Bill Details
HR.598 - 119th Congress
Status
Latest action
2025-02-28 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.
Introduced Date
2025-01-21
Policy Area
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Committees
View committees (2)
Sponsors
Cosponsors
View cosponsors (2)
8
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AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would change how federal land management plans are reviewed under the Endangered Species Act. It says the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management would not have to restart consultation on an approved, amended, or revised land plan just because a new plant or animal is listed as endangered or threatened, or because new information later shows the plan may affect a protected species in a way that was not previously considered.
- It applies to Forest Service land management plans and Bureau of Land Management land use plans.
- Under current practice, agencies may have to recheck a plan with wildlife officials when new species listings, critical habitat designations, or new scientific information come up.
- This bill would remove that extra consultation requirement in those specific situations.
- The goal appears to be to make land planning faster and less likely to be delayed by repeated reviews.
Official Summaries
Forest Information Reform Act or the FIR Act
This bill specifies that neither the Forest Service nor the Bureau of Land Management are required to reinitiate consultation on a land management plan when a new species is listed as threatened or endangered, critical habitat is designated, or new information reveals effects of the plan may affect a listed species or critical habitat in a manner or to an extent not previously considered.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 598 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 598
To amend the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of
1974 and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to provide
that the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior are
not required to reinitiate consultation on a land management plan or
land use plan under certain circumstances, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 21, 2025
Mr. Zinke (for himself and Mr. Newhouse) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in
addition to the Committee on Agriculture, 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 amend the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of
1974 and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to provide
that the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior are
not required to reinitiate consultation on a land management plan or
land use plan under certain circumstances, 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 ``Forest Information Reform Act'' or
as the ``FIR Act''.
SEC. 2. NO ADDITIONAL CONSULTATION REQUIRED.
(a) Forest Service Plans.--Section 6(d)(2) of the Forest and
Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C.
1604(d)(2)) is amended to read as follows:
``(2) No additional consultation required under certain
circumstances.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
Secretary shall not be required to reinitiate consultation
under section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16
U.S.C. 1536(a)(2)) or section 402.16 of title 50, Code of
Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation), on a land
management plan approved, amended, or revised under this
section when--
``(A) a new species is listed or critical habitat
is designated under the Endangered Species Act of 1973
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); or
``(B) new information reveals effects of the land
management plan that may affect a species listed or
critical habitat designated under that Act in a manner
or to an extent not previously considered.''.
(b) Bureau of Land Management Plans.--Section 202 of the Federal
Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1712) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(g) No Additional Consultation Required Under Certain
Circumstances.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
Secretary shall not be required to reinitiate consultation under
section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C.
1536(a)(2)) or section 402.16 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations
(or a successor regulation), on a land use plan approved, amended, or
revised under this section when--
``(1) a new species is listed or critical habitat is
designated under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.); or
``(2) new information reveals effects of the land use plan
that may affect a species listed or critical habitat designated
under that Act in a manner or to an extent not previously
considered.''.
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