[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4584 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4584
To establish a categorical exclusion for certain forest management
activities relating to early successional forests and a categorical
exclusion for certain activities relating to outdoor recreation, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 20, 2021
Mr. Stauber (for himself, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Bentz, Mr. Westerman, Mr.
Newhouse, Mr. Obernolte, Mr. Rosendale, Mrs. Boebert, and Mr. Tiffany)
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 for certain forest management
activities relating to early successional forests and a categorical
exclusion for certain activities relating to outdoor recreation, 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 ``Healthy Forests for Hunters Act of
2021''.
SEC. 2. CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION FOR EARLY SUCCESSIONAL FORESTS.
(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.--The forest management activities designated under this
section for a categorical exclusion are forest management activities
carried out by the Secretary concerned on National Forest System lands
or public lands where the primary purpose of such activity is,
consistent with the applicable forest plan, to modify, improve,
enhance, or create early successional forests for wildlife habitat
improvement and other purposes.
(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) Project Goals.--To the maximum extent practicable, the
Secretary concerned shall design forest management activities described
in subsection (b)--
(1) to meet early successional forest goals; and
(2) to maximize production and regeneration of priority
species, as identified in the forest plan and consistent with
the capability of the treatment units.
(e) Acreage Limitations.--A forest management activity covered by
the categorical exclusion established under subsection (a) may not
contain treatment units exceeding a total of 10,000 acres.
SEC. 3. CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION.
(a) Categorical Exclusion Established.--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) Activities Designated for Categorical Exclusion.--The
activities designated under this section for a categorical exclusion
are activities carried out by the Secretary concerned on National
Forest System lands or public lands where the primary purpose of such
activity is to--
(1) issue, amend, replace, or extend the administrative
terms of an existing or expired special use authorization, if
the holder or applicant of such special use authorization is in
full compliance with the terms and conditions of such special
use authorization;
(2) modify, remove, repair, maintain, reconstruct, or
replace a facility for an existing special use authorization;
(3) issue a new special use authorization or amendment to
an existing special use authorization for activities that will
occur on existing roads, trails, facilities, or areas approved
for use in an applicable forest plan or other documented
decision;
(4) approve, modify, or continue special uses of National
Forest System lands or public lands for less than 5 years;
(5) approve, modify, or continue special use authorizations
on National Forest System land that require less than 20 acres
of contiguous land;
(6) operate, maintain, modify, construct, reconstruct,
improve, decommission, relocate, or dispose of buildings,
infrastructure, or other improvements at developed recreation
sites;
(7) remove hazard trees for the purpose of protecting
public health or safety or improving access to a recreation
site; or
(8) any combination of the purposes specified in paragraphs
(1) through (7).
(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.
SEC. 4. 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.
SEC. 5. 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) 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)).
(4) 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.
(5) 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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