H.R. 1450 would authorize Indian tribes and counties to retain the proceeds of timber sales under cooperative forestry agreements, also known as good neighbor agreements (GNAs). (Under current law, through October 1, 2023, only states can retain the proceeds of timber sales under GNAs to cover the costs of restoration and protection projects.) The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Forest Service enter into GNAs with states, federally recognized Indian tribes, and counties to carry out forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration and protection projects on federal land.
Based on information from BLM and the Forest Service, CBO expects that without the authority to retain proceeds, timbers sales under GNAs with tribes and counties would not occur. On that basis, CBO estimates that enacting the bill would not affect the federal budget. If such sales did occur in the absence of that authority, any income is classified in the federal budget as an offsetting receipt (or reduction in direct spending).
