To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to take immediate action to recover ecologically and economically from a catastrophic wildfire in the States of Arizona and New Mexico, and for other purposes.
Wallow Fire Recovery and Monitoring Act - Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct and report on a hazard tree and commercial timber evaluation that identifies timber resources appropriate for removal within the Wallow Fire Area in Arizona and New Mexico not later than the date that is the earlier of: (1) 30 days after the completion of the burned area emergency response for the Wallow Fire Area; or (2) 45 days after the date of containment of the Wallow Fire.
Requires the Secretary to: (1) exclude from areas identified for tree removal high fire-severity burned areas on steep slopes, slopes with an incline greater than 40%, riparian areas, and fragile erosive sites, unless tree removal in those areas is necessary to address public health and safety concerns; and (2) limit the removal of trees under a timber removal project under this Act to hazard trees and trees that are already down, dead, or severely root-sprung, such that mortality is highly probable.
Provides that: (1) nothing in this Act authorizes new permanent road construction for timber removal, and (2) it is the intent of Congress that all timber removal projects carried out under this Act be completed within 18 months of this Act's enactment.
Requires the Secretary, in the case of a timber removal project to be conducted in a Community Protection Management Area, to prepare an environmental assessment for the proposed agency action under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA).
Subjects timber removal projects carried out under this Act to the special administrative process and judicial review process under the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003.
Requires amounts collected from a timber removal project carried out under this Act to be available for expenditure by the Secretary for forest restoration treatments in the Wallow Fire Area.
Star Print ordered on reported bill.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, 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.
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, 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.
Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry.
checking server…
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line