Fire-Safe Electrical Corridors Act of 2025

Bill: 119-s-349
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
Introduced: 2025-01-30
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Electric power generation and transmission

Fires

Forests, forestry, trees

Licensing and registrations
Latest action: action_date: 2025-01-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-01-30
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Fire-Safe Electrical Corridors Act of 2025</strong></p><p>This bill allows the Forest Service to expedite the removal of trees or other vegetation near electrical lines on its lands under certain circumstances. Specifically, the Forest Service 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) the 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;any proceeds received from the sale, less any transportation costs incurred in the sale.</p>

tv_txt: II 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 349 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 30, 2025 Mr. Padilla (for himself and Mr. Daines ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry A BILL To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to permit removal of trees around electrical lines on National Forest System land 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 National Forest System land provided to an electrical utility, the Secretary of Agriculture 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) the 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 of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, 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).