‘‘(2) shall notify the appropriate local agent of 
the relevant Secretary not later than 24 hours after 
such removal. 
‘‘(d) COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE RELIABILITY 
AND SAFETY STANDARDS.—If vegetation on Federal lands 
within or adjacent to an electrical transmission or distribu-
tion right-of-way under the jurisdiction of each Secretary 
does not meet clearance requirements under standards es-
tablished by the Electric Reliability Organization as de-
fined under 16 U.S.C. 824o(a), or by State and local au-
thorities, and the Secretary having jurisdiction over the 
lands has failed to act to allow a transmission or distribu-
tion facility owner or operator to conduct vegetation man-
agement activities within 3 business days after receiving 
a request to allow such activities, the owner or operator 
may, after notifying the Secretary, conduct such vegetation 
management activities to meet those clearance require-
ments. 
‘‘(e) REPORTING REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary or 
Secretary of Agriculture shall report requests and actions 
made under subsections (c) and (d) annually on each Sec-
retary’s website. 
‘‘(f) LIABILITY.—An owner or operator of a trans-
mission or distribution facility shall not be held liable for 
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wildfire damage, loss or injury, including the cost of fire 
suppression, if— 
‘‘(1) the Secretary or the Secretary of Agri-
culture fails to allow the owner or operator to operate 
consistently with an approved vegetation manage-
ment, facility inspection, and operation and mainte-
nance plan on Federal lands under the relevant Sec-
retary’s jurisdiction within or adjacent to a right-of- 
way to comply with Federal, State or local electric 
system reliability and fire safety standards, including 
standards established by the Electric Reliability Or-
ganization as defined under 16 U.S.C. 824o(a); or 
‘‘(2) the Secretary or the Secretary of Agri-
culture fails to allow the owner or operator of the 
transmission or distribution facility to perform ap-
propriate vegetation management activities in re-
sponse to a hazard tree as defined under subsection 
(b)(6), or a tree in imminent danger of contacting the 
owner’s or operator’s transmission or distribution fa-
cility. 
‘‘(g) TRAINING AND GUIDANCE.—In consultation with 
the electric utility industry, the Secretary and the Secretary 
of Agriculture are encouraged to develop a program to train 
personnel of the Department of the Interior and the Forest 
Service involved in vegetation management decisions on 
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rights-of-way relating to transmission and distribution fa-
cilities to ensure that such personnel— 
‘‘(1) understand electric system reliability and 
fire safety requirements, including reliability stand-
ards established by the Electric Reliability Organiza-
tion as defined under 16 U.S.C. 824o(a); 
‘‘(2) assist owners and operators of transmission 
and distribution facilities to comply with applicable 
electric reliability and fire safety requirements; and 
‘‘(3) encourage and assist willing owners and op-
erators of transmission and distribution facilities to 
incorporate on a voluntary basis vegetation manage-
ment practices to enhance habitats and forage for pol-
linators and for other wildlife so long as the practices 
are compatible with the integrated vegetation man-
agement practices necessary for reliability and safety. 
‘‘(h) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary of the Interior 
and the Secretary of Agriculture shall— 
‘‘(1) not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this section, prescribe regulations, or 
amend existing regulations, to implement this section; 
and 
‘‘(2) not later than two years after the date of the 
enactment of this section, finalize regulations, or 
amend existing regulations, to implement this section. 
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‘‘(i) EXISTING VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, FACILITY 
INSPECTION AND OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PLANS.— 
Nothing in this section requires an owner or operator to 
develop and submit a vegetation management, facility in-
spection, and operation and maintenance plan if one has 
already been approved by the Secretary or Secretary of Ag-
riculture before the date of the enactment of this section.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections for 
the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 
U.S.C. 1761 et seq.), is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 511 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 512. Vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and main-
tenance relating to electric transmission and distribution facility 
rights-of-way.’’. 
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Union Calendar No. 110 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 1873 
[Report No. 115–165, Part I] 
A BILL 
To amend the Federal Land Policy and Manage-
ment 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 facili-
tating vegetation management on such lands. 
JUNE 12, 2017 
Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources with 
an amendment 
JUNE 12, 2017 
The Committee on Agriculture discharged; committed to 
the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the 
Union and ordered to be printed 
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