S. 395

119 S395 IS: Emergency Fuel Reduction Act of 2025
 U.S. Senate
 2025-02-04
 text/xml
 EN
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 II  119th CONGRESS  1st Session  S. 395  IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES   February 4, 2025   Ms. Lummis  (for herself,  Mr. Barrasso , and  Mr. Sheehy ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the  Committee on Environment and Public Works    A BILL
To amend the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 to expedite wildfire prevention projects to reduce the risk of wildfire on certain high-risk Federal land, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Emergency Fuel Reduction Act of 2025  .
2.
Purposes
The purposes of this Act are—
(1)
to expedite wildfire prevention projects to reduce the risk of wildfire on certain high-risk Federal land adjacent to communities, private property, and critical infrastructure;
(2)
to improve forest and wildland health; and
(3)
to promote the recovery of threatened or endangered species or other species under consideration to be listed under the  Endangered Species Act of 1973  ( 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq. ), including the sage-grouse species, the habitat of which is negatively impacted by wildland fire.
3.
Expedited review of projects on Federal land
Section 104 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 ( 16 U.S.C. 6514 ) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subsections (e) through (h) as subsections (f) through (i), respectively;
(2)
in subsection (c)(1)(C)(i), by striking  subsection (f)  and inserting  subsection (g) ; and
(3)
by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
(e)
Categorical exclusion of certain projects
(1)
In general
An authorized hazardous fuel reduction project shall be categorically excluded from the requirements of the  National Environmental Policy Act of 1969  ( 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. ) if the authorized hazardous fuel reduction project—
(A)
involves the removal of—
(i)
insect-infected trees;
(ii)
dead or dying trees;
(iii)
trees presenting a threat to public safety; or
(iv)
other hazardous fuels threatening—
(I)
utility or communications infrastructure;
(II)
municipal water supply systems;
(III)
campgrounds;
(IV)
roadsides;
(V)
schools; or
(VI)
other infrastructure;
(B)
is conducted on Federal land on which the Secretary determines that conditions, such as the risk of wildfire, an insect or disease epidemic, or the presence of invasive species, pose a risk to adjacent non-Federal land; or
(C)
treats 10,000 acres or less of Federal land that—
(i)
is at particular risk for wildfire;
(ii)
contains threatened and endangered species habitat; or
(iii)
provides conservation benefits to—
(I)
a species that is not listed as an endangered species or a threatened species under section 4 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 ( 16 U.S.C. 1533 ), but is under consideration to be so listed;
(II)
a State-listed species; or
(III)
a special concern species.
(2)
Applicability
This subsection shall not apply to Federal land—
(A)
that is a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System;
(B)
on which the removal of vegetation is specifically prohibited by Federal law; or
(C)
that is within a National Monument as of the date of enactment of the  Emergency Fuel Reduction Act of 2025 .
 .