To amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act to enhance the reliability of the electricity grid and reduce the threat of wildfires to electric transmission and distribution facilities on Federal lands by authorizing vegetation management on such lands.

Bill: 109-hr-3919
Sponsor: Rep. Shadegg, John B. [R-AZ-3]
Introduced: 2005-09-27 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Department of Agriculture
Department of the Interior
Easements
Electric power transmission
Electric utilities
Emergency Management
Employee training
Federal employees
Fire prevention
Forest fires
Forest management
Government Operations and Politics
Labor and Employment
Law
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Right-of-way
Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2005-09-27
text: 
Amends the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to direct the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior, with respect to public lands under their respective jurisdictions, to ensure that existing and future authorizations of rights-of-way and easements for electrical transmission and distribution facilities (facilities) on such lands include provisions for utility vegetation management activities that enhance the reliability of the electricity grid and reduce the threat of wildfires to such facilities. Directs such Secretaries to provide owners and operators of such facilities on such lands with the option to develop and submit an integrated vegetation management plan for approval. Outlines a plan review, approval, and implementation process. Allows such owners and operators to conduct vegetation management activities to meet facilities' clearance requirements. Provides a liability waiver when the appropriate Secretary fails to allow such owners and operators to manage vegetation within a right-of-way or easement on such lands, with an exception in the case of contributory negligence.
 
Encourages such Secretaries to develop a program to train appropriate federal personnel involved in vegetation management decisions relating to such facilities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-10-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry.
action_date: 2005-10-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks.
action_date: 2005-10-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans.
action_date: 2005-10-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health.
action_date: 2005-09-27
text: Referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-09-27
text: Referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-09-27
text: Referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2005-09-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2005-09-27
text: Introduced in House