Stop CATASTROPHES Act
Bill: H.R.4573 | Sponsor: Rep. Newhouse, Dan (R-WA)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Stop Causing Alarming Tree, Air, and Soil Trauma Resulting from Obstructive Progressives' and Hypocritical Environmentalists' Schemes Act or the Stop CATASTROPHES Act
This bill categorically excludes certain forest management activities from the requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement. The activities are those that are carried out by the Department of Agriculture on National Forest System Lands or the Department of the Interior on public lands where the primary purpose is to improve or restore such lands or reduce the risk of wildfire on such lands.
To be excluded, the area of the forest management activity may not exceed 10,000 acres.

To establish a categorical exclusion to improve or restore National 
 Forest System land or public land or reduce the risk of wildfire, and 
                          for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Stop Causing Alarming Tree, Air, and 
Soil Trauma Resulting from Obstructive Progressives' and Hypocritical 
Environmentalists' Schemes Act'' or the ``Stop CATASTROPHES Act''.

SEC. 2. CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION TO IMPROVE OR RESTORE NATIONAL FOREST 
              SYSTEM LANDS OR PUBLIC LAND OR REDUCE THE RISK OF 
              WILDFIRE.

    (a) Categorical Exclusion Established.--Forest management 
activities described in subsection (b) are a category of actions hereby 
designated as being categorically excluded from the preparation of an 
environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement under 
section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
4332).
    (b) Forest Management Activities Designated for Categorical 
Exclusion.--
            (1) Designation.--The forest management activities 
        designated under this section for a categorical exclusion are 
        forest management activities described in paragraph (2) that 
        are carried out by the Secretary concerned on National Forest 
        System Lands or public lands where the primary purpose of such 
        activity is to improve or restore such lands or reduce the risk 
        of wildfire on such lands.
            (2) Activities authorized.--The following activities may be 
        carried out pursuant to the categorical exclusion established 
        under subsection (a):
                    (A) Removal of noxious weeds through late-season 
                livestock grazing, targeted livestock grazing, 
                prescribed burns, or mechanical treatments.
                    (B) Performance of hazardous fuels management.
                    (C) Creation of fuel and fire breaks.
                    (D) Modification of existing fences in order to 
                distribute livestock and help improve wildlife habitat.
                    (E) Installation of erosion control devices.
                    (F) Construction of new permanent infrastructure 
                and maintenance of existing permanent infrastructure, 
                including stock ponds, water catchments, and water 
                spring boxes used to benefit livestock and improve 
                wildlife habitat.
                    (G) Performance of soil treatments, native and non-
                native seeding, and planting and transplanting of 
                sagebrush, grass, forb, shrub, and other species of 
                grass.
                    (H) Use of herbicides, so long as the Secretary 
                concerned determines that the activity is otherwise 
                conducted consistently with any forest plan applicable 
                to the area covered by the activity.
    (c) Availability of Categorical Exclusion.--On and after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned may use the 
categorical exclusion established under subsection (a) in accordance 
with this section.
    (d) Acreage Limitations.--A forest management activity covered by 
the categorical exclusion established under subsection (a) may not 
exceed 10,000 acres.
    (e) Exclusions.--The authorities provided by this Act do not apply 
with respect to any National Forest System lands or public lands--
            (1) that are included in the National Wilderness 
        Preservation System;
            (2) that are located within a national or State-specific 
        inventoried roadless area established by the Secretary of 
        Agriculture through regulation, unless--
                    (A) the forest management activity to be carried 
                out under such authority is consistent with the forest 
                plan applicable to the area; or
                    (B) the Secretary concerned determines the activity 
                is allowed under the applicable roadless rule governing 
                such lands; or
            (3) on which timber harvesting for any purpose is 
        prohibited by Federal statute.
    (f) Definitions.--In this Act--
            (1) Forest management activity.--The term ``forest 
        management activity'' means a project or activity carried out 
        by the Secretary concerned on National Forest System lands or 
        public lands consistent with the forest plan covering such 
        lands.
            (2) Forest plan.--The term ``forest plan'' means--
                    (A) a land use plan prepared by the Bureau of Land 
                Management for public lands pursuant to section 202 of 
                the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 
                U.S.C. 1712); or
                    (B) a land and resource management plan prepared by 
                the Forest Service for a unit of the National Forest 
                System pursuant to section 6 of the Forest and 
                Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 
                U.S.C. 1604).
            (3) Hazardous fuels management.--The term ``hazardous fuels 
        management'' means any vegetation management activities that 
        reduce the risk of wildfire.
            (4) Late-season grazing.--The term ``late-season grazing'' 
        means grazing activities that occur--
                    (A) after both the invasive species and native 
                perennial species have completed their current-year 
                annual growth cycle; and
                    (B) before new plant growth begins to appear in the 
                following year.
            (5) National forest system.--The term ``National Forest 
        System'' has the meaning given that term in section 11(a) of 
        the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 
        1974 (16 U.S.C. 1609(a)).
            (6) Noxious weeds.--The term ``noxious weeds'' includes 
        juniper trees, medusahead rye, conifer trees, pinon pine trees, 
        cheatgrass, and other noxious or invasive weeds specified on a 
        Federal or State noxious weed list.
            (7) Public lands.--The term ``public lands'' has the 
        meaning given that term in section 103 of the Federal Land 
        Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702), except that 
        the term includes Coos Bay Wagon Road Grant lands and Oregon 
        and California Railroad Grant lands.
            (8) Targeted livestock grazing.--The term ``targeted 
        livestock grazing'' means grazing used for purposes of 
        hazardous fuel management.
            (9) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned'' 
        means--
                    (A) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to 
                National Forest System lands; and
                    (B) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to 
                public lands.
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