Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974

Summary

National Forest Environmental Management Act - Declares that comprehensive planning is needed to secure the greatest net public benefit from the National Forest System. Sets forth definitions of terms used in this Act, including differentiations between "forest land," "rangeland," and "recreational land." Title I: General Management Authority - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to manage the National Forest System in a manner which will assure payment of fair market value by users of such lands and which will provide maximum opportunities for the public to participate in decisionmaking concerning such lands. Prescribes rules regarding the management of national forest lands and the authority for promulgation of such rules. Requires the Secretary to prepare an inventory of all national forest lands, and their tangible and intangible resource values. Specifies the content and currency of such inventory. Provides that the Secretary shall develop, maintain, and revise land use plans for the National Forest System. States that in the development and maintenance of such land use plans, the Secretary shall: (1) use a systematic interdisciplinary approach integrating physical, biological, economic, and social sciences considerations; (2) give priority to the protection of areas of critical environmental concern; (3) consider the relative scarcity of the values involved; (4) weigh long-term public benefits against short-term local or individual benefits; and (5) consider the requirements of applicable pollution control laws. Provides that the Secretary shall present to the Congress a long-range natural resources physical budget for the National Forest System which sets forth specified factors. Enumerates such factors. States that in fiscal year 1975 and thereafter at the start of each decade the Secretary shall present to the Congress his estimate of the natural resources physical budget of the National Forest System along with his recommendations for each of the next 5 decades ahead. Provides for public hearings and a joint resolution by Congress on such policy. Requires that there be included in the annual fiscal budget for the management of the National Forest System a request for funding sufficient to assure a high level of resource growth and production under high environmental standards. Requires that as part of this goal each annual budget contain a request for funds sufficient to reforest an acreage equal to at least 110 percent of the area on which it is estimated timber will be harvested in the preceding fiscal year plus an amount to improve the stands of young growing forests with trees between the ages of five years and seventy-five years on an acreage equal to at least 110 percent of the areas computed above. Directs the Secretary to determine an environmentally sound level of timber harvest for the commercial forest land within each national forest management unit. Provides that the Secretary shall determine an environmentally sound level of grazing, water, soil, recreation, and wildlife management for each national forest management unit. Title II: Other Acts Amended - Specifies new procedures for the sale of trees and forest products. Provides that the Secretary shall maintain a long-term, decade ahead, and annual transportation plan for the national forests. States that the on-the-ground field offices, district rangers and forest supervisors, and the field supervisory offices and regional offices shall be so situated as to provide the optimum level of convenient, useful services to the public.

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Documents

3 official files

• Public Law (PDF)

  Public Law · EN · 18 August 1974

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• Public Law

  summary · EN · 17 August 1974

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• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 31 July 1973

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