Bureau of Land Management Speeds Up Forest Projects to Tame Wildfires
Published Date: 4/6/2026
Notice
Summary
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is updating its rules to make forest and woodland management easier and faster by adding a new shortcut for certain projects. This change affects anyone involved in managing public lands, especially forests, and aims to help keep these lands healthier and safer from wildfires. You can share your thoughts by May 6, 2026, so don’t miss the deadline!
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Faster BLM Forest Projects up to 5,000 Acres
If you manage or contract on BLM forest and woodland projects, the BLM proposes a new categorical exclusion that would allow tree-density treatments up to 5,000 acres to proceed without preparing an environmental assessment or EIS, speeding approvals. Covered actions include cutting, chipping, pile or underburning, seeding/planting, group selection (individual openings no larger than 2 acres and no more than 10 percent of the treatment area), new permanent roads not to exceed 5 miles, and temporary roads capped at 2.5 miles per 1,000 acres; the proposal says this will aid wildfire preparedness and reduce per-acre agency costs.
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