,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #adag ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #bb1 #bjag,mr4 ,hatch 7for himself and ,mr4 ,heinrich7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,environment and ,public ,works ,a ,,bill ,to require the ,secretary of the ,interior to develop a categorical exclusion for covered vegetative management activities carried out to establish or improve habitat for greater sage-grouse and mule deer1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,sage-,grouse and ,mule ,deer ,habitat ,conservation and ,restoration ,act of #bjag4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,covered vegetation management activity 7,a7 ,in general ,the term covered vegetation management activity means any activity described in subparagraph 7,b7 that-- 7i7 meets the objectives of the order of the ,secretary numbered #cccf and dated ,january #e1 #bjae2 7ii7 conforms to an applicable land use plan2 7iii7 protects1 restores1 or improves greater sage-grouse or mule deer habitat2 7iv7 will not permanently impair-- 7,i7 the natural state of the treated area2 7,,ii7 outstanding opportunities for solitude2 7,,iii7 outstanding opportunities for primitive1 unconfined recreation2 or 7,,iv7 the identified values of a unit of the ,national ,landscape ,conservation ,system2 and 7v7 7,i7 restores native vegetation following a natural disturbance2 7,,ii7 prevents the expansion into greater sage-grouse or mule deer habitat of-- 7aa7 juniper1 pion pine1 or any other conifer2 or 7bb7 nonnative or invasive vegetation2 7,,iii7 reduces the risk of loss of greater sage-grouse or mule deer habitat from wildfire or any other natural disturbance2 or 7,,iv7 provides emergency stabilization of soil resources after a natural disturbance4 7,b7 ,description of activities ,an activity referred to in subparagraph 7,a7 is-- 7i7 manual cutting and removal of juniper trees1 pion pine trees1 other conifers1 or other nonnative or invasive vegetation2 7ii7 mechanical mastication1 cutting1 or mowing1 mechanical piling and burning1 chaining1 broadcast burning1 or yarding2 7iii7 removal of cheat grass1 medusa head rye1 other nonnative vegetation1 or an invasive species2 7iv7 collection and seeding or planting of native vegetation using a manual1 mechanical1 or aerial method2 7v7 seeding of nonnative vegetation only for the purpose of emergency stabilization2 7vi7 use of an herbicide1 pesticide1 or biological control agent1 subject to the condition that the use shall be in accordance with applicable legal requirements1 ,federal agency procedures1 and land use plans2 7vii7 targeted or late-season livestock grazing to mitigate hazardous fuels and control noxious and invasive weeds2 7viii7 temporary removal of wild horses or burros in the area in which the activity is being carried out to ensure treatment objectives are met2 7ix7 temporary suspension of permitted grazing use until restoration treatment objectives are met2 7x7 installation of new1 or modification of existing1 fencing or water sources intended to control use or improve wildlife habitat2 or 7xi7 construction of temporary roads4 7,c7 ,exclusions ,the term covered vegetation management activity does not include-- 7i7 any activity conducted in a wilderness area or wilderness study area2 or 7ii7 any activity for the construction of a permanent road or permanent trail4 7#b7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of the ,interior4 7#c7 ,temporary road ,the term temporary road means a road that is-- 7,a7 authorized-- 7i7 by a contract1 permit1 lease1 other written authorization2 or 7ii7 pursuant to an emergency operation2 7,b7 not intended to be part of the permanent transportation system of a ,federal department or agency2 7,c7 not necessary for long-term resource management2 and 7,d7 designed in accordance with standards appropriate for the intended use of the road1 taking into consideration-- 7i7 safety2 7ii7 the cost of transportation2 and 7iii7 impacts to land and resources4 #c4 ,improvement of habitat for greater sage-grouse and mule deer 7a7 ,categorical exclusion 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall develop one or more categorical exclusions 7as defined in section #aejh4d of title #dj1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7or a successor regulation77 for covered vegetative management activities carried out to establish or improve habitat for greater sage-grouse and mule deer4 7#b7 ,administration ,in developing and administering a categorical exclusion under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 be consistent with the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq472 7,b7 apply the extraordinary circumstances procedures under section #bbj4f of title #cf1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7or successor regulations71 in determining whether to use the categorical exclusion2 and 7,c7 consider-- 7i7 the relative efficacy of landscape-scale habitat projects2 7ii7 the likelihood of continued declines in the populations of greater sage-grouse and mule deer in the absence of landscape-scale vegetation management2 and 7iii7 the need for habitat restoration activities after wildfire or other natural disturbances4 7b7 ,long-,term monitoring and maintenance ,before commencing any covered vegetative management activity that is covered by a categorical exclusion under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall develop a long-term monitoring and maintenance plan1 covering at least the #bj year-period beginning on the date of commencement1 to ensure that management of the treated area does not degrade the habitat gains secured by the covered vegetative management activity4 7c7 ,disposal of vegetative material ,subject to applicable local restrictions1 any vegetative material resulting from a covered vegetation management activity that is covered by a categorical exclusion under subsection 7a7 may be-- 7#a7 used for-- 7,a7 fuel wood2 or 7,b7 other products2 or 7#b7 piled or burned1 or both4 7d7 ,treatment for temporary roads 7#a7 ,in general ,a temporary road constructed in connection with a covered vegetation management activity that is a categorical exclusion under subsection 7a7 shall be treated to ensure the reestablishment of native vegetative cover by artificial or natural means1 as necessary to minimize erosion from any area disturbed by the construction or use of the temporary road4 7#b7 ,requirement ,a treatment under paragraph 7#a7 shall be designed to reestablish vegetative cover-- 7,a7 as soon as practicable2 but 7,b7 not later than #aj years after the date of completion of the applicable covered vegetation management activity4