Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 112 Part 4.djvu/963

 PUBLIC LAW 105-281—OCT. 26, 1998 112 STAT. 2695 Public Law 105-281 105th Congress An Act To provide for a demonstration project in the Stanislaus National Forest, California, under which a private contractor will perform multiple resource management activities for that unit of the National Forest System. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the "Granite Watcsrshed Enhancement and Protection Act of 1998". SEC. 2. DEMONSTRATION RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROJECT, STANISLAUS NATIONAL FOREST, CALIFORNIA, TO ENHANCE AND PROTECT THE GRANIITE WATERSHED. (a) RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CONTRACT AuTHORiZED.The Secretary of Agriculture may enter into a contract with a single private contractor to perform multiple resource management activities on Federal lands within the Stanislaus National Forest in the State of California for the piirpose of demonstrating enhanced ecosystem health and water equality, and significantly reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire, in the Granite watershed at a reduced cost to the Government. The contract shall be for a term of 5 years. (b) AUTHORIZED MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES. —The types of resource management activities performed under the contract shall include the following (1) Reduction of forest fuel loads through the use of precommercial and commercial thinning and prescribed bums in the Granite watershed. (2) Monitoring of ecosystem health sind water quaUty in the Granite watershed. (3) Monitoring of the presence of wildlife in the area in which management activities are performed and the effect of the activities on wildlife presence. (4) Such other resource management activities as the Secretary considers appropriate to demonstrate enhanced ecosystem health and water quaUty in the Granite watershed. (c) COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL LAW AND SPOTTED OWL GUIDE- LINES. — All resource management activities performed under the contract shall be performed in a manner consistent with applicable Federal law and the standards and guidelines for the conservation of the California spotted owl (as set forth in the California Spotted Owl Sierran Province Interim GuideUnes or the subsequently issued final guidelines, whichever is in effect). (d) FUNDING. — Oct. 26, 1998 (H.R. 2886] Granite Watershed Enhancement and Protection Act of 1998.

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