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S 2068 115th Congress Senate

Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2017

Official title: A bill to discourage litigation against the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management relating to land management projects, to require the Secretary of … Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A bill to discourage litigation against the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management relating to land management projects, to require the Secretary of the Interior to develop a categorical exclusion for covered vegetative management activities carried out to establish or improve habitat for greater sage-grouse and mule deer, to address the forest health crisis on National Forest System land, to expedite and prioritize forest management activities to achieve ecosystem restoration objectives, and for other purposes.

Introduced: November 2, 2017 Introduced by: Barrasso, John Republican · Wyoming See on congress.gov
Public Lands and Natural Resources Administrative law and regulatory proceduresAdministrative remediesAlternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitrationBirds
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Congressional oversightDepartment of AgricultureDepartment of the InteriorEcologyEndangered and threatened speciesEnvironmental assessment, monitoring, researchFiresForests, forestry, treesInsectsLand use and conservationMammalsPerformance measurementPest managementPublic participation and lobbyingRoads and highways
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This bill died when the 115th Congress ended
It never became law before the 115th Congress (2017–2018) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Nov 2, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Nov 2, 2017
Introduced in Senate
Oct 25, 2017
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Hearings held prior to introduction and/or referral. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-227.
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 Latest action November 2, 2017

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2017

This bill prohibits any further consultation from being required by the Departments of Agriculture (USDA) or the Interior after the approval of land and resource management plans for National Forest System (NFS) lands or land use plans for public lands, respectively, with respect to: (1) the listing of a species as threatened or endangered or a designation of a critical habitat, if such a plan has already been adopted; or (2) any provision of such plan.

Interior shall develop one or more categorical exclusions, from requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 to conduct environmental assessment and environmental impact statements, for specified vegetative management activities that are carried out to establish or improve habitat for the greater sage-grouse or mule deer.

The Forest Service shall prepare an environmental assessment for each ecosystem restoration project, stewardship contracting project, and project under a good neighbor agreement on certain NFS land. Under the assessment, it shall study and describe in each project both the proposed action and a no-action alternative.

The Forest Service shall establish an arbitration pilot program as an alternative dispute resolution process in lieu of judicial review for such projects.

The Forest Service shall prioritize and carry out ecosystem restoration projects to accomplish one or more of specified objectives.

A categorical exclusion is made available for certain forest management activities in order to: (1) expedite specified critical response actions, (2) meet forest plan goals for early seral and early successional forests, (3) improve wildlife habitats, and (4) thin forests.

The bill makes permanent USDA's authority to designate treatment areas that are experiencing an insect or disease epidemic.

 Related & companion bills 6
  • HR 1483 Related bill Litigation Relief for Forest Management Projects Act
  • HR 3543 Related bill Sage-Grouse and Mule Deer Habitat Conservation and Restoration Act of 2017
  • S 605 Related bill Litigation Relief for Forest Management Projects Act
  • S 1417 Related bill Sage-Grouse and Mule Deer Habitat Conservation and Restoration Act of 2018
  • S 879 Related bill National Forest Ecosystem Improvement Act of 2017
  • S 1731 Related bill Forest Management Improvement Act of 2017
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 2
All 2 Republican 2
R
Daines, Steve
Montana · Nov 2, 2017
 R
Thune, John
South Dakota · Nov 2, 2017
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 2068: Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2017. 115th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-2068/
MLA
"S. 2068: Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2017." 115th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-2068/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 2068, 115th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-2068/.
Markdown link
[S. 2068: Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2017](https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-2068/)
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