This bill, the Accelerating Forest Management Act, tells the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) that certain salvage harvesting actions are categorically excluded from preparing an environmental assessment (EA) or environmental impact statement (EIS) under NEPA. The exclusion applies to cutting and removing dead or dying trees after fires, insects, disease, drought, or other disturbances, with size limits: up to 1,000 acres when the disturbance affects 3,000 acres or less, and up to the lesser of 5,000 acres or one-third of the disturbed area when the disturbance affects more than 3,000 acres of BLM land. The exclusion can include building up to 1 mile of new permanent road (if allowed by land use plans), maintaining existing roads, and building temporary roads up to 2.25 miles per 1,000 acres of harvest area with rules for decommissioning.
The bill requires that BLM include in the exclusion documentation specific design features that address resource considerations consistent with land use plans. These considerations include how much snag and downed wood is kept, erosion control measures, soil compaction rules, logging system limits, seasonal operation restrictions, invasive species prevention, riparian area buffers or restrictions, prescribed fire constraints, and standards for temporary road decommissioning. The bill also defines terms used in the section (for example, a "dying tree" is one likely to die within two years as judged by a trained forestry professional).
The bill also amends prior appropriations text to extend the Forest Ecosystem Health and Recovery Fund from 2020 to 2033.
If you live near, work on, or use BLM-managed lands, the bill would let the BLM carry out specific post-disturbance tree removal and related activities without preparing an EA or EIS, provided the actions meet the size limits and follow land use plans and the required design disclosures. It would also extend the named forest recovery fund through 2033.
No publicly available information on estimated costs, savings, or budgetary effects is included in the bill text provided.
No publicly available information on proponents' stated reasons or arguments is included in the bill text provided.
No publicly available information on opponents' stated reasons or arguments is included in the bill text provided.