Accelerating Forest Management Act
Sponsored By: Representative Downing, Troy [R-MT-2]
In Committee
Summary
A NEPA categorical exclusion for salvage harvesting on Bureau of Land Management lands would let certain post-disturbance logging move forward without a separate environmental assessment or impact statement. The bill also would extend the Forest Ecosystem Health and Recovery Fund's statutory date to 2033.
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- BLM managers would be able to use the exclusion for salvage actions that remove dead or dying trees within treatment areas, subject to acreage caps of up to 1,000 acres when the disturbance affects 3,000 acres or less, or up to the lesser of 5,000 acres or one-third of the disturbance when it is larger.
- Logging contractors and local crews would see clearer limits for operations because the bill authorizes ancillary work, including up to 1 mile of new permanent road and temporary roads at a rate not to exceed 2.25 miles per 1,000 acres, with required decommissioning after use.
- Natural resource protections must be disclosed when using the exclusion, covering snag and downed wood retention, erosion controls, soil compaction standards, logging season and location limits, invasive species measures, riparian buffer or operating restrictions, prescribed fire constraints, and temporary road decommissioning standards.
- The bill would extend the Forest Ecosystem Health and Recovery Fund by replacing "2020" with "2033" in the founding statute.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Extend forest recovery fund authorization
If enacted, the bill would change the year references under the Forest Ecosystem Health and Recovery Fund from "2020" to "2033." This would preserve the fund's statutory authorization date as listed in that law. The provision does not add new money or specify any new dollar amounts. Grant recipients and agencies would keep the program's authorization date later under the updated text.
Skip environmental review for salvage logging
If enacted, the bill would let the Bureau of Land Management use a categorical exclusion from environmental review for certain salvage-harvest projects. The exclusion would cover dead or dying trees and related activities up to 1,000 acres when the disturbance affects 3,000 acres or less, or up to the lesser of 5,000 acres or one-third of a larger disturbance. It would allow up to 1 mile of new permanent road and temporary roads up to 2.25 miles per 1,000 acres, with required design, decommissioning, and water-protection standards. Projects would need written documentation disclosing design features that address snag and downed wood, erosion control, soil compaction, logging constraints, seasonal limits, invasive species prevention, riparian buffers, prescribed-fire rules, and temporary-road decommissioning.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Downing, Troy [R-MT-2]
MT • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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