Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act of 2025

Bill: 119-hr-2492
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]
Introduced: 2025-03-31
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Electric power generation and transmission

Fires

Forests, forestry, trees

Licensing and registrations
Latest action: action_date: 2025-05-14
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-03-31
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act of 2025</strong></p><p>This bill allows the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to expedite the removal of trees or other vegetation near electrical lines on their lands under certain circumstances. Specifically, the Forest Service and the BLM may include in special use permits or easements provided to electrical utilities permission to cut, remove, and sell trees or other vegetation near electrical lines on such lands without a separate timber sale if the cutting or removal is consistent with (1) any applicable land and resource management plan, and (2) other applicable environmental laws.</p><p>A special use permit or easement that includes permission for cutting and removal of trees or vegetation must include a&nbsp;requirement that, if the applicable electrical utility sells any portion of the material removed under the permit or easement, the utility must provide to the Forest Service&nbsp;or the BLM any proceeds received from the sale, less any transportation costs incurred in the sale.</p>

tv_txt: IIB 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2492 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 14, 2025 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry AN ACT To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to permit removal of trees around electrical lines on National Forest System lands and Bureau of Land Management lands, respectively, without conducting a timber sale, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act of 2025 . 2. Permits and agreements with electrical utilities (a) In general In any special use permit or easement on covered Federal lands provided to an electrical utility, the Secretary concerned may provide permission to cut and remove trees or other vegetation from within the vicinity of distribution lines or transmission lines without requiring a separate timber sale, if that cutting and removal is consistent with— (1) any applicable land and resource management plan; and (2) other applicable environmental laws (including regulations). (b) Use of proceeds A special use permit or easement that includes permission for cutting and removal described in subsection (a) shall include a requirement that, if the applicable electrical utility sells any portion of the material removed under the permit or easement, the electrical utility shall provide to the Secretary concerned any proceeds received from the sale, less any transportation costs incurred in the sale. (c) Effect Nothing in subsection (b) shall require the sale of any material removed under a permit or easement that includes permission for cutting and removal described in subsection (a). (d) Definitions In this section: (1) Covered Federal lands The term covered Federal lands means— (A) National Forest System lands; and (B) lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. (2) Secretary concerned The term Secretary concerned means— (A) with respect to National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service; and (B) with respect to lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management.

Passed the House of Representatives May 13, 2025. Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk.

tv_txt: I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2492 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to permit removal of trees around electrical lines on National Forest System lands and Bureau of Land Management lands, respectively, without conducting a timber sale, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act of 2025 . 2. Permits and agreements with electrical utilities (a) In general In any special use permit or easement on covered Federal lands provided to an electrical utility, the Secretary concerned may provide permission to cut and remove trees or other vegetation from within the vicinity of distribution lines or transmission lines without requiring a separate timber sale, if that cutting and removal is consistent with— (1) any applicable land and resource management plan; and (2) other applicable environmental laws (including regulations). (b) Use of proceeds A special use permit or easement that includes permission for cutting and removal described in subsection (a) shall include a requirement that, if the applicable electrical utility sells any portion of the material removed under the permit or easement, the electrical utility shall provide to the Secretary concerned any proceeds received from the sale, less any transportation costs incurred in the sale. (c) Effect Nothing in subsection (b) shall require the sale of any material removed under a permit or easement that includes permission for cutting and removal described in subsection (a). (d) Definitions In this section: (1) Covered Federal lands The term covered Federal lands means— (A) National Forest System lands; and (B) lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. (2) Secretary concerned The term Secretary concerned means— (A) with respect to National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service; and (B) with respect to lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management.

Passed the House of Representatives May 13, 2025. Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk.

tv_txt: I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2492 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 31, 2025 Mr. Carbajal (for himself, Mr. Valadao , Mr. Costa , and Mr. Fitzpatrick ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 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 A BILL To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to permit removal of trees around electrical lines on National Forest System lands and Bureau of Land Management lands, respectively, without conducting a timber sale, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act of 2025 . 2. Permits and agreements with electrical utilities (a) In general In any special use permit or easement on covered Federal lands provided to an electrical utility, the Secretary concerned may provide permission to cut and remove trees or other vegetation from within the vicinity of distribution lines or transmission lines without requiring a separate timber sale, if that cutting and removal is consistent with— (1) any applicable land and resource management plan; and (2) other applicable environmental laws (including regulations). (b) Use of proceeds A special use permit or easement that includes permission for cutting and removal described in subsection (a) shall include a requirement that, if the applicable electrical utility sells any portion of the material removed under the permit or easement, the electrical utility shall provide to the Secretary concerned any proceeds received from the sale, less any transportation costs incurred in the sale. (c) Effect Nothing in subsection (b) shall require the sale of any material removed under a permit or easement that includes permission for cutting and removal described in subsection (a). (d) Definitions In this section: (1) Covered Federal lands The term covered Federal lands means— (A) National Forest System lands; and (B) lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. (2) Secretary concerned The term Secretary concerned means— (A) with respect to National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service; and (B) with respect to lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management.