiliency Assessment and annually update it. The information from the assessment must be made available so the information can be integrated into certain other plans. The coalition must also create and maintain a website that contains the assessment, educational materials, searchable information about individual giant sequoia groves, and a searchable database to track the status and costs of reforestation and rehabilitation activities.

In addition, the bill declares an emergency on certain public lands and allows officials to carry out protection plans during the emergency to respond to the threat of wildfires, insects, and drought. The emergency expires after seven years.

The Department of the Interior must develop and implement a Giant Sequoia Reforestation and Rehabilitation Strategy.

Finally, the bill establishes a variety of programs and funds to support the conservation of giant sequoias.

Text of the bill

Expand all
Sec. 8. Giant sequoia strike teams

(a) Giant sequoia strike teams

(1) Establishment. The Secretary concerned shall each establish a Giant Sequoia Strike Team to assist the Secretary concerned with the implementation of—

(A) primarily, section 6; and

(B) secondarily, section 7.

(2) Duties. Each Strike Team shall—

(A) assist the Secretary concerned with any reviews, including analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), consultations under division A of subtitle III of title 54, United States Code (commonly referred to as the National Historic Preservation Act), and consultations under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.);

(B) implement any necessary site preparation work in advance of or as part of a Protection Project or reforestation or rehabilitation activity;

(C) implement Protection Projects under section 6; and

(D) implement reforestation or rehabilitation activities under section 7.

(3) Members. The Secretary concerned may appoint no more than 10 individuals each to serve on a Strike Team comprised of—

(A) employees of the Department of the Interior;

(B) employees of the Forest Service;

(C) private contractors from any nonprofit organization, State government, Tribal Government, local government, academic institution, or private organization; and

(D) volunteers from any nonprofit organization, State government, Tribal Government, local government, academic institution, or private organization.