The House Natural Resources Committee on June 26 approved H.R. 8790, the Fix Our Forests Act, as amended, by voice vote.
An amendment in the nature of a substitute was adopted.
Among other provisions, the bill:
- Designates fireshed management areas;
- Establishes the Fireshed Center within the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Geological Survey; requires the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enter into shared stewardship agreements within 90 days of a state or Indian Tribe issuing a request;
- Codifies emergency National Environmental Policy Act, National Historic Preservation Act, and Endangered Species Act regulations in fireshed management areas;
- Establishes a joint DOI-USDA Community Wildfire Defense Research Program to test and advance wildfire-resistant infrastructure;
- Creates a new categorical exclusion for electric utility lines rights-of-way; and
- Automatically approves electric utilities’ vegetation management plans after approximately four months without amendment.
APPA Offers Three-Part Series on Wildfire Mitigation Planning for Utilities
The American Public Power Association in July is hosting a three-part virtual course (July 16, 23, and 30 from Noon – 3 p.m. ET each day) that will offer participants the opportunity to learn about wildfire mitigation planning.
Industry experts will walk through what’s behind recent changes in legislative and regulatory trends and what various stakeholders need to know about your efforts – from other emergency responders to policymakers and customers.
