Litigation Relief for Forest Management Projects Act

To amend the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to discourage litigation against the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management relating to land management projects. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Litigation Relief for Forest Management Projects Act 2. Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (a) Consultation regarding land management plans Section 6(d) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 ( 16 U.S.C. 1604(d) (1) by striking (d) The Secretary (d) Public participation and consultation (1) In general The Secretary ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (2) No additional consultation required after approval of land management plans (A) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall not be required to engage in consultation under this subsection or any other provision of law (including section 7 of Public Law 93–205 16 U.S.C. 1536 (i) the listing of a species as threatened or endangered, or a designation of critical habitat pursuant to Public Law 93–205 16 U.S.C. 1531 (ii) any provision of a land management plan adopted as described in clause (i). (B) Effect of paragraph Nothing in this paragraph affects any applicable requirement of the Secretary to consult with the head of any other Federal department or agency— (i) regarding any project to implement a land management plan, including a project carried out, or proposed to be carried out, in an area designated as critical habitat pursuant to Public Law 93–205 16 U.S.C. 1531 (ii) with respect to the development of a modification to a land management plan that would result in a significant change (within the meaning of subsection (f)(4)) in the land management plan. . (b) Definition of Secretary; conforming amendments (1) Definition of Secretary Section 3(a) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 ( 16 U.S.C. 1601(a) (referred to in this Act as the Secretary Secretary of Agriculture (2) Conforming amendments The Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 ( 16 U.S.C. 1600 Secretary of Agriculture Secretary 3. Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 Section 202(f) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1712(f) (1) by striking (f) The Secretary (f) Public involvement (1) In general The Secretary ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (2) No additional consultation required after approval of land use plans (A) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall not be required to engage in consultation under this subsection or any other provision of law (including section 7 of Public Law 93–205 16 U.S.C. 1536 (i) the listing of a species as threatened or endangered, or a designation of critical habitat, pursuant to Public Law 93–205 16 U.S.C. 1531 (ii) any provision of a land use plan adopted as described in clause (i). (B) Effect of paragraph (i) Definition of significant change In this subparagraph, the term significant change (I) any reference contained in that section to a land management plan shall be deemed to be a reference to a land use plan; (II) any reference contained in that section to the Forest Service shall be deemed to be a reference to the Bureau of Land Management; and (III) any reference contained in that section to the National Forest Management Act of 1976 ( Public Law 94–588 (ii) Effect Nothing in this paragraph affects any applicable requirement of the Secretary to consult with the head of any other Federal department or agency— (I) regarding a project carried out, or proposed to be carried out, with respect to a species listed as threatened or endangered, or in an area designated as critical habitat, pursuant to Public Law 93–205 16 U.S.C. 1531 (II) with respect to the development of a new land use plan or the revision of or other significant change to an existing land use plan. .

Summary: Litigation Relief for Forest Management Projects Act This bill amends the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 and the Federal land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to prohibit the Department of Agriculture (USDA) or the Department of the Interior from being required to engage in any additional consultation with respect to: (1) the listing of a species as threatened or endangered, or a designation of a critical habitat, if a land management plan or land use plan, respectively, has been adopted by USDA or Interior as of the date of the listing or designation; or (2) any provision of such an adopted plan.