H.R. 2709
Save Our Sequoias Act
Sponsor: Vince Fong · 29 cosponsors
Follow this billOfficial 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
(a) In general. The Secretary, in consultation with the parties to the agreement under section 3, shall establish a program or expand an existing program to award grants to eligible entities to advance, facilitate, or improve giant sequoia health and resiliency.
(b) Eligible entity. The Secretary may award grants under this section to any nonprofit organization, Tribal Government, local government, academic institution, or private organization to help advance, facilitate, or improve giant sequoia health and resiliency.
(c) Priority. In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that—
(1) primarily, are likely to have the greatest impact on giant sequoia health and resiliency; and
(2) secondarily—
(A) are small businesses or Tribal entities, particularly in rural areas; and
(B) create or support jobs, particularly in rural areas.
(d) Use of grant funds. Funds from grants awarded under this section shall be used to—
(1) create, expand, or develop markets for hazardous fuels removed under section 6, including markets for biomass and biochar;
(2) facilitate hazardous fuel removal under section 6, including by reducing the cost of transporting hazardous fuels removed as part of a Protection Project;
(3) expand, enhance, develop, or create facilities or land that can store or process hazardous fuels removed under section 6;
(4) establish, develop, expand, enhance, or improve nursery capacity or infrastructure necessary to facilitate the Strategy established under section 7; or
(5) support Tribal management and conservation of giant sequoias, including funding for Tribal historic preservation officers.