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H.R. 2492 · House bill · 119th Congress
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.
A special use permit or easement that includes permission for cutting and removal of trees or vegetation must include a 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 or the BLM any proceeds received from the sale, less any transportation costs incurred in the sale.
This Act may be cited as the “Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act of 2025”.
(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.