{"format":1,"id":"118-hr-8790","congress":118,"number":"H.R. 8790","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"Fix Our Forests Act","title_source":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","official_title":"To expedite under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and improve forest management activities on National Forest System lands, on public lands under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management, and on Tribal lands to return resilience to overgrown, fire-prone forested lands, and for other purposes.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"To expedite under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and improve forest management activities on National Forest System lands, on public lands under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management, and on Tribal lands to return resilience to overgrown, fire-prone forested lands, and for other purposes."},{"type":"Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text","title":"Fix Our Forests Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"Fix Our Forests Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to House","title":"Fix Our Forests Act"},{"type":"Display Title","title":"Fix Our Forests Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Fix Our Forests Act"}],"outcome":"passed_house","law_number":null,"introduced":"2024-06-18","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2024-09-24","vote":{"id":"118-2024-h448","question":"On Passage","title":"Fix Our Forests Act","result":"Passed","yea":268,"nay":151,"present":0,"not_voting":13,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2024/roll448.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"na","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"na","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.","date":"2024-11-12"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[],"crs_summary":{"date":"2024-06-18","stage":"Introduced in House","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Fix Our Forests Act"},{"k":"p","t":"This bill establishes requirements for managing forests on federal land, including requirements concerning reducing wildfire threats, expediting the review of certain forest management projects, and implementing forest management projects and other activities."},{"k":"p","t":"Specifically, the bill (1) designates certain firesheds at high risk for wildfires as fireshed management areas; (2) directs the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Geological Survey to jointly establish an interagency Fireshed Center that is responsible for duties related to assessing and predicting fire, including maintaining a fireshed registry on a publicly accessible website that provides interactive geospatial data on individual firesheds; and (3) makes other requirements related to reducing wildfire."},{"k":"p","t":"Next, the bill expedites the review of certain forest management projects under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and exempts certain activities from NEPA review. It also establishes intra-agency strike teams to accelerate the review and any interagency consultation processes under NEPA, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and the National Historic Preservation Act. It also limits consultation requirements concerning threatened and endangered species under the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 and the Federal Land Management and Policy Act of 1976. Finally, it limits litigation involving fireshed management projects and limits remedies that courts may provide."},{"k":"p","t":"Additionally, the bill supports reducing community wildfire risks, carrying out forest restoration and stewardship activities, conducting biochar demonstration projects, and advancing technologies to address forest wildfires."}],"words":235},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Sets up federal forest management authorities to reduce wildfire risk, including designated fireshed management areas, expedited project review under the National Environmental Policy Act, limits on litigation and consultation, and related programs, studies and reports.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 101","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-H2C1265A3EEFD493C8013645A03788B29"},{"label":"Sec. 106","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-HF523D8F08D2345C18F9A9EA547810867"},{"label":"Sec. 121","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-H0AC5BA655E394E868B1D069091FAE660"}]},"core_areas":["Fireshed management areas, Fireshed Center and Fireshed Registry","Fireshed management projects and categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act","Injunction, remedy and filing limits for lawsuits over fireshed management projects","Good neighbor agreements, stewardship contracting and forest restoration programs","Community wildfire risk reduction in the wildland-urban interface","Biochar demonstration projects and wildfire technology and reporting","White oak restoration","Water source protection program projects"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Designates fireshed management areas for 5 years from enactment, drawn from firesheds identified as high risk in the Forest Service's January 2022 \"Wildfire Crisis Strategy\" or in the top 20 percent of 7,688 firesheds published in 2019, and exempts the designations from the National Environmental Policy Act.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 101","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-H2C1265A3EEFD493C8013645A03788B29"}},{"text":"Requires the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to jointly establish a Fireshed Center with career representatives from listed agencies and departments, and to have it maintain the Fireshed Registry.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 102","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-H740D3537E84E401684F6D37D142B2233"}},{"text":"Requires the Secretary concerned to carry out fireshed management projects, such as hazardous fuels management, fuel breaks and hazard tree removal, in fireshed management areas, and treats them as authorized under listed categorical exclusions.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 106","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-HF523D8F08D2345C18F9A9EA547810867"}},{"text":"Amends the Agricultural Act of 2014 so that Indian tribes and special districts, as well as Governors and counties, can enter good neighbor agreements, and changes how timber sale funds under those agreements are retained and used.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 111","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-HF52CB5DD150A4136A90FCAB79D1C33F5"}},{"text":"Bars a court from enjoining an action on a fireshed management project unless the plaintiff is likely to succeed on the merits, limits remedies in certain cases to a 180-day remand, and sets a 120-day deadline for some claims.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 121","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-H0AC5BA655E394E868B1D069091FAE660"}},{"text":"Provides that the Secretary need not reinitiate Endangered Species Act consultation on Forest Service land management plans or Bureau of Land Management land use plans when a new species is listed, critical habitat is designated, or new information arises.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 122","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-H3764230F361D442C96DC3B7AE946C3FF"}},{"text":"Requires the Secretaries to jointly establish a Community Wildfire Risk Reduction Program and a portal for a single, uniform application for several listed federal grants and assistance programs.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 201","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-H8BA8E759C8254CFC9EB4C9F634DB242B"}},{"text":"Subject to appropriations, requires the covered Secretaries to establish a program of partnerships for biochar demonstration projects, with at least one project in each Forest Service region and Bureau of Land Management region to the maximum extent practicable.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 301","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-H4D771E3738C0462FBBCFDEF4A3690140"}},{"text":"Establishes the White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition, a voluntary group of governments and organizations, to coordinate white oak restoration and make program and policy recommendations.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 501","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-H1958FB8F44E74E3CA76762771E460776"}},{"text":"Amends the Water Source Protection Program under the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 to cover adjacent non-Federal land, and bars projects on adjacent land unless the owner agrees in writing to be a willing and engaged partner.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 601","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-H56FF1E6CF7CF45EAAB45D90BB29B291C"}}],"unexpected":[{"category":"off_subject","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 117","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-H55EEBA98C96448C6AD325846AEAB34E4"},"heading":"Utilizing grazing for wildfire risk reduction","effect":"Directs the Forest Service to develop a strategy to increase livestock grazing as a wildfire risk reduction tool, including reviews to allow permitted grazing on vacant allotments during drought, wildfire, or other natural disasters.","amount":null,"quote":"to allow permitted grazing on vacant grazing allotments during instances of drought, wildfire, or other natural disasters"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 122","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-H3764230F361D442C96DC3B7AE946C3FF"},"heading":"Consultation on forest plans","effect":"Amends the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management planning laws so the Secretary is not required to reinitiate Endangered Species Act consultation on an approved land management or land use plan when a new species is listed or new information emerges.","amount":null,"quote":"the Secretary shall not be required to reinitiate consultation under section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 203","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-H9B5D1EB70FF8446C93E529318411CEF7"},"heading":"Vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance relating to electric transmission and distribution facility rights-of-way","effect":"Amends the Federal Land Policy and Management Act to change the hazard-tree distance from power lines from 10 to 150 feet, and to make electric utility vegetation management plans automatically approved 120 days after submission if unmodified.","amount":null,"quote":"a plan submitted without a modification under clause (iii) shall be automatically approved 120 days after being submitted"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 205","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-H7B394167CE094B31B6C42418470836FC"},"heading":"Seeds of success","effect":"Requires the Secretaries and the Secretary of Defense to develop a Seeds of Success strategy to enhance the domestic seed supply chain, including expanding the Bureau of Land Management Warehouse System and shortening seed-collection permit timelines.","amount":null,"quote":"Expanding the Warehouse System of the Bureau of Land Management, particularly the cold storage capacity of the Warehouse System."},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 304","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-HBCB99E7848A641148F593109F8EADE08"},"heading":"GAO study on Forest Service policies","effect":"Requires the Comptroller General to study Forest Service wildland firefighting operations, its budget and accounting transparency, and whether to establish a new Federal agency for responding to and suppressing wildland fires, and to report to Congress.","amount":null,"quote":"the suitability and feasibility of establishing a new Federal agency with the responsibility of responding and suppressing wildland fires on Federal lands"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 305","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-HD6EDD746BD334CE0BF2CEC04E396B9F7"},"heading":"Forest Service Western headquarters study","effect":"Requires the Chief of the Forest Service to study potential locations and benefits of a Western headquarters for the Forest Service and report to Congress within 5 years.","amount":null,"quote":"potential locations for a Western headquarters for the Forest Service, including potential locations in at least 3 different States located west of the Mississippi river"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 306","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-H7D952E8EDB184C34A6E0363AB0EF3CB1"},"heading":"Keeping forest plans current and monitored","effect":"Sets requirements for keeping Forest Service forest plans current and published, and provides that the Secretary is not in violation of the plan revision requirement solely because more than 15 years have passed without revision.","amount":null,"quote":"not be considered to be in violation of section 6(f)(5)(A) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1604(f)(5)(A)) solely because more than 15 years have passed"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 307","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-H1B18B85EA7604AC488A01EB08E080EA2"},"heading":"Container Aerial Firefighting System (CAFFS)","effect":"Requires the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior to evaluate the container aerial firefighting system for wildfire suppression and report to committees within 120 days.","amount":null,"quote":"shall jointly conduct an evaluation of the container aerial firefighting system to assess the use of such system to mitigate and suppress wildfires"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 308","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-H87BA50B88EFC4122BCF09A491E64E762"},"heading":"Study on pine beetle infestation","effect":"Requires the Forest Service to study the causes, effects, and solutions for pine beetle infestation in the North Eastern region of the United States and report to committees within 1 year.","amount":null,"quote":"the infestation of pine beetles in the North Eastern region of the United States"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 401","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-HCAE6DD8825004E19ACA9F4C96A6B6D04"},"heading":"Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program","effect":"Requires the Secretary of the Interior to develop a casualty assistance program for next-of-kin of firefighters and wildland fire support personnel who are ill, critically injured, or killed in the line of duty.","amount":null,"quote":"shall develop a Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 505","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-HF5E2A73AF47C4418AA0D0065D0EC1979"},"heading":"Tree nursery shortages","effect":"Requires a national strategy to increase Federal, State, Tribal, and private tree nursery capacity to address the nationwide shortage of tree seedlings, not limited to white oak.","amount":null,"quote":"develop and implement a national strategy to increase the capacity of Federal, State, Tribal, and private tree nurseries to address the nationwide shortage of tree seedlings"}]},{"category":"named_funding","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 501","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-H1958FB8F44E74E3CA76762771E460776"},"heading":"White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition","effect":"Establishes the White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition and allows the Secretary of Agriculture to make funds available to it, subject to appropriations, from the account under section 1241(f) of the Food Security Act of 1985.","amount":null,"quote":"the Secretary of Agriculture may make funds available to the White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition to carry out this section"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 504","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-HC1BE5983DA744209B3A051E59485514B"},"heading":"White oak regeneration and upland oak habitat","effect":"Requires a cooperative agreement with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to manage the white oak grant program, with the Foundation receiving each fiscal year's amounts as an advance payment of the entire amount, subject to appropriations.","amount":null,"quote":"The Secretary shall enter into a cooperative agreement with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation"}]},{"category":"selective_carve_out","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 204","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-HE0891714F5254DDD80A6B3CDE4A76BDA"},"heading":"Categorical exclusion for electric utility lines rights-of-way","effect":"Sets a NEPA categorical exclusion for electric utility right-of-way vegetation management plans and routine activities, but makes it inapplicable in National Wilderness Preservation System components and on National Forest System lands where an Act of Congress restricts or prohibits vegetation removal.","amount":null,"quote":"shall not apply to any forest management activity conducted— (1) in a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System; or (2) on National Forest System lands on which the removal of vegetation is restricted or prohibited"}]},{"category":"process_change","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 114","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh#toc-HB0E1E0900A8849C7A69C24C6F379FE25"},"heading":"Locally-led restoration","effect":"Raises the dollar threshold in section 14(d) of the National Forest Management Act of 1976 from $10,000 to $55,000, adds annual Consumer Price Index adjustments, and requires bids to be solicited for fireshed management projects under that section.","amount":null,"quote":"(1) striking “$10,000” and inserting “$55,000”; and"}]}],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2024-09-24","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-01","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8790/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/118-hr-8790.png","v":"f8d66f5689f9","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 8790, 118th Congress: Fix Our Forests Act. House: 268 Yea, 151 Nay. Outcome: Passed House, 24 Sep 2024."}}