Bill > S395

This bill amends the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 to expedite wildfire prevention projects on federal lands by creating a new categorical exclusion from the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process. Specifically, the bill allows for streamlined approval of hazardous fuel reduction projects that involve removing insect-infected, dead, or dying trees, or trees that pose a threat to public safety and infrastructure like utility lines, water systems, campgrounds, roadsides, and schools. The bill enables projects on federal lands that are at high risk of wildfire, contain endangered species habitat, or provide conservation benefits to species of concern. Projects would be exempt from NEPA requirements if they treat up to 10,000 acres of land and are not located in wilderness areas, lands with vegetation removal prohibitions, or National Monuments. The bill's broader purposes include reducing wildfire risks near communities and critical infrastructure, improving forest health, and promoting recovery of threatened or endangered species like the sage-grouse, whose habitat is negatively impacted by wildfires.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/395/all-info