[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4573 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4573
To establish a categorical exclusion to improve or restore National
Forest System land or public land or reduce the risk of wildfire, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 20, 2021
Mr. Newhouse (for himself, Mr. Westerman, Mr. Bentz, Mr. Obernolte, Mr.
Rosendale, Ms. Cheney, Mr. Valadao, Mr. Tiffany, Mr. Cole, Mrs.
Boebert, Mr. Calvert, and Mr. Stauber) 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
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a categorical exclusion to improve or restore National
Forest System land or public land or reduce the risk of wildfire, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Stop Causing Alarming Tree, Air, and
Soil Trauma Resulting from Obstructive Progressives' and Hypocritical
Environmentalists' Schemes Act'' or the ``Stop CATASTROPHES Act''.
SEC. 2. CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION TO IMPROVE OR RESTORE NATIONAL FOREST
SYSTEM LANDS OR PUBLIC LAND OR REDUCE THE RISK OF
WILDFIRE.
(a) Categorical Exclusion Established.--Forest management
activities described in subsection (b) are a category of actions hereby
designated as being categorically excluded from the preparation of an
environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement under
section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C.
4332).
(b) Forest Management Activities Designated for Categorical
Exclusion.--
(1) Designation.--The forest management activities
designated under this section for a categorical exclusion are
forest management activities described in paragraph (2) that
are carried out by the Secretary concerned on National Forest
System Lands or public lands where the primary purpose of such
activity is to improve or restore such lands or reduce the risk
of wildfire on such lands.
(2) Activities authorized.--The following activities may be
carried out pursuant to the categorical exclusion established
under subsection (a):
(A) Removal of noxious weeds through late-season
livestock grazing, targeted livestock grazing,
prescribed burns, or mechanical treatments.
(B) Performance of hazardous fuels management.
(C) Creation of fuel and fire breaks.
(D) Modification of existing fences in order to
distribute livestock and help improve wildlife habitat.
(E) Installation of erosion control devices.
(F) Construction of new permanent infrastructure
and maintenance of existing permanent infrastructure,
including stock ponds, water catchments, and water
spring boxes used to benefit livestock and improve
wildlife habitat.
(G) Performance of soil treatments, native and non-
native seeding, and planting and transplanting of
sagebrush, grass, forb, shrub, and other species of
grass.
(H) Use of herbicides, so long as the Secretary
concerned determines that the activity is otherwise
conducted consistently with any forest plan applicable
to the area covered by the activity.
(c) Availability of Categorical Exclusion.--On and after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned may use the
categorical exclusion established under subsection (a) in accordance
with this section.
(d) Acreage Limitations.--A forest management activity covered by
the categorical exclusion established under subsection (a) may not
exceed 10,000 acres.
(e) Exclusions.--The authorities provided by this Act do not apply
with respect to any National Forest System lands or public lands--
(1) that are included in the National Wilderness
Preservation System;
(2) that are located within a national or State-specific
inventoried roadless area established by the Secretary of
Agriculture through regulation, unless--
(A) the forest management activity to be carried
out under such authority is consistent with the forest
plan applicable to the area; or
(B) the Secretary concerned determines the activity
is allowed under the applicable roadless rule governing
such lands; or
(3) on which timber harvesting for any purpose is
prohibited by Federal statute.
(f) Definitions.--In this Act--
(1) Forest management activity.--The term ``forest
management activity'' means a project or activity carried out
by the Secretary concerned on National Forest System lands or
public lands consistent with the forest plan covering such
lands.
(2) Forest plan.--The term ``forest plan'' means--
(A) a land use plan prepared by the Bureau of Land
Management for public lands pursuant to section 202 of
the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43
U.S.C. 1712); or
(B) a land and resource management plan prepared by
the Forest Service for a unit of the National Forest
System pursuant to section 6 of the Forest and
Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16
U.S.C. 1604).
(3) Hazardous fuels management.--The term ``hazardous fuels
management'' means any vegetation management activities that
reduce the risk of wildfire.
(4) Late-season grazing.--The term ``late-season grazing''
means grazing activities that occur--
(A) after both the invasive species and native
perennial species have completed their current-year
annual growth cycle; and
(B) before new plant growth begins to appear in the
following year.
(5) National forest system.--The term ``National Forest
System'' has the meaning given that term in section 11(a) of
the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of
1974 (16 U.S.C. 1609(a)).
(6) Noxious weeds.--The term ``noxious weeds'' includes
juniper trees, medusahead rye, conifer trees, pinon pine trees,
cheatgrass, and other noxious or invasive weeds specified on a
Federal or State noxious weed list.
(7) Public lands.--The term ``public lands'' has the
meaning given that term in section 103 of the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702), except that
the term includes Coos Bay Wagon Road Grant lands and Oregon
and California Railroad Grant lands.
(8) Targeted livestock grazing.--The term ``targeted
livestock grazing'' means grazing used for purposes of
hazardous fuel management.
(9) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned''
means--
(A) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to
National Forest System lands; and
(B) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to
public lands.
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