HR 1396 IH

To save taxpayers money, reduce the deficit, cut corporate welfare, and protect and restore America's natural heritage by eliminating the fiscally wasteful and ecologically destructive commercial logging program on Federal public lands and to facilitate the economic recovery and diversification of communities dependent on the Federal logging program.

April 13, 1999

Ms. MCKINNEY (for herself, Mr. LEACH, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. FORBES, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. WEXLER, Mrs. MEEK of Florida, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr. RUSH, Mr. CLAY, Mr. FILNER, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. STARK, Mr. LUTHER, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. KLECZKA, Mr. DIXON, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. MARTINEZ, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. OWENS, Ms. LOFGREN, Ms. RIVERS, Mr. BONIOR, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Ms. LEE, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. LARSON, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey, Ms. WATERS, Mr. FORD, Mr. BROWN of California, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. HOLT, Mr. TOWNS, and Ms. BALDWIN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Resources, and Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

To save taxpayers money, reduce the deficit, cut corporate welfare, and protect and restore America's natural heritage by eliminating the fiscally wasteful and ecologically destructive commercial logging program on Federal public lands and to facilitate the economic recovery and diversification of communities dependent on the Federal logging program.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

(a) SHORT TITLE- This Act may be cited as the `National Forest Protection and Restoration Act of 1999'.

(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS- The table of contents of this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

Sec. 2. Definitions.

Sec. 3. Findings.

Sec. 4. Prohibition on timber sales to protect Federal public lands.

Sec. 5. Effect of prohibition on existing timber sale contracts.

Sec. 6. Authorization of appropriations.

Sec. 7. Natural heritage restoration.

Sec. 8. Worker retraining.

Sec. 9. Allocation of funds.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

For purposes of this Act:

(1) AGENCIES- The term `agencies' means the Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

(2) COMMERCIAL LOGGING- (A) The term `commercial logging' means--

(i) the sale of timber;

(ii) the execution of a timber sale; or

(iii) any other transfer of timber to an individual, company, corporation, or other entity, which then uses the timber so transferred for sale.

(B) The term includes a sale, execution, or other transfer specified in paragraph (1) regardless of--

(i) the stated reason for the sale, execution, or transfer; or

(ii) whether the timber is standing, fallen, living, or dead.

(3) FEDERAL PUBLIC LANDS- The term `Federal public lands' means--

(A) all lands in the United States included in the National Forest System;

(B) all lands in the United States included in the National Wildlife Refuge System;

(C) all lands in the United States included in the National Park System; and

(D) all lands under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management.

(4) ROADLESS AREA- The term `roadless area' means each of the following:

(A) Any inventoried roadless area.

(B) Any area of at least 1,000 contiguous acres meeting Forest Service road density guidelines.

(C) Any area of less than 1,000 contiguous acres meeting Forest Service road density guidelines, if the area is adjacent to a unit of the National Wilderness Preservation System, a unit of the National Park System, or a designated Wilderness Study Area.

(5) TIMBER SALE- The term `timber sale' means--

(i) the sale of timber;

(ii) the offering of timber for sale or consideration; or

(iii) any other transfer of timber to an individual, company, corporation, or other entity, which then uses the timber so transferred for sale.

(B) The term includes a sale, offer, or other transfer specified in paragraph (1) regardless of--

(i) the stated reason for the sale, offer, or transfer; or

(ii) whether the timber is standing, fallen, living, or dead.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:

(1) Polls conducted by the Forest Service show that a strong majority of the American people think that natural resources on Federal public lands

should not be made available to produce consumer goods.

(2) The 1995 Forest Service draft report entitled `Forest Service Program for Forest and Rangeland Resources: A Long-Term Strategic Plan' shows that recreation and tourism in the National Forest System creates over 30 times more jobs, and generates over 30 times more income, than commercial logging on national forests.

(3) According to Forest Service figures, timber cut from Federal public lands comprises less than five percent of the annual timber consumption of the United States.

(4) The vast majority of America's original pristine forests have been logged, and what little primary forest that remains exists almost entirely on public lands.

(5) The ecological crisis resulting from this severe habitat loss and fragmentation of American forests requires bold action to protect this Nation's natural heritage so that pristine forests may remain pristine, and damaged forests may have an opportunity to recover.

(6) The 1995 report of the Comptroller General regarding distribution of Forest Service timber sales receipts (GAO/RCED-95-237FS) and the 1998 follow-up report (GAO/RCED-99-24) reveal that, of the hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer money that is annually expended on the Forest Service timber sales program, only a small fraction finds its way back to the Federal Treasury, resulting in an enormous net loss to taxpayers.

(7) The timber-oriented counties in Oregon, Washington, and California that currently receive a percentage of timber sales receipts from commercial logging are guaranteed, by sections 13982 and 13983 of Public Law 103-66 (16 U.S.C. 500 note; 43 U.S.C. 1181f note), to continue to receive these payments at near historic levels through fiscal year 2003, regardless of logging levels on public lands.

(8) Forests absorb rainfall, retard stream runoff, reduce floods, increase slope stability, and retain topsoil, and retard soil erosion and siltation in streams, irrigation ditches, and reservoirs.

(9) Commercial logging has many indirect costs which are very significant, but not easily measured, such as flooding damage and relief of flooding damage through Federal funds, damage to the salmon fishing industry; and harm to the recreation and tourism industries.

(10) A congressionally commissioned scientific study of the Sierra Nevada forests found that more than any other human activity, commercial logging has increased the risk and severity of fires by removing the cooling shade of trees and leaving flammable debris (see Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project Final Report to Congress, Vol. 1, Assessment Summaries and Management Strategies, 1996).

(11) It is in the interests of the American people to protect watersheds on Federal public lands in order to prevent potentially damaging and deadly floods.

SEC. 4. PROHIBITION ON TIMBER SALES TO PROTECT FEDERAL PUBLIC LANDS.

(a) PROHIBITION ON NEW TIMBER SALES- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, effective as of the date of the enactment of this Act, no timber sales shall be prepared, advertised, offered, or awarded on Federal public lands and, except as provided in section 5, no commercial logging shall occur on Federal public lands.

(b) EXCEPTIONS- The gathering of firewood or other wood by individuals for personal, noncommercial use, through free-use permits under the personal use component of the forest management program of the Forest Service or an equivalent program of the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, or the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to the extent allowed under existing law, is not prohibited by subsection (a) but must be consistent with section 7 of this Act.

(c) NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES- Nothing contained in this Act shall be construed to modify, amend, or breach any treaty in existence on the date of enactment of this Act with any Native American tribe.

SEC. 5. EFFECT OF PROHIBITION ON EXISTING TIMBER SALE CONTRACTS.

(a) REMAINING SALVAGE RIDER SALES- Notwithstanding any outstanding judicial order or administrative proceeding interpreting section 2001 of Public Law 104-19 (109 Stat. 240; 16 U.S.C. 1611 note), the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior shall immediately suspend each timber sale or activity that was being undertaken in whole or in part under the authority provided in such section.

(b) ROADLESS AREAS- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior shall immediately suspend each timber sale in any roadless area on Federal public lands.

(c) PHASE-OUT PERIOD AUTHORIZED- There shall be a 2-year period to phase out those timber sale contracts in existence as of the date of the enactment of this Act.

The phase-out period shall begin on the date of the enactment of this Act. Any remaining timber sales on Federal public lands shall be automatically suspended upon the expiration of the phase-out period. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no commercial logging shall occur anywhere on Federal public lands after the end of the phase-out period.

(d) EARLY TERMINATION- For all timber sales suspended under subsection (a), subsection (b), and subsection (c) of this subsection, the Secretary concerned shall--

(1) exercise any provision of the original contract that authorizes termination and payment of specified damages; or

(2) terminate the contract to avoid adverse effects on the environment or natural resources.

(e) PAYMENT FOR TIMBER SALE CONTRACTS RELINQUISHED- Any claim, whether as a result of a judgment or an agreement against the Federal Government, arising from termination of any timber sale contract under subsection (d) of this subsection, may be--

(1) paid from funds made available under section 1304 of title 31, United States Code, and shall not require reimbursement under section 13(c) of the Contract Disputes Act of 1978 (41 U.S.C. 612(c));

(2) offset by forgiveness of a Federal Government loan or loan guarantee;

(3) paid through funds appropriated for the purpose; or

(4) paid through the transfer of funds from any of the following Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management timber accounts:

(A) Timber sales management.

(B) Forest land vegetation management.

(C) Forest roads program.

(D) General administration related to commercial logging.

(f) DISPUTES- Any claim by a purchaser against the Federal Government relating to a contract terminated under this section shall be subject to the Contract Disputes Act of 1978 (41 U.S.C. 601 et seq.).

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

(a) CALCULATION OF LOGGING SUBSIDY- The Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, shall determine the average amount of Federal funds appropriated annually from the General Fund of the Treasury over the five fiscal years immediately preceding the date of the enactment of this Act for commercial logging and commercial logging-related activities on Federal public lands. In making this determination, the Secretary shall include amounts expended for the following, using estimates, where necessary:

(1) Timber sales management.

(2) Forest-land vegetation management.

(3) Land management planning, inventory, and monitoring related to commercial logging.

(4) Research related to commercial logging.

(5) The portion of the forest roads and road maintenance program related to commercial logging.

(6) General administration expenses related to commercial logging.

(7) Landline location related to commercial logging.

(8) Law enforcement related to commercial logging.

(9) The portion of the forest fire fighting and prevention program related to commercial logging.

(10) The portion of any other activities related to commercial logging.

(b) AUTHORIZATION- There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act in the fiscal years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act, but not to exceed for any fiscal year one-half of the logging subsidy amount calculated in subsection (a).

(c) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES- Not more than ten percent of the funds appropriated or allocated to carry out sections 7 and 8 may be reserved for the administration of activities authorized under those sections.

SEC. 7. NATURAL HERITAGE RESTORATION.

(a) NATURAL HERITAGE RESTORATION CORPS- The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall each establish a special unit (to be known as the Natural Heritage Restoration Corps) for the purposes of conducting, in areas of Federal public lands where commercial logging has occurred, the following activities:

(1) Restore native vegetative cover.

(2) Conduct prescribed burning where necessary to reduce fire risk caused by commercial logging.

(3) Stabilize slopes and soils so as to prevent or reduce further erosion.

(4) Recontour slopes to their original contours, where deemed appropriate and beneficial.

(5) Decommission and obliterate logging roads in order to recover roadless characteristics.

(6) Remove man-made barriers to natural fish spawning runs.

(7) Generally restore, as much as possible, such areas to their natural condition as existed prior to the occurrence of commercial logging.

(b) PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT- The Natural Heritage Restoration Corps shall hire the necessary personnel, which may include private contractors, and purchase or lease the necessary equipment to implement the Natural Heritage Restoration Plans and achieve the goals and objectives as set forth by the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior under this section. There shall be a hiring preference for dislocated timber workers who have been terminated or laid off, or have received a notice of termination or lay off, as a consequence of the enactment of this Act.

(c) NATURAL HERITAGE RESTORATION PLANS-

(1) NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LANDS- For lands in the National Forest System, the Secretary of Agriculture shall develop Natural Heritage Restoration Plans at the regional level to carry out the activities specified in subsection (a) in accordance with the standards, guidelines, and procedures developed in subsection (d). Such Plans shall be completed no later than eighteen months after the date of enactment of this Act.

(2) BLM AND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE LANDS- For lands under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management, and, as necessary for National Wildlife Refuges, the Secretary of the Interior shall develop Natural Heritage Restoration Plans at the regional level to carry out the objectives of subsection (a) in accordance with the standards, guidelines, and procedures developed in subsection (d). Such plans shall be completed no later than eighteen months after the date of enactment of this Act.

(d) DEVELOPING STANDARDS, GUIDELINES, AND PROCEDURES FOR RESTORATION-

(1) RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SECRETARIES- The Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of the Interior shall develop regional standards, guidelines, and procedures for restoration as soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, and shall begin to incorporate these regional standards, guidelines, and procedures into land management plans for Federal public lands as soon as practicable. The Secretaries shall complete such incorporation for all Federal public lands by no later than two years after the date of enactment of this Act. The Secretaries shall report to the Congress on the progress of such incorporation in the annual report required by section 8(c) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1606(c)) and section 311 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1741).

(2) COMMITTEE OF SCIENTISTS- In carrying out the purposes of this subsection, the Secretary of the Interior shall appoint a committee of scientists for each of the Forest Service regions in the United States who are not officers or employees of the Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management. The committee shall provide scientific and technical advice and counsel on proposed standards, guidelines, and procedures to assure that an effective interdisciplinary approach is proposed and adopted for the development of Natural Heritage Restoration Plans for each region. The committee shall terminate upon promulgation of the standards, guidelines, and procedures, but the Secretary shall, from time to time, appoint similar committees when considering revisions of regional standards, guidelines, and procedures. Standards, guidelines, and procedures for developing Natural Heritage Restoration Plans for each region shall be completed no later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act. The views of the committees shall be included in the public information supplied when the standards and guidelines are proposed for adoption.

(3) CLERICAL AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE- Clerical and technical assistance, as may be necessary to discharge the duties of the committee of scientists established under paragraph (2) of this subsection, shall be provided from the personnel of the Department of Agriculture or the Department of Interior, as appropriate.

(4) COMPENSATION- While attending meetings of the committee, the members shall be entitled to receive compensation at a rate of $200 per diem, including travel time, and while away from their homes or regular places of business they may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5, United States Code, for persons in the Government service employed intermittently.

(e) INTERIM NEEDS FOR RESTORATION- During the interim period while regional standards, guidelines, and procedures are being developed, the Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of the Interior shall identify interim needs for restoration and take prompt action to begin restoration work with available personnel, until the Natural Heritage Restoration Corps is established. Interim needs for restoration shall be limited to the following:

(1) Prescribed burning and slash disposal where necessary to reduce fire risk.

(2) Stabilization of slopes and soils so as to prevent or reduce further erosion and land sliding in areas that have been logged.

(3) Decommissioning and obliteration of logging roads.

(f) RESTORATION GOALS AND OBJECTIVES- Within one year of the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior shall develop specific restoration goals and objectives for each Unit of the Federal public lands, and shall, within the same time period, develop a specific schedule to accomplish those goals and objectives with the funds made available to carry out this section, as authorized in section 6 of this Act.

(g) PLAN TRANSITION- Except as otherwise provided in section 4 and 5, and elsewhere in this Act, any plan, policy, or guidance of the Agencies, with respect to Federal public lands, in effect on the date of enactment of this Act shall continue to apply to such lands until such plan, policy or guidance is revised, amended, or changed as provided in this section.

(h) PUBLIC PARTICIPATION- This subsection shall be carried out in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and its implementing regulations.

SEC. 8. WORKER RETRAINING.

(a) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL DEFINED- For the purposes of this section, the term `eligible individual' means an individual who--

(1) is a dislocated worker, as that term is defined in section 101 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-220; 112 Stat. 939; 29 U.S.C. 2801); and

(2) has been terminated or laid off, or has received a notice of termination or lay off, as a consequence of the enactment of this Act, or as a consequence of management decisions on Federal public lands prior to the enactment of this Act.

(b) DETERMINATIONS OF ELIGIBILITY- The determination of whether an individual is an eligible individual shall be made by the Secretary of Labor, pursuant to criteria established by the Secretary of Labor, in consultation with the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior.

(c) GRANTS AUTHORIZED- The Secretary of Labor may make grants to States, employers, employer associations, and representatives of employees--

(1) to provide training, adjustment assistance, and employment services to eligible individuals; and

(2) to make needs-related payments to eligible individuals in accordance with subsection (h).

(d) PRIORITY AND APPROVAL-

(1) PRIORITY- In reviewing applications for grants under subsection (c), the Secretary of Labor shall give priority to applications proposing to provide training, adjustment assistance, and services in areas which have the greatest number or percentage of eligible individuals.

(2) NEEDS-RELATED PAYMENTS REQUIRED- The Secretary of Labor shall not approve an application for a grant under subsection (c) unless the application contains assurances that the applicant will use grant funds to provide needs-related payments in accordance with subsection (h).

(e) USE OF FUNDS- Subject to the requirements of subsections (f), (g), and (h), grants under subsection (c) may be used for any purpose for which funds may be used under section 134 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-220; 112 Stat. 990; 29 U.S.C. 2864).

(f) JOB SEARCH ALLOWANCE-

(1) ALLOWANCE AUTHORIZED- Grants under subsection (c) for adjustment assistance may be used to provide job search allowances to eligible individuals. Such allowance, if granted, shall provide reimbursement to the individual of not more than 90 percent of the cost of necessary job search expenses, as prescribed by regulations of the Secretary of Labor, but may not exceed $1,200 unless the need for a greater amount is justified in the application and approved by the Secretary of Labor.

(2) CRITERIA FOR GRANTING JOB SEARCH ALLOWANCES- A job search allowance may be granted only--

(A) to assist an eligible individual who has been totally separated in securing a job within the United States; and

(B) where the Secretary of Labor determines that such employee cannot reasonably be expected to secure suitable employment in the commuting area in which the worker resides.

(g) RELOCATION ALLOWANCE-

(1) ALLOWANCE AUTHORIZED- Grants under subsection (c) for adjustment assistance may be used to provide relocation allowances to eligible individuals. Such an allowance may only be granted to assist an eligible individual in relocating within the United States and only if the Secretary of Labor determines that such employee;

(A) cannot reasonably be expected to secure suitable employment in the commuting area in which the employee resides;

(B) has obtained suitable employment affording a reasonable expectation of long-term duration in the area in which the employee wishes to relocate, or has obtained a bona fide offer of such employment, and

(C) is totally separated from employment at the time relocation commences.

(2) AMOUNT OF RELOCATION ALLOWANCE- The amount of any relocation allowance for any eligible individual may not exceed the amount which is equal to the sum of--

(A) 90 percent of the reasonable and necessary expenses, specified in regulations prescribed by the Secretary, incurred in transporting an individual and the individual's family, if any, and household effects; and

(B) a lump sum equivalent to 3 times the employee's average weekly wage, up to a maximum payment of $1,200, unless the need for a greater amount is justified in the application and approved by the Secretary of Labor.

(h) NEEDS-RELATED PAYMENTS- The Secretary of Labor shall prescribe regulations with respect to the use of funds from grants under subsection (c) for needs-related payments in order to enable eligible individuals to complete training or education programs under this section. Such regulations shall--

(1) require that such payments shall be provided to an eligible individual only if such individual--

(A) does not qualify or has ceased to qualify for unemployment compensation;

(B) has been enrolled in training by the end of the 13th week of the individual's initial unemployment compensation benefit period, or, if later, the end of the 8th week after an individual is informed that a short-term layoff will in fact exceed six months; and

(C) is participating in training or education programs under this section, except that such regulations shall protect an individual from being disqualified pursuant to this clause for a failure to participate that is not the fault of the individual;

(2) provide that to qualify for such payments the individual currently receives, or is a member of a family which currently receives, a total family income (exclusive of unemployment compensation, child support payments, and welfare payments) which, in relation to family size, is not in excess of the lower living standard income level;

(3) provide that the levels of such payments shall be equal to the higher of--

(A) the applicable level of unemployment compensation; or

(B) the poverty level determined in accordance with criteria established by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget;

(4) provide for the adjustment of payments to reflect changes in total family income; and

(5) provide that the grantee shall obtain information with respect to such income, and changes therein, from the eligible individual.

(i) REGULATIONS- The Secretary of Labor shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 9. ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.

(a) AVAILABILITY OF CERTAIN ACCOUNTS- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, from the date of the enactment of this Act through the duration of the two-year phase-out period provided in section 5 plus one year thereafter, all funds in each of the following Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management accounts, including any funds deposited into these accounts during the two-year phase-out period, shall be used only to carry out this Act:

(1) Timber salvage funds (including the Salvage Sale Fund established under section 14(h) of the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. 472a(h))).

(2) The fund established under section 3 of the Act of June 9, 1930 (commonly known as the Knutson-Vandenberg Act; 16 U.S.C 576b).

(3) The fund containing moneys associated with the Purchaser-Elect Roads Program under section 6 of the Act of October 13, 1964 (commonly known as the Forest Roads And Trails Act; 16 U.S.C. 537).

(b) ALLOCATION OF TIMBER SALES REVENUES DURING PHASE-OUT PERIOD- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, from the date of the enactment of this Act through the duration of the two-year phase-out period, all timber sale revenues from Federal public lands shall be deposited in the fund established under section 3 of the Act of June 9, 1930 (commonly known as the Knutson-Vandenberg Act; 16 U.S.C 576b).

(c) ABOLISHMENT OF ACCOUNTS- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the funds referred to in subsection (a) shall be used to carry out this section until no funds remain in such accounts, after which these accounts shall be abolished.

(d) PAYMENTS TO STATES- For the fiscal year in which this Act is enacted and each fiscal year thereafter through fiscal year 2003, revenue sharing payments to States from timber sale receipts, which have annually been made pursuant to the Act of May 23, 1908 (16 U.S.C. 500) shall be paid from the funds referred to in subsection (a) of this section, except that no such payments shall be made for counties already receiving `Spotted Owl Payments' pursuant to section 13982 or 13983 of Public Law 103-66 (16 U.S.C. 500 note; 43 U.S.C. 1181f note). Payments under this subsection shall be made in an amount equivalent to the revenue-sharing payments to States from timber sale receipts in fiscal year 1996 ($125,000,000). Should the monies in the funds referred to in subsection (a) fall below $380,000,000 cumulatively, the Secretary of the Treasury shall make these payments out of money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated.

(e) WORKER RETRAINING- Monies shall be distributed from the funds referred to in subsection (a) to carry out section 8. Such distributions shall be made in amounts up to $100,000,000 in the first year of the phase-out period, and $100,000,000 and $150,000,000, respectively, in the subsequent two years.

(f) ALTERNATIVES TO WOOD- From the funds referred to in subsection (a), at least $1,000,000 and up to $3,000,000 shall be distributed to the Environmental Protection Agency to fund an investigation into wood-free alternative products for paper and construction. Within one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall make recommendations for grants to entities involved in the development and production of the most environmentally sound non-wood alternatives for paper and construction products. Up to $30,000,000 from the funds referred to in subsection (a) shall be made available to the Environmental Protection Agency for such grants, which shall be made within three years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(g) ALLOCATION OF REMAINING FUNDS- Any funds remaining in the accounts referred to in subsection (a) in the fourth year after the date of the enactment of this Act shall be deposited into the general fund of the United States Treasury.

END