Bill Details
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This bill would change how forest management work is planned on federal forest lands. It tells the responsible federal secretary to work with people and groups affected by a project, such as local governments, fire departments, state, Tribal, and other interested groups, when carrying out forest work. The goal is to make projects run more smoothly, reduce wildfire fuel, protect water and wildlife, and help forests better handle heat, changing rainfall, and other climate pressures. It also sets rules for checking the land after work is done and gives faster environmental review for some fuel-reduction projects that meet size, planning, and consultation limits. In addition, it allows more cooperation with qualified groups for related work like erosion control, reforestation, and stream restoration.
- Federal officials would be required to coordinate with affected parties when planning forest management activities on national forest lands, when appropriate.
- Forest projects would generally need to aim for multiple benefits, including reducing wildfire fuels, protecting biodiversity, improving water quality, and increasing resilience to changing weather and water conditions. This would not apply if the added costs are too high.
- The bill would require officials to set and monitor post-project ground conditions after certain ground-disturbing work, following the local forest plan and other federal law.
- Some fuel-reduction projects would be exempt from the normal environmental review process if they are 10,000 acres or smaller, include no more than 3,000 acres of mechanical thinning, are planned with local governments and other interested groups, and follow the forest plan.
Official Summaries
Proven Forest Management Act of 2025
This bill sets forth provisions to expedite the approval and implementation of forest management activities and establishes related requirements.
First, the bill categorically excludes a forest management activity conducted on National Forest System land for reducing forest fuels from certain environmental review requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 if the activity (1) does not exceed 10,000 acres (including not more than 3,000 acres of mechanical thinning), (2) is developed in a collaborative manner, and (3) is consistent with the forest plan developed for the relevant National Forest System land.
Next, the bill directs the Forest Service to conduct forest management activities in a manner that attains multiple ecosystem benefits unless the costs associated with attaining such benefits are excessive.
Additionally, the Forest Service must (1) establish any post-program ground condition criteria for a ground disturbance caused by a forest management activity required by the applicable forest plan, and (2) provide for monitoring to ascertain the attainment of relevant post-program conditions.
The bill also allows the Forest Service or the Department of the Interior, as appropriate, to enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with certain entities to provide for fuel reduction, erosion control, reforestation, and similar activities on federal and nonfederal lands within land adjustment programs.
Finally, the bill directs the Forest Service, when conducting a forest management activity on National Forest System land, to coordinate with impacted parties to increase efficiency and maximize the compatibility of management practices across such land.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 179 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 179
To direct the Secretary concerned to coordinate with impacted parties
when conducting a forest management activity, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 3, 2025
Mr. McClintock (for himself, Mr. Calvert, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Valadao, Mr.
Stauber, and Mr. Issa) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the
Committee on Natural Resources, 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
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary concerned to coordinate with impacted parties
when conducting a forest management activity, and for other purposes.
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 ``Proven Forest Management Act of
2025''.
SEC. 2. FOREST MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES FOR NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LAND.
(a) Coordination.--In conducting a forest management activity on
National Forest System land, the Secretary concerned shall, as
appropriate, coordinate with impacted parties to increase efficiency
and maximize the compatibility of management practices across National
Forest System land.
(b) Forest Management Activities.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), in
conducting a forest management activity on National Forest
System land, the Secretary concerned shall conduct such
activity in a manner that attains multiple ecosystem benefits,
including--
(A) reducing forest fuels;
(B) maintaining biological diversity;
(C) improving wetland and water quality, including
in Stream Environment Zones; and
(D) increasing resilience to changing water
temperature and precipitation.
(2) Exception for cost.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply if
the Secretary concerned determines that the costs associated
with attaining multiple ecosystem benefits are excessive.
(c) Ground Disturbance.--Consistent with applicable Federal law and
the forest plan developed for the relevant National Forest System land,
the Secretary concerned shall--
(1) establish any post-program ground condition criteria
for a ground disturbance caused by a forest management activity
required by such plan; and
(2) provide for monitoring to ascertain the attainment of
relevant post-program conditions.
(d) Availability of Categorical Exclusion for Certain Forest
Management Activities.--A forest management activity conducted on
National Forest System land for the purpose of reducing forest fuels is
categorically excluded from the requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) if the forest
management activity--
(1) notwithstanding section 423 of the Department of the
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act,
2009 (division E of Public Law 111-8; 123 Stat. 748), does not
exceed 10,000 acres, including not more than 3,000 acres of
mechanical thinning;
(2) is developed--
(A) in coordination with impacted parties,
specifically including representatives of local
governments, such as county supervisors or county
commissioners; and
(B) in consultation with other interested entities;
and
(3) is consistent with the forest plan developed for the
relevant National Forest System land.
(e) Cooperative Authorities.--The Secretary concerned, in
conjunction with land adjustment programs, may enter into contracts and
cooperative agreements with a qualified entity to provide for fuel
reduction, erosion control, reforestation, Stream Environment Zone
restoration, and similar management activities on Federal land and non-
Federal land within the programs.
(f) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Interested entities.--The term ``interested entities''
includes--
(A) the Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration;
(B) State, local, and Tribal governments;
(C) local fire departments; and
(D) other relevant volunteer groups.
(2) Forest management activity.--The term ``forest
management activity'' means a project or activity carried out
by the Secretary concerned on National Forest System land and
consistent with the forest plan covering such land.
(3) National forest system.--The term ``National Forest
System'' has the meaning given that term in section 11(a) of
the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of
1974 (16 U.S.C. 1609(a)).
(4) Public lands.--The term ``public lands'' has the
meaning given that term in section 103 of the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702), except that
the term includes Coos Bay Wagon Road Grant lands and Oregon
and California Railroad Grant lands.
(5) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned''
means--
(A) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to
National Forest System land; and
(B) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to
public lands.
(6) Stream environment zone.--The term ``Stream Environment
Zone'' means an area that generally owes the biological and
physical characteristics of the area to the presence of surface
water or groundwater.
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