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117TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 2500
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to assess the use of new technologies
across reforestation activities, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 14, 2021
Mr. MOORE of Utah (for himself, Mr. WESTERMAN, Mr. NEWHOUSE, Mr.
SIMPSON, Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana, and Mr. OWENS) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to assess the use
of new technologies across reforestation activities, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Forest Technology En-
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hancements for Conservation and Habitat Improvement
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Act’’ or the ‘‘Forest TECH Improvement Act’’.
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SEC. 2. REFORESTATION TECHNOLOGY PILOT PROGRAM.
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(a) ESTABLISHMENT
OF
PILOT
PROGRAM.—Not
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later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of
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this section, the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation
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with the Secretary of the Interior, shall either establish
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a research, development, and testing pilot program or ex-
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pand an applicable existing program to—
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(1) assess new technologies, including un-
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manned aircraft system, geospatial, or remote sens-
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ing technologies, across all reforestation activities;
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(2) accelerate the deployment and integration of
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such technologies into the operations of the Secre-
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taries; and
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(3) collaborate and cooperate with State, Trib-
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al, and private geospatial information system organi-
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zations with respect to such technologies.
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(b) EXPANDING USE OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYS-
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TEMS.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
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of this section, the Secretaries shall enter into an agree-
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ment to develop consistent protocols and plans for the use
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of unmanned aircraft system technologies for reforestation
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activities.
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(c) DOMESTIC MANUFACTURE REQUIREMENT.—Any
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unmanned aircraft system technology or component of un-
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manned aircraft system technology used under this section
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shall be made and manufactured in the United States.
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(d) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
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tion shall be construed as prohibiting the Secretary of Ag-
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riculture from using unmanned aircraft systems tech-
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nologies in effect on the date of the enactment of this sec-
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tion.
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(e) UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM DEFINED.—In
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this section, the term ‘‘unmanned aircraft system’’ has the
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meaning given the term in section 44801 of title 49,
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United States Code.
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(f) SUNSET.—The authority to carry out this section
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shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date
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of the enactment of this section.
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