Bill > HR184

This bill requires federal land management agencies (specifically the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior) to simplify environmental assessments for certain forest management activities by only analyzing two alternatives: the proposed forest management action and a "no action" alternative. The bill applies to forest management projects on lands suitable for timber production that are developed through collaborative processes, proposed by resource advisory committees, covered by community wildfire protection plans, or designated under the Healthy Forests Restoration Act. When evaluating the "no action" alternative, agencies must consider potential impacts on forest health, wildfire risks, habitat diversity, insect and disease potential, timber production, and broader economic and social factors like potential property and life losses, water supply, and wildlife habitat. The bill aims to streamline environmental review processes for forest management activities by reducing the number of alternatives that must be studied, potentially expediting project approval and implementation while still requiring a comprehensive assessment of potential consequences of taking no action.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/184/all-info