Summary
Fix Our Forests Act
This bill establishes requirements for managing forests on federal land, including requirements concerning reducing wildfire threats, expediting the review of certain forest management projects, and implementing forest management projects and other activities.
Specifically, the bill (1) designates certain firesheds at high risk for wildfires as fireshed management areas; (2) directs the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Geological Survey to jointly establish an interagency Fireshed Center that is responsible for duties related to assessing and predicting fire, including maintaining a fireshed registry on a publicly accessible website that provides interactive geospatial data on individual firesheds; and (3) makes other requirements related to reducing wildfire.
Next, the bill expedites the review of certain forest management projects under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and exempts certain activities from NEPA review. It also establishes intra-agency strike teams to accelerate the review and any interagency consultation processes under NEPA, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and the National Historic Preservation Act. It also limits consultation requirements concerning threatened and endangered species under the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 and the Federal Land Management and Policy Act of 1976. Finally, it limits litigation involving fireshed management projects and limits remedies that courts may provide.
Additionally, the bill supports reducing community wildfire risks, carrying out forest restoration and stewardship activities, conducting biochar demonstration projects, and advancing technologies to address forest wildfires.
Lifecycle of the Bill
Sep 24, 2024
HousePassed
On Passage
On Passage
268 Yes
151 No
VotePassageHouse
The House of Representatives passed H.R. 8790, known as the Fix Our Forests Act, which aims to accelerate forest restoration projects and reduce wildfire risks on federal lands. The legislation focuses on simplifying environmental reviews and increasing the scale of thinning and controlled burning operations to protect communities from catastrophic fires. The vote passed with a significant majority, supported by all 213 voting Republicans and 55 Democrats. While the bill received some crossover support, the majority of the Democratic caucus voted against the measure, expressing concerns over potential rollbacks of environmental protections and limits on judicial review for forestry projects. This passage marks a major step for proponents of active forest management who argue that current regulations hinder timely wildfire prevention. Opponents argue the bill prioritizes timber production over ecological health. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration, where it will face further debate regarding its environmental impacts and regulatory changes.
Sep 24, 2024
HousePassed
On Passage
On Passage
268 Yes
151 No
VotePassageHouse
The House of Representatives passed H.R. 8790, known as the Fix Our Forests Act, which aims to accelerate forest restoration projects and reduce wildfire risks on federal lands. The legislation focuses on simplifying environmental reviews and increasing the scale of thinning and controlled burning operations to protect communities from catastrophic fires. The vote passed with a significant majority, supported by all 213 voting Republicans and 55 Democrats. While the bill received some crossover support, the majority of the Democratic caucus voted against the measure, expressing concerns over potential rollbacks of environmental protections and limits on judicial review for forestry projects. This passage marks a major step for proponents of active forest management who argue that current regulations hinder timely wildfire prevention. Opponents argue the bill prioritizes timber production over ecological health. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration, where it will face further debate regarding its environmental impacts and regulatory changes.
Congress
118th Congress
Introduced
Jun 18, 2024
