Not later than 2 years after November 28, 2016, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register a strategy to significantly increase the role of volunteers and partners in trail maintenance.
The strategy required by subsection (a) shall-
(1) augment and support the capabilities of Federal employees to carry out or contribute to trail maintenance;
(2) provide meaningful opportunities for volunteers and partners to carry out trail maintenance in each region of the Forest Service;
(3) address the barriers to increased volunteerism and partnerships in trail maintenance identified by volunteers, partners, and others;
(4) prioritize increased volunteerism and partnerships in trail maintenance in those regions with the most severe trail maintenance needs, and where trail maintenance backlogs are jeopardizing access to National Forest lands; and
(5) aim to increase trail maintenance by volunteers and partners by 100 percent by the date that is 5 years after November 28, 2016.
As a component of the strategy, the Secretary shall study opportunities to improve trail maintenance by addressing opportunities to use fire crews in trail maintenance activities in a manner that does not jeopardize firefighting capabilities, public safety, or resource protection. Upon a determination that trail maintenance would be advanced by use of fire crews in trail maintenance, the Secretary shall incorporate these proposals into the strategy, subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines to be necessary.
Not later than 2 years after November 28, 2016, the Secretary shall adopt regulations implementing this section. These regulations shall ensure that the financial risk from claims or liability associated with volunteers undertaking trail maintenance is shared by all administrative units.
The Secretary shall develop the strategy in consultation with volunteer and partner trail maintenance organizations, a broad array of outdoor recreation stakeholders, and other relevant stakeholders.
The Secretary shall require each administrative unit to develop a volunteer and partner coordination implementation plan for the strategy which clearly defines roles and responsibilities for the administrative unit and district staff, and includes strategies to ensure sufficient coordination, assistance, and support for volunteers and partners to improve trail maintenance.
The Secretary shall prepare a report on-
(A) the effectiveness of the strategy in addressing the trail maintenance backlog;
(B) the increase in volunteerism and partnership efforts on trail maintenance as a result of the strategy;
(C) the miles of National Forest System trails maintained by volunteers and partners, and the approximate value of the volunteer and partnership efforts;
(D) the status of the stewardship credits for outfitters and guides pilot program described in section 583k–5 of this title that includes the number of participating sites, total amount of the credits offered, estimated value of trail maintenance performed, and suggestions for revising the program; and
(E) recommendations for further increasing volunteerism and partnerships in trail maintenance.
Not later than 3 years after November 28, 2016, the Secretary shall submit the report required by paragraph (1) to-
(A) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives.
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