{"format":1,"id":"119-hr-471","congress":119,"number":"H.R. 471","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":"Official Title from EH (Engrossed in House) bill text","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 Title(s) as Passed 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":"2025-01-16","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2025-01-23","vote":{"id":"119-2025-h25","question":"On Passage","title":"Fix Our Forests Act","result":"Passed","yea":279,"nay":141,"present":0,"not_voting":13,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2025/roll025.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"pending","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"not_yet","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 119-27.","date":"2025-03-06"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[],"crs_summary":{"date":"2025-01-16","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 (including watershed protection and restoration), conducting biochar demonstration projects, advancing technologies to address forest wildfires, and assisting wildland firefighters and their families."}],"words":246},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Sets up fireshed management areas, a Fireshed Center and a Fireshed Registry, and changes project authorities, environmental review, consultation and court review rules for forest management and wildfire risk reduction on federal, Tribal and other lands, along with related programs, studies and firefighter casualty assistance.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 101","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-HF2972E62A141424AA6D146A40DF79F5B"},{"label":"Sec. 102","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-H07E290B02FEF46FE819974BFAFD07430"},{"label":"Sec. 106","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-HA4BEA2175F104907B13206A9F76E5D44"},{"label":"Sec. 121","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-H139D2AEE9DF745749249A318B20B8B80"},{"label":"Title II","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-H50A60F69598345FD9874C01EF2989AA3"},{"label":"Title III","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-H2814526A09104834BDE000046F1237E0"},{"label":"Title IV","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-HD823524108A64B20A2FBC5BF34E06820"}]},"core_areas":["Fireshed management areas, the Fireshed Center and the Fireshed Registry","Forest management projects and categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act","Good neighbor agreements and stewardship contracting","Court review and injunction limits for fireshed management projects","Endangered Species Act consultation on forest and land use plans","Community wildfire risk reduction and electric utility rights-of-way","Biochar, wildfire technology and white oak restoration programs","Casualty assistance for wildland firefighters"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Designates fireshed management areas for 5 years after enactment, made up of 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 for wildfire exposure.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 101","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-HF2972E62A141424AA6D146A40DF79F5B"}},{"text":"Requires the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to jointly establish an interagency Fireshed Center with four divisions and representatives from listed agencies to assess and predict fire and smoke.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 102","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-H07E290B02FEF46FE819974BFAFD07430"}},{"text":"Requires the Secretary concerned to carry out fireshed management projects in fireshed management areas and treats those projects as authorized under listed categorical exclusions in the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 and other laws.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 106","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-HA4BEA2175F104907B13206A9F76E5D44"}},{"text":"Requires the Secretary concerned to establish intra-agency strike teams of not more than 10 individuals to assist with NEPA, National Historic Preservation Act and Endangered Species Act reviews and with carrying out fireshed management projects.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 113","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-HE76745DAC587420AA5C6F7436D3E53F5"}},{"text":"Bars a court from enjoining a covered agency action unless the plaintiff is likely to succeed on the merits, limits remedies to a 180-day remand in certain cases, and sets a 120-day deadline for filing claims.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 121","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-H139D2AEE9DF745749249A318B20B8B80"}},{"text":"Provides that the Secretary is not required to reinitiate Endangered Species Act consultation on Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management plans when a new species is listed, critical habitat is designated, or new information about effects emerges.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 122","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-H807E9DDEEA6F4E23A5B71DD4E0948B7B"}},{"text":"Amends section 8206 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 to add Indian Tribes and special districts alongside Governors in good neighbor agreements and to allow new permanent road construction on Federal lands in specified cases.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 111","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-H4E426EFC0F7A4CD49CD4DCD9AB1D4CD0"}},{"text":"Amends the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to change the hazard tree distance from an electric power line from \"10\" to \"150\" feet and to set 120-day approval timing for vegetation management plans.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 203","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-HA1A0781C556A4C018BC9ED0AD60DA10A"}},{"text":"Requires the covered Secretaries, subject to appropriations, to establish a program of partnerships with eligible entities for biochar demonstration projects within 2 years of enactment.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 301","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-H717BD1EFEACB41499583EB4C87B4EC4A"}},{"text":"Requires the Secretary of the Interior to develop, within 6 months, a Wildland Fire Management 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.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 401","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-HACCF716197E349539D3C782ED2B0B66F"}}],"unexpected":[{"category":"off_subject","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 118","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-HFBF7B710E37A45E1A3F87D1396D344CA"},"heading":"Water source protection program","effect":"Amends the Water Source Protection Program so watershed projects can protect water supply, water quality and water infrastructure, and adds new eligible entity types and project priorities.","amount":null,"quote":"protect and restore watershed health, water supply and quality, a municipal or agricultural water supply system, and water-related infrastructure"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 205","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-H84E1E0B928C943F4BB975FA52D2D025E"},"heading":"Seeds of success","effect":"Requires the Secretaries and the Secretary of Defense to develop a Seeds of Success strategy for the domestic native seed supply chain, including seed storage and Bureau of Land Management warehouse expansion.","amount":null,"quote":"to enhance the domestic supply chain of seeds"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 206","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-H005CBC3DEF244745AA49005F25FB7FA2"},"heading":"Program to support priority reforestation and restoration projects of Department of the Interior","effect":"Directs the Secretary of the Interior to set up a program supporting annually listed reforestation and restoration projects on Interior-administered lands after unplanned disturbances.","amount":null,"quote":"identify lands of the United States administered by, or under the jurisdiction of, the Secretary of the Interior that require reforestation and restoration due to unplanned disturbances"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 207","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-H1E7A46D6F37245739E4261E4273579DB"},"heading":"Fire department repayment","effect":"Requires standard operating procedures on payment timelines for fire suppression cost share agreements and reimbursement of local fire departments that submit invoices.","amount":null,"quote":"establish standard operating procedures relating to payment timelines for fire suppression cost share agreements"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 304","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-HA4FA05EBEB254E79A7A4766061F08852"},"heading":"GAO study on Forest Service policies","effect":"Requires a GAO study of Forest Service wildland firefighting operations, budget and accounting transparency, and whether to establish a new Federal agency for wildland fire response.","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/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-H7EC2E7AA3925475385466159C3758CA3"},"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.","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. 307","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-H9736711E837E40DA9C08630D3B83CEBB"},"heading":"Container Aerial Firefighting System (CAFFS)","effect":"Requires the Secretaries to evaluate and report on the container aerial firefighting system for wildfire mitigation and suppression.","amount":null,"quote":"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/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-HAB32FFBE62D84431940F859C36638469"},"heading":"Study on pine beetle infestation","effect":"Requires a Forest Service study and report on the causes, effects and solutions for pine beetle infestation in the Northeastern region.","amount":null,"quote":"carry out a study on the causes and effects of, and solutions for, the infestation of pine beetles in the Northeastern region of the United States"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 315","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-H83EBCE795F2240AB821D30AB8AA5F230"},"heading":"Tree nursery shortages","effect":"Requires a national strategy to increase capacity of Federal, State, Tribal and private tree nurseries to address the nationwide tree seedling shortage.","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. 311","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-H36C42EBDAAD647BFB35137C6B9D5D893"},"heading":"White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition","effect":"Establishes the White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition under a named charter and allows the Secretary to make funds available to it from an account under the Food Security Act of 1985.","amount":null,"quote":"the Secretary may make funds available to the White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition to carry out this section from the account"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 314","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-H59C7AF1F27B84AEFAC5E8469EDD5FC7B"},"heading":"White oak regeneration and upland oak habitat","effect":"Directs the Secretary to enter a cooperative agreement with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to run the white oak grant program, with the Foundation receiving each year's amounts as one advance payment.","amount":null,"quote":"the Foundation shall for each fiscal year, receive amounts to carry out this subsection in an advance payment of the entire amount on October 1"}]},{"category":"selective_carve_out","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 204","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-HADF1BE7187A54569ABFD1D3CC7BB8AE4"},"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 it does not apply in National Wilderness Preservation System components or on National Forest System lands where an Act of Congress restricts vegetation removal.","amount":null,"quote":"The categorical exclusion established under subsection (a) shall not apply to any forest management activity conducted—"}]},{"category":"process_change","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 306","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-H263A5FC7E8444CD89D32EC2A5C3EA819"},"heading":"Keeping forest plans current and monitored","effect":"Provides that the Secretary is not in violation of the forest plan revision requirement solely because more than 15 years passed without revision, and sets plan publication and website requirements.","amount":null,"quote":"solely because more than 15 years have passed without revision of the plan for a unit of the National Forest System"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 114","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh#toc-H238F89CD811B4745961CECF84BDDC4A0"},"heading":"Locally-led restoration","effect":"Raises the dollar threshold in section 14(d) of the National Forest Management Act from $10,000 to $55,000, adds annual Consumer Price Index adjustment starting January 1, 2027, and requires bids for fireshed management projects to be solicited under that section.","amount":null,"quote":"striking “$10,000” and inserting “$55,000”"}]}],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2025-01-23","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-09-29","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/471/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/119-hr-471.png","v":"b13c1525196b","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 471, 119th Congress: Fix Our Forests Act. House: 279 Yea, 141 Nay. Senate: not yet considered. Outcome: Passed House, 23 Jan 2025."}}