Federal RuleAug 21
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DOL Rewrites Disability Rules for 'Merit-Based Opportunity' Push
RuleLabor DepartmentFederal Contract Compliance Programs OfficeSignificant Wallet
119-hr-2420119th Congress
Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4]
Introduced
Summary
Creates large new wilderness areas and a 2.9 million‑acre network of biological corridors across the Northern Rockies to protect biodiversity, water quality, and wildlife movement. It also designates many river segments as Wild and Scenic and sets restoration and scientific monitoring requirements.
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- Families and recreationists keep long‑term access to primitive recreation and cleaner waters through new wilderness and Wild and Scenic River protections.
- Indian Tribes retain treaty and trust rights, gain nonexclusive access for traditional and religious uses, and can keep sacred site locations confidential while advising management.
- Resource communities and landowners face new limits on road building, even‑aged logging, mining, and oil and gas leasing in Corridors and roadless lands. The Act covers about 2.9 million acres of Corridors and designates roughly 1.0 million acres as Wildland Recovery Areas.
- Federal land managers and scientists must file maps and legal descriptions, develop recovery plans within 3 years, and create a satellite‑based regional GIS with oversight from a National Academy of Sciences appointed panel.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
8 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 6 mixed.
New wilderness areas and water rights
If enacted, the bill would add many large areas in the Northern Rockies to the National Wilderness System. Agencies would manage them under the Wilderness Act and respect valid existing rights. The bill would also reserve enough water for these wilderness areas, with a priority date set on enactment. Federal officials would protect and quantify those rights in state water court cases.
Wildlife corridors and road limits
If enacted, about 2.9 million acres would be set aside as wildlife corridors. New road building, large timber harvest, and most mining or oil and gas work would be barred there, unless valid existing rights allow it. Agencies would cut road density so it stays at or below 0.25 miles per square mile, aiming toward zero. The bill lists major highways that would be exempt and stay open. Agencies could add missed roads if needed to meet the bill’s goals.
More rivers named Wild and Scenic
If enacted, several river stretches in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming would join the Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Examples include about 54 miles of the South Fork Payette and about 102 miles of the Yellowstone River. The Forest Service or Interior would manage each segment under the law, which limits harmful development.
Donating grazing permits ends grazing
If enacted, ranchers could donate all or part of a valid grazing permit on lands inside new wilderness, corridors, or recovery areas. The agency would have to accept the donation and end grazing on the donated land for good. If other permits still cover the same acres, the agency would lower the allowed use to match the donation.
Monitoring and new roadless protections
If enacted, agencies would form a public‑private team to track the region using a satellite map system. Within three years, an independent science panel would report on progress and funding needs. After that review, new road building and most timber harvest in defined roadless areas would be banned, with a firewood exception and respect for valid existing rights.
Plans to restore wildland areas
If enacted, about 1,023,000 acres would be named as wildland recovery areas. The Forest Service would have three years to write a recovery plan for each area. Plans would target native plants, erosion control, fish passage, and better water quality. Some existing private and government roads needed for approved uses and essential facilities could stay in use.
Key terms define corridors and development
If enacted, the bill would define core terms. It would say what “public land,” “Secretary concerned,” “corridor,” and “development” mean for this Act. These meanings would guide how the rules apply.
Stronger Tribal access and privacy rules
If enacted, agencies would allow Indians nonexclusive access to protected areas for cultural and religious uses. At a Tribe’s request, agencies could close parts of an area to the public for a time to protect privacy, as allowed by law. Tribes could run some work through self‑determination contracts if Interior agrees. Agencies would not release Tribe‑identified sacred site information under FOIA. The bill would not change Federal trust duties, Tribal treaty rights, or private existing rights.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4]
PA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]
NY • D
Sponsored 3/27/2025
Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]
TN • D
Sponsored 3/27/2025
Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]
IL • D
Sponsored 3/27/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 3/27/2025
Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7]
IN • D
Sponsored 3/27/2025
Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]
WI • D
Sponsored 3/27/2025
Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1]
CO • D
Sponsored 3/27/2025
Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8]
MD • D
Sponsored 4/30/2025
Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10]
FL • D
Sponsored 5/1/2025
Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2025
Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2025
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/24/2025
Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
NY • D
Sponsored 5/21/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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