Federal

FIR Act

Source: Congress.gov · 955 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This bill changes how the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior manage federal land. It says these officials do not have to restart discussions with other agencies about their land management plans in two specific situations: when a new animal species gets protected or when new information appears about how the land plan affects protected species. ##

Who It Affects

The bill directly affects two federal agencies: the Department of Agriculture (which manages national forests) and the Department of Interior (which manages other federal lands). The bill may indirectly affect environmental groups, private citizens, and businesses interested in how federal lands are managed. ##

Key Provisions

• The Secretary of Agriculture does not have to restart consultation discussions about forest management plans when a new species becomes protected or when critical habitat (an area needed for a species to survive) is designated under the Endangered Species Act. (Sec. 2(a)) • The Secretary of Agriculture does not have to restart consultation when new information shows the forest management plan may affect a protected species in a way not previously considered. (Sec. 2(a)) • The Secretary of Interior does not have to restart consultation discussions about land use plans when a new species becomes protected or when critical habitat is designated. (Sec. 2(b)) • The Secretary of Interior does not have to restart consultation when new information shows the land use plan may affect a protected species in a way not previously considered. (Sec. 2(b)) ##

What Changes

Currently, federal law requires restarting consultation discussions about land plans whenever new protected species are added or new information emerges. This bill stops that requirement, allowing the Secretaries to keep their existing land management plans in place without needing new discussions in those two situations. ##

Important Definitions

None explicitly defined in the bill text. ##

IB Union Calendar No. 773 118TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 200 [Report No. 118–748, Part I] To amend the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to provide that the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior are not required to reinitiate consultation on a land management plan or land use plan under certain circumstances, and for other pur- poses. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 9, 2023 Mr. ROSENDALE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com- mittee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agri- culture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic- tion of the committee concerned NOVEMBER 18, 2024 Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources with an amendment [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] NOVEMBER 18, 2024 Referral to the Committee on Agriculture extended for a period ending not later than December 19, 2024 DECEMBER 19, 2024 Additional sponsors: Mr. GOSAR, Mr. STAUBER, Mr. FULCHER, Mrs. BOEBERT, and Mr. DUARTE DECEMBER 19, 2024 Committee on Agriculture discharged; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 9, 2023] VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:47 Dec 24, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H200.RH H200 kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 200 RH A BILL To amend the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to provide that the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior are not required to reinitiate consultation on a land manage- ment plan or land use plan under certain circumstances, and for other purposes. VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:47 Dec 24, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H200.RH H200 kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 3 •HR 200 RH Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Forest Information Re- 4 form Act’’ or as the ‘‘FIR Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. NO ADDITIONAL CONSULTATION REQUIRED. 6 (a) FOREST SERVICE PLANS.—Section 6(d)(2) of the 7 Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act 8 of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1604(d)(2)) is amended to read as fol- 9 lows: 10 ‘‘(2) NO ADDITIONAL CONSULTATION REQUIRED 11 UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.—Notwithstanding 12 any other provision of law, the Secretary shall not be 13 required to reinitiate consultation under section 14 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 15 U.S.C. 1536(a)(2)) or section 402.16 of title 50, Code 16 of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation), on 17 a land management plan approved, amended, or re- 18 vised under this section when— 19 ‘‘(A) a new species is listed or critical habi- 20 tat is designated under the Endangered Species 21 Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); or 22 ‘‘(B) new information reveals effects of the 23 land management plan that may affect a species 24 listed or critical habitat designated under that 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:47 Dec 24, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H200.RH H200 kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 4 •HR 200 RH Act in a manner or to an extent not previously 1 considered.’’. 2 (b) BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS.—Section 3 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 4 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1712) is amended by adding at the end 5 the following: 6 ‘‘(g) NO ADDITIONAL CONSULTATION REQUIRED 7 UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.—Notwithstanding any 8 other provision of law, the Secretary shall not be required 9 to reinitiate consultation under section 7(a)(2) of the En- 10 dangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1536(a)(2)) or sec- 11 tion 402.16 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations (or a 12 successor regulation), on a land use plan approved, amend- 13 ed, or revised under this section when— 14 ‘‘(1) a new species is listed or critical habitat is 15 designated under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 16 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); or 17 ‘‘(2) new information reveals effects of the land 18 use plan that may affect a species listed or critical 19 habitat designated under that Act in a manner or to 20 an extent not previously considered.’’. 21 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:47 Dec 24, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H200.RH H200 kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:47 Dec 24, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H200.RH H200 kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB Union Calendar No. 773 118TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 200 [Report No. 118–748, Part I] A BILL To amend the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to provide that the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior are not required to re- initiate consultation on a land management plan or land use plan under certain circumstances, and for other purposes. DECEMBER 19, 2024 Committee on Agriculture discharged; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:47 Dec 24, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6651 Sfmt 6651 E:\BILLS\H200.RH H200 kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB

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