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This bill would let the Agriculture Secretary give electrical utilities permission to cut and remove trees and other plants near power lines on National Forest land without having to go through a separate timber sale process. The goal is to help keep electrical corridors safer, especially by reducing the risk that trees will fall into lines or contribute to fires. The work would still have to follow forest management plans and all other environmental laws. If a utility does sell any of the removed material, most of the money would go to the Forest Service, except for the utility’s transportation costs. The bill does not force utilities to sell any of the material they remove.
- Applies to special use permits or easements for electrical utilities on National Forest System land.
- Lets the Forest Service approve tree or vegetation removal near transmission and distribution lines without a separate timber sale.
- Requires the removal work to match the approved land management plan and other environmental rules.
- If removed material is sold, the utility must give the sale proceeds to the Forest Service after subtracting transportation costs.
Official Summaries
Fire-Safe Electrical Corridors Act of 2025
This bill allows the Forest Service to expedite the removal of trees or other vegetation near electrical lines on its lands under certain circumstances. Specifically, the Forest Service may include in special use permits or easements provided to electrical utilities permission to cut, remove, and sell trees or other vegetation near electrical lines on such lands without a separate timber sale if the cutting or removal is consistent with (1) the applicable land and resource management plan, and (2) other applicable environmental laws.
A special use permit or easement that includes permission for cutting and removal of trees or vegetation must include a requirement that, if the applicable electrical utility sells any portion of the material removed under the permit or easement, the utility must provide to the Forest Service any proceeds received from the sale, less any transportation costs incurred in the sale.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 349 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 349
To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to permit removal of trees
around electrical lines on National Forest System land without
conducting a timber sale, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 30, 2025
Mr. Padilla (for himself and Mr. Daines) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture,
Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to permit removal of trees
around electrical lines on National Forest System land without
conducting a timber sale, 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 ``Fire-Safe Electrical Corridors Act
of 2025''.
SEC. 2. PERMITS AND AGREEMENTS WITH ELECTRICAL UTILITIES.
(a) In General.--In any special use permit or easement on National
Forest System land provided to an electrical utility, the Secretary of
Agriculture may provide permission to cut and remove trees or other
vegetation from within the vicinity of distribution lines or
transmission lines without requiring a separate timber sale, if that
cutting and removal is consistent with--
(1) the applicable land and resource management plan; and
(2) other applicable environmental laws (including
regulations).
(b) Use of Proceeds.--A special use permit or easement that
includes permission for cutting and removal described in subsection (a)
shall include a requirement that, if the applicable electrical utility
sells any portion of the material removed under the permit or easement,
the electrical utility shall provide to the Secretary of Agriculture,
acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, any proceeds received
from the sale, less any transportation costs incurred in the sale.
(c) Effect.--Nothing in subsection (b) shall require the sale of
any material removed under a permit or easement that includes
permission for cutting and removal described in subsection (a).
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