Bill > HR2492

This bill authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture (for National Forest System lands) and the Secretary of the Interior (for Bureau of Land Management lands) to grant electrical utilities special use permits or easements that allow for tree and vegetation removal near electrical distribution and transmission lines without requiring a separate timber sale. The removal must comply with existing land management plans and environmental regulations. If the utility sells any of the removed materials, they must provide the proceeds to the relevant federal agency, minus transportation costs, though they are not obligated to sell the removed materials. The bill aims to improve electrical infrastructure safety by allowing utilities to create fire-safe electrical corridors on federal lands, reducing potential wildfire risks from vegetation near power lines. Key terms include "covered Federal lands" (National Forest System and Bureau of Land Management lands) and "Secretary concerned" (the heads of the respective agencies responsible for those lands). The bill provides a streamlined process for utilities to maintain electrical corridors while ensuring environmental protections are maintained.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2492/all-info