119-hr179

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 179 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

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119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 179

 To direct the Secretary concerned to coordinate with impacted parties 
 when conducting a forest management activity, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 January 3, 2025

Mr. McClintock (for himself, Mr. Calvert, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Valadao, Mr. 
 Stauber, and Mr. Issa) introduced the following bill; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the 
 Committee on Natural Resources, 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 direct the Secretary concerned to coordinate with impacted parties 
 when conducting a forest management activity, 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 ``Proven Forest Management Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. FOREST MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES FOR NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LAND.

    (a) Coordination.--In conducting a forest management activity on 
National Forest System land, the Secretary concerned shall, as 
appropriate, coordinate with impacted parties to increase efficiency 
and maximize the compatibility of management practices across National 
Forest System land.

    (b) Forest Management Activities.--

    (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph

    (2) , in 
 conducting a forest management activity on National Forest 
 System land, the Secretary concerned shall conduct such 
 activity in a manner that attains multiple ecosystem benefits, 
 including--
        (A) reducing forest fuels;
        (B) maintaining biological diversity;
            (C) improving wetland and water quality, including 
 in Stream Environment Zones; and
            (D) increasing resilience to changing water 
 temperature and precipitation.

    (2) Exception for cost.--Paragraph

    (1) shall not apply if 
 the Secretary concerned determines that the costs associated 
 with attaining multiple ecosystem benefits are excessive.
            (c) Ground Disturbance.--Consistent with applicable Federal law and 
the forest plan developed for the relevant National Forest System land, 
the Secretary concerned shall--

    (1) establish any post-program ground condition criteria 
 for a ground disturbance caused by a forest management activity 
 required by such plan; and

    (2) provide for monitoring to ascertain the attainment of 
 relevant post-program conditions.
            (d) Availability of Categorical Exclusion for Certain Forest 
Management Activities.--A forest management activity conducted on 
National Forest System land for the purpose of reducing forest fuels is 
categorically excluded from the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) if the forest 
management activity--

    (1) notwithstanding 

section 423 of the Department of the 
 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 
 2009 (division E of Public Law 111-8; 123 Stat. 748), does not 
 exceed 10,000 acres, including not more than 3,000 acres of 
 mechanical thinning;

    (2) is developed--
        (A) in coordination with impacted parties, 
 specifically including representatives of local 
 governments, such as county supervisors or county 
 commissioners; and
        (B) in consultation with other interested entities; 
 and

    (3) is consistent with the forest plan developed for the 
 relevant National Forest System land.

    (e) Cooperative Authorities.--The Secretary concerned, in 
conjunction with land adjustment programs, may enter into contracts and 
cooperative agreements with a qualified entity to provide for fuel 
reduction, erosion control, reforestation, Stream Environment Zone 
restoration, and similar management activities on Federal land and non-
Federal land within the programs.

    (f) 

=== Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) Interested entities.--The term ``interested entities'' 
 includes--
        (A) the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
 Atmospheric Administration;
        (B) State, local, and Tribal governments;
            (C) local fire departments; and
            (D) other relevant volunteer groups.

    (2) Forest management activity.--The term ``forest 
 management activity'' means a project or activity carried out 
 by the Secretary concerned on National Forest System land and 
 consistent with the forest plan covering such land.

    (3) National forest system.--The term ``National Forest 
 System'' has the meaning given that term in 

section 11

    (a) of 
 the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 
 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1609

    (a) ).

    (4) Public lands.--The term ``public lands'' has the 
 meaning given that term in 

section 103 of the Federal Land 
 Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702), except that 
 the term includes Coos Bay Wagon Road Grant lands and Oregon 
 and California Railroad Grant lands.

    (5) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned'' 
 means--
        (A) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to 
 National Forest System land; and
        (B) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to 
 public lands.

    (6) Stream environment zone.--The term ``Stream Environment 
 Zone'' means an area that generally owes the biological and 
 physical characteristics of the area to the presence of surface 
 water or groundwater.
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