Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015

Short title— This Act may be cited as the “Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015”.

Table of contents— The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Catastrophic event— The term “catastrophic event” means any natural disaster (such as hurricane, tornado, windstorm, snow or ice storm, rain storm, high water, wind-driven water, tidal wave, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide, drought, or insect or disease outbreak) or any fire, flood, or explosion, regardless of cause.

Categorical exclusion— The term “categorical exclusion” refers to an exception to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4331 et seq.) for a project or activity relating to the management of National Forest System lands or public lands.

Collaborative process— The term “collaborative process” refers to a process relating to the management of National Forest System lands or public lands by which a project or activity is developed and implemented by the Secretary concerned through collaboration with interested persons, as described in section 603(b)(1)(C) of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6591b(b)(1)(C)).

Community wildfire protection plan— The term “community wildfire protection plan” has the meaning given that term in section 101(3) of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511(3)).

Coos Bay Wagon Road Grant lands— The term “Coos Bay Wagon Road Grant lands” means the lands reconveyed to the United States pursuant to the first section of the Act of February 26, 1919 (40 Stat. 1179).

Forest management activity— The term forest management activity means a project or activity carried out by the Secretary concerned on National Forest System lands or public lands in concert with the forest plan covering the lands.

Forest plan— The term forest plan means—

Large-scale catastrophic event— The term “large-scale catastrophic event” means a catastrophic event that adversely impacts at least 5,000 acres of reasonably contiguous National Forest System lands or public lands.

National forest system— The term “National Forest System” has the meaning given that term in section 11(a) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1609(a)).

Oregon and California Railroad Grant lands— The term “Oregon and California Railroad Grant lands” means the following lands:

Public lands— The term “public lands” has the meaning given that term in section 103(e) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702(e)), except that the term includes Coos Bay Wagon Road Grant lands and Oregon and California Railroad Grant lands.

Reforestation activity— The term reforestation activity means a project or activity carried out by the Secretary concerned whose primary purpose is the reforestation of impacted lands following a large-scale catastrophic event. The term includes planting, evaluating and enhancing natural regeneration, clearing competing vegetation, and other activities related to reestablishment of forest species on the fire-impacted lands.

Resource advisory committee— The term “resource advisory committee” has the meaning given that term in section 201(3) of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 7121(3)).

Salvage operation— The term “salvage operation” means a forest management activity undertaken in response to a catastrophic event whose primary purpose—

Secretary concerned— The term Secretary concerned means—