69–008 

115TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 115–186 

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE BILL (H.R. 1873) TO AMEND THE 

FEDERAL LAND POLICY AND MANAGEMENT ACT OF 1976 TO ENHANCE 

THE RELIABILITY OF THE ELECTRICITY GRID AND REDUCE THE 

THREAT OF WILDFIRES TO AND FROM ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION AND 

DISTRIBUTION FACILITIES ON FEDERAL LANDS BY FACILITATING VEGETATION MANAGEMENT ON SUCH LANDS, AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE BILL (H.R. 1654) TO AUTHORIZE THE SECRETARY OF 

THE INTERIOR TO COORDINATE FEDERAL AND STATE PERMITTING 

PROCESSES RELATED TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW SURFACE 

WATER STORAGE PROJECTS ON LANDS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF 

THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR AND THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE AND TO DESIGNATE THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION AS THE 

LEAD AGENCY FOR PERMIT PROCESSING, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 

JUNE 20, 2017.—Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed 

Mr. NEWHOUSE, from the Committee on Rules, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H. Res. 392] 

The Committee on Rules, having had under consideration House 

Resolution 392, by a nonrecord vote, report the same to the House 

with the recommendation that the resolution be adopted. 

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS OF THE RESOLUTION

The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 1873, the Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act, under a structured 

rule. The resolution provides one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of 

the Committee on Natural Resources. The resolution waives all 

points of order against consideration of the bill. The resolution 

makes in order as original text for the purpose of amendment the 

amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the 

Committee on Natural Resources now printed in the bill and provides that it shall be considered as read. The resolution waives all 

points of order against that amendment in the nature of a substitute. The resolution makes in order only those further amendments printed in part A of this report. Each such amendment may 

be offered only in the order printed in this report, may be offered 

only by a Member designated in this report, shall be considered as 

read, shall be debatable for the time specified in this report equally 

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divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not 

be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for 

division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the 

Whole. The resolution waives all points of order against the amendments printed in part A of this report. The resolution provides one 

motion to recommit with or without instructions. 

Section 2 of the resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 

1654, the Water Supply Permitting Coordination Act, under a 

structured rule. The resolution provides one hour of general debate 

equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority 

member of the Committee on Natural Resources. The resolution 

waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. The resolution makes in order as original text for the purpose of amendment the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended 

by the Committee on Natural Resources now printed in the bill and 

provides that it shall be considered as read. The resolution waives 

all points of order against that amendment in the nature of a substitute. The resolution makes in order only those amendments 

printed in part B of this report. Each such amendment may be offered only in the order printed in this report, may be offered only 

by a Member designated in this report, shall be considered as read, 

shall be debatable for the time specified in this report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not 

be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for 

division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the 

Whole. The resolution waives all points of order against the amendments printed in part B of this report. The resolution provides one 

motion to recommit with or without instructions. 

EXPLANATION OF WAIVERS

Although the resolution waives all points of order against consideration of H.R. 1873, the Committee is not aware of any points of 

order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature. 

Although the resolution waives all points of order against the 

amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 1873 made in 

order as original text, the Committee is not aware of any points of 

order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature. 

Although the resolution waives all points of order against the 

amendments to H.R. 1873 printed in part A of this report, the 

Committee is not aware of any points of order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature. 

Although the resolution waives all points of order against consideration of H.R. 1654, the Committee is not aware of any points of 

order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature. 

Although the resolution waives all points of order against the 

amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 1654 made in 

order as original text, the Committee is not aware of any points of 

order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature. 

Although the resolution waives all points of order against the 

amendments to H.R. 1654 printed in part B of this report, the 

Committee is not aware of any points of order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature. 

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SUMMARY OF THE AMENDMENTS TO H.R. 1873 IN PART A MADE IN

ORDER

1. Carbajal (CA): Ensures that owners and operators of electric 

transmission and distribution facilities submit management plans 

to the Secretary. (10 minutes) 

2. Sinema (AZ), Tipton (CO), Gosar (AZ), O’Halleran (AZ): Ensures personnel of the Department of the Interior and the Forest 

Service involved in vegetation management decisions on transmission and distribution rights-of-way receive training on how unmanned technologies can be used to identify vegetation management needs, lower energy costs, and reduce the risk of wildfires. 

(10 minutes) 

3. Beyer (VA): Prohibits any loss of funds for wild-fire suppression. (10 minutes) 

SUMMARY OF THE AMENDMENTS TO H.R. 1654 IN PART B MADE IN

ORDER

1. LaMalfa (CA): Aligns H.R. 1654 with WIIN Act (S. 612 of the 

114th Congress) provisions enhancing federal cooperation in planning and construction of State-led water storage projects by ensuring such projects are eligible for permit streamlining under this 

bill. (10 minutes) 

2. Lowenthal (CA): Exempts any dam projects from being fasttracked by the bill if it could harm commercial fisheries. (10 minutes) 

PART A—TEXT OF AMENDMENTS TO H.R.1873 MADE IN ORDER

1. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE CARBAJAL

OF CALIFORNIA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 5, beginning on line 10, strike ‘‘the Secretary and the Secretary of Agriculture shall provide’’. 

Page 5, beginning on line 13, strike ‘‘with the option to’’ and insert ‘‘shall’’. 

Page 5, beginning on line 16, strike ‘‘plan, that at each transmission or distribution owner or operator’s discretion may cover 

some or all’’ and insert ‘‘plan covering all’’. 

Page 6, beginning on line 1, strike ‘‘The Secretaries shall not 

have the authority to modify those requirements.’’. 

Page 6, beginning on line 10, strike ‘‘and approval’’ and insert ‘‘, 

approval, denial, or modification’’. 

2. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE SINEMA OF

ARIZONA OR HER DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 12, line 9, strike ‘‘; and’’ and insert a semicolon. 

Page 12, line 16, strike the period and inserting ‘‘; and’’. 

Page 12, after line 16, insert the following: 

‘‘(4) understand how existing and emerging unmanned technologies can help electric utilities, Federal, State, and local 

governments, and private landowners to more efficiently identify vegetation management needs, lower ratepayer energy 

costs, and reduce the risk of wildfires.’’. 

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3. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE BEYER OF

VIRGINIA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

At the end of the bill, insert the following: 

SEC. 3. NO LOSS OF FUNDS FOR WILD-FIRE SUPPRESSION. 

Nothing in this Act or the amendments made by this Act shall 

detract from the availability of funds or other resources for wildfire suppression. 

1. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE CARBAJAL

OF CALIFORNIA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

PART B—TEXT OF AMENDMENTS TO H.R. 1654 MADE IN ORDER

1. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE LAMALFA

OF CALIFORNIA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 4, line 2, after the period insert ‘‘Such term shall also include State-led projects (as defined in section 4007(a)(2) of the 

WIIN Act) for new surface water storage projects in the States covered under the Act of June 17, 1902 (32 Stat. 388, chapter 1093), 

and Acts supplemental to and amendatory of that Act (43 U.S.C. 

371 et seq.) constructed on lands administered by the Department 

of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture, exclusive of any 

easement, right-of-way, lease, or any private holding, unless the 

project applicant elects not to participate in the process authorized 

by this Act.’’. 

2. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE

LOWENTHAL OF CALIFORNIA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 

MINUTES

At the end of the bill, add the following: 

SEC. 7. CONDITION ON APPLICABILITY. 

This Act shall not apply to any project that the Secretary determines could cause harm to commercial fisheries. 

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