§6554 Applied Silvicultural Assessments

Summary

Lets the Secretary carry out studies and small management tests on federal forests that are infested with, or at risk from, harmful insects to gather information and do research. These activities must not take place in National Wilderness areas, places where laws or presidential orders ban cutting or removing plants, congressionally designated wilderness study areas, or anywhere that would conflict with the land’s management plan. The use of insecticides is not allowed in municipal watersheds or their nearby riparian areas. Before any study or treatment starts, scientific experts chosen by the Secretary must review the plan, and at least some reviewers must be non‑Federal scientists; existing review systems can be used if they meet that requirement. The public must be notified and given a chance to comment before work begins. For paperwork under NEPA, a single assessment or treatment of up to 1,000 acres can be exempted from full environmental studies, but such exempt areas cannot be next to another exempt area being treated the same way, must follow the “extraordinary circumstances” rules in 40 C.F.R. 1508.4, and the total exempted acreage cannot exceed 250,000 acres. For these exempted projects, the Secretary does not have to make findings about significant environmental effects.