TORCH Act

The TORCH Act would modify how the federal government manages forests on public lands by expediting approval processes for certain forest management activities. Specifically, it would create exemptions from detailed environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act for forest management projects aimed at reducing wildfire risks, particularly those targeting hazardous trees. This could allow the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to implement vegetation management and forest restoration work more quickly without conducting full environmental assessments in certain circumstances.

The bill would also reduce consultation requirements under the Endangered Species Act by exempting federal agencies from having to restart consultations with the Fish and Wildlife Service when new species are listed or when new information becomes available about potential impacts to listed species. Additionally, it would modify how revenue is handled under good neighbor agreements, which are partnerships between federal agencies and state or local governments to carry out forest restoration work. If enacted, these changes would likely accelerate forest management projects intended to reduce wildfire hazards, though they would also limit the scope of environmental and wildlife reviews that currently accompany such projects.