March 31, 2025
Mr. Carbajal (for himself, Mr. Valadao, Mr. Costa, and Mr. Fitzpatrick) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to permit removal of trees around electrical lines on National Forest System lands and Bureau of Land Management lands, respectively, without conducting a timber sale, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Permits and agreements with electrical utilities
(a) In general
In any special use permit or easement on covered Federal lands provided to an electrical utility, the Secretary concerned may provide permission to cut and remove trees or other vegetation from within the vicinity of distribution lines or transmission lines without requiring a separate timber sale, if that cutting and removal is consistent with—
(1)
any applicable land and resource management plan; and
(2)
other applicable environmental laws (including regulations).
(b) Use of proceeds
A special use permit or easement that includes permission for cutting and removal described in subsection (a) shall include a requirement that, if the applicable electrical utility sells any portion of the material removed under the permit or easement, the electrical utility shall provide to the Secretary concerned any proceeds received from the sale, less any transportation costs incurred in the sale.
(c) Effect
Nothing in subsection (b) shall require the sale of any material removed under a permit or easement that includes permission for cutting and removal described in subsection (a).
(d) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Covered Federal lands
The term covered Federal lands
means—
(A)
National Forest System lands; and
(B)
lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
(2) Secretary concerned
The term Secretary concerned
means—
(A)
with respect to National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service; and
(B)
with respect to lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management.