A bill to address the forest health crisis on National Forest System land, and for other purposes.
Forest Management Improvement Act of 2017
This bill makes categorical exclusions, from requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) to conduct environmental assessment and environmental impact statements, available to the Forest Service to conduct forest management activities on up to 10,000 acres of National Forest System land for each exclusion to:
For a forest management activity, the Forest Service:
The bill makes permanent the authority to designate, at state request, treatment areas in national forests that are experiencing an insect or disease epidemic.
The bill revises authorities for watershed restoration and protection services.
The Department of Agriculture shall establish a pilot arbitration program under which specified forest management projects challenged in a civil action may be designated for an alternative dispute resolution procedure instead of judicial review.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Committee on Environment and Public Works. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-112.
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