,,ii  #aae? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #agca  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,augu/ #b1 #bjag ,mr4  
,?une introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0    
read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,environm5t & ,public ,works  ,a ,,bill 
,to address ! =e/ heal? crisis on       
,national ,=e/ ,sy/em l&1 & = o!r       
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title  ,?is ,act   
may be cit$ z ! ,=e/ ,managem5t         
,improvem5t ,act ( #bjag4  #b4          
,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3 7#a7           
,categorical exclusion ,! t]m           
categorical exclusion means an exclusion
 f ! requirem5t to prep>e an            
environm5tal assessm5t or an            
environm5tal impact /atem5t "u section  
#ajb ( ! ,national ,environm5tal ,policy
 ,act ( #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dccb7 = a 
category ( =e/ managem5t activities4    
7#b7 ,=e/ managem5t activity ,! t]m =e/ 
managem5t activity means a project or   
activity c>ri$ out by ! ,secret>y on    
,national ,=e/ ,sy/em l&4  7#c7 ,=e/    
plan ,! t]m =e/ plan means a l& &       

res\rce managem5t plan prep>$ by ! ,=e/ 
,s]vice 9 accordance ) section #f ( !   
,=e/ & ,rangel& ,r5ewable ,res\rces     
,plann+ ,act ( #aigd 7#af ,u4,s4,c4     
#afjd74  7#d7 ,national ,=e/ ,sy/em ,!  
t]m ,national ,=e/ ,sy/em has ! mean+   
giv5 ! t]m 9 section #aa7;a7 ( ! ,=e/ & 
,rangel& ,r5ewable ,res\rces ,plann+    
,act ( #aigd 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #afji7;a774 
7#e7 ,secret>y ,! t]m ,secret>y means ! 
,secret>y ( ,agriculture1 act+ ?r\gh !  
,*ief ( ! ,=e/ ,s]vice4  #c4            
,categorical exclusions  7a7 ,e/abli%m5t
 ( categorical exclusions  7#a7 ,e>ly   
s]al habitat creation ,a categorical    
exclusion is available to ! ,secret>y to
 conduct a =e/ managem5t activity !     
purpose ( :i* is ! creation ( an e>ly   
s]al habitat =e/4  7#b7 ,wildlife       
habitat improvem5t  ,a categorical      
exclusion is available to ! ,secret>y to
 conduct a =e/ managem5t activity !     
purpose ( :i* is ! improvem5t ( wildlife
 habitat4  7#c7 ,=e/ ?9n+ ,a categorical
 exclusion is available to ! ,secret>y  

to conduct a =e/ managem5t activity !   
purpose ( :i* is comm]cial ?9n+ ( =e/   
/&s on suit$ timb]l&1 includ+--  7,a7 ! 
incid5tal removal ( trees = l&+s1 skid  
trails1 & road cle>+2 &  7,b7 !         
con/ruction ( a tempor>y road t is n    
long] ?an #a mile to c>ry out t         
comm]cial ?9n+4  7#d7 ,salvage ( dead & 
dy+ trees ,a categorical exclusion is   
available to ! ,secret>y to conduct a   
=e/ managem5t activity ! purpose ( :i*  
is ! salvage ( trees t are dead1 dy+1 or
 bo?1 & 7 damag$ by w9d1 an ice /orm1   
fire1 or ano!r ev5t1 includ+--  7,a7 !  
incid5tal removal ( trees = l&+s1 skid  
trails1 & road cle>+2 &  7,b7 !         
con/ruction ( a tempor>y road t is n    
long] ?an #a mile to c>ry out t salvage 
( trees4  7b7 ,acreage limitations ,=e/ 
managem5t activities us+ ! categorical  
exclusions "u ea* ( p>agraphs 7#a7 ?r\gh
 7#d7 ( subsection 7a7 may be conduct$  
on n m ?an #aj1jjj acres ( ,national    
,=e/ ,sy/em l& = ea* categorical        
exclusion4  7c7 ,extraord9>y            

circum/ances ,! ,secret>y may apply !   
extraord9>y circum/ances proc$ures "u   
section #bbj4f ( title #cf1 ,code (     
,f$]al ,regulations 7or successor       
regulations71 9 det]m9+ :e!r to use a   
categorical exclusion "u subsection 7a74
  7d7 ,consi/5cy ,9 c>ry+ out =e/       
managem5t activities us+ ! categorical  
exclusions "u subsection 7a71 !         
,secret>y %all ensure t ! =e/ managem5t 
activities are consi/5t ) ! applicable  
=e/ plans4  7e7 ,cumulative impacts ,!  
,secret>y %all n be requir$ to conduct a
 cumulative impact analysis 9 an        
environm5tal docum5t prep>$ "u !        
,national ,environm5tal ,policy ,act (  
#aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq47 = a 
=e/ managem5t activity c>ri$ out us+ a  
categorical exclusion made available to 
! ,secret>y "u subsection 7a7 or any o!r
 provision ( law 7includ+ regulations74 
7f7 ,expansion ( categorical exclusion =
 insect & disease infe/ation  7#a7      
,p]man5t au?ority ,section #fjb7;f7 ( ! 
,heal?y ,=e/s ,re/oration ,act ( #bjjc  

7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #feia;a7f77 is am5d$ by  
/rik+ ea* ( fiscal ye>s #bjad ?r\gh     
#bjbd4 & ins]t+ ea* fiscal ye>44  7#b7  
,adm9i/rative review ,section #fjc ( !  
,heal?y ,=e/s ,re/oration ,act ( #bjjc  
7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #feia;b7 is am5d$-- 7,a7 
9 subsection 7a71 9 ! matt] prec$+      
p>agraph 7#a71 by /rik+ describ$ 9      
subsection 7b72  7,b7 by /rik+          
subsection 7b72  7,c7 by r$esignat+     
subsections 7c7 ?r\gh 7g7 z subsections 
7b7 ?r\gh 7f71 respectively2 &  7,d7 9  
subsection 7b7 7z s r$esignat$7-- 7i7 9 
p>agraph 7#a71 by /rik+ #cjjj & ins]t+  
#aj1jjj2 &  7ii7 9 p>agraph 7#b71 by    
/rik+ %all be 9 ! matt] prec$+          
subp>agraph 7,a7 & all t foll[s ?r\gh ! 
p]iod at ! end ( subp>agraph 7,b7 &     
ins]t+ may be c>ri$ out 9 any area      
designat$ "u section #fjb7;b71 includ+  
areas 9 ,fire ,regime ,gr\ps ,,iv & ,v44
  #d4 ,exp$it$ environm5tal review  7a7 
,environm5tal impact /atem5ts ,9 an     
environm5tal impact /atem5t prep>$      
pursuant to section #ajb7b7 ( !         

,national ,environm5tal ,policy ,act (  
#aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dccb7b77 = a =e/  
managem5t activity1 ! ,secret>y %all be 
requir$ to /udy1 develop1 & describe    
only ! foll[+ #b alt]natives3  7#a7 ,!  
=e/ managem5t activity4  7#b7 ,!        
alt]native ( no action4  7b7            
,environm5tal assessm5ts ,9 an          
environm5tal assessm5t prep>$ pursuant  
to section #ajb7b7 ( ! ,national        
,environm5tal ,policy ,act ( #aifi 7#db 
,u4,s4,c4 #dccb7b77 = a =e/ managem5t   
activity1 ! ,secret>y %all n be requir$ 
to /udy1 develop1 & describe !          
alt]native ( no action4  #e4 ,good      
neighbor au?ority  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,section
 #hbjf7;a77#c77;,b77i7 ( ! ,agricultural
 ,act ( #bjad 7#af ,u4,s4,c4            
#baac;a7a77#c77;,b77i77 is am5d$ by     
/rik+ or p]man5t4  7b7 ,repeal ,section 
#cca ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ! ,int]ior &       
,relat$ ,ag5cies ,appropriations ,act1  
#bjja 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #ajaa note7 is     
repeal$4  #f4 ,/ew>d%ip end result      
contract+ projects ,section #fjd ( !    

,heal?y ,=e/s ,re/oration ,act ( #bjjc  
7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #feia;c7 is am5d$-- 7#a7 
9 subsection 7c71 by add+ at ! end !    
foll[+3  7#h7 ,ret5tion ( exi/+ wood    
products infra/ructure4  2  7#b7 9      
subsection 7d77#a71 by ins]t+ 1 or      
l[e/-co/-te*nically-acceptable1 aft]    
be/-value2 &  7#c7 9 subsection         
7e77#b77;,a71 by ins]t+ 1 subject to !  
condition t #be p]c5t ( ! gross receipts
 %all be disburs$ to ! c\nty 9 :i* !    
project site is locat$ be=e 2 &4  #g4   
,litigation relief ,section #ajf ( !    
,heal?y ,=e/s ,re/oration ,act ( #bjjc  
7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #feaf7 is am5d$-- 7#a7 by
 r$esignat+ subsections 7a7 ?r\gh 7c7 z 
subsections 7b7 ?r\gh 7d71 respectively2
  7#b7 by ins]t+ be=e subsection 7b7 7z 
s r$esignat$7 ! foll[+3  7a7 ,def9ition 
( cov]$ project ,9 ?is section1 ! t]m   
cov]$ project means--  7#a7 ) respect to
 a project on l& ( ! ,national ,=e/     
,sy/em describ$ 9 section #c7a77;,a71   
any vegetation managem5t project c>ri$  
out by ! ,secret>y ( ,agriculture1      

except on l& on :i* vegetation managem5t
 is prohibit$ by law or ! applicable l& 
& res\rce managem5t plan describ$ 9     
section #aja7ac77;,a72 &  7#b7 ) respect
 to public l&s describ$ 9 section       
#c7a77;,b71 an au?oriz$ haz>d\s fuels   
r$uction project conduct$ "u ?is title4 
2  7#c7 9 subsection 7b7 7z s           
r$esignat$7-- 7,a7 by /rik+ an au?oriz$ 
haz>d\s fuels r$uction project conduct$ 
"u ?is title & ins]t+ a cov]$ project2 &
  7,b7 by /rik+ ! au?oriz$ haz>d\s fuels
 r$uction project & ins]t+ ! cov]$      
project2  7#d7 9 subsection 7c7 7z s    
r$esignat$71 by /rik+ subsection 7a7 &  
ins]t+ subsection 7b72  7#e7 9          
subsection 7d7 7z s r$esignat$7-- 7,a7 9
 p>agraph 7#a71 by /rik+ an au?oriz$    
haz>d\s fuel r$uction project c>ri$ out 
"u ?is title & ins]t+ a cov]$ project2  
7,b7 9 p>agraph 7#b77;,b71 by /rik+     
au?oriz$ haz>d\s fuel r$uction project &
 ins]t+ cov]$ project2 &  7,c7 9        
p>agraph 7#c71 9 ! matt] prec$+         
subp>agraph 7,a71 by /rik+ an au?oriz$  

haz>d\s fuel r$uction project & ins]t+ a
 cov]$ project2 &  7#f7 by add+ at ! end
 ! foll[+3  7e7 ,=e/ ,s]vice pilot      
arbitration program  7#a7 ,e/abli%m5t   
7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y (            
,agriculture 7ref]r$ to 9 ?is subsection
 z ! ,secret>y7 %all e/abli% )9 ! ,=e/  
,s]vice a pilot arbitration program     
7ref]r$ to 9 ?is subsection z ! program7
 to designate any ( ! projects describ$ 
9 p>agraph 7#b7 = an alt]native dispute 
resolution proc$ure to replace judicial 
review ( ! projects4  7,b7 ,designation 
process & arbitration proc$ure ,!       
,secret>y %all-- 7i7 e/abli% a process =
 ! designation ( projects & an          
alt]native dispute resolution proc$ure =
 ! program 9 accordance ) ?is           
subsection2 &  7ii7 publi% 9 ! ,f$]al   
,regi/] ! process & proc$ure describ$ 9 
clause 7i74  7#b7 ,description (        
projects ,! ,secret>y may designate = ! 
program projects =--  7,a7 vegetation   
managem5t2  7,b7 =e/ ?9n+2  7,c7 haz>d\s
 fuels r$uction2 &  7,d7 any o!r        

project1 z det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y4  7f7 
,co/s & fees  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,9 aw>d+    
fees or o!r exp5ses "u section #bdab (  
title #bh1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 = a     
civil action relat+ to a cov]$ project1 
! c\rt %all--  7,a7 re/rict ! aw>d to   
reasonable h\rly reimbursem5ts2 &  7,b7 
ensure t ! aw>d is n grant$ to--  7i7 a 
p>ty o!r ?an a prevail+ p>ty2 or  7ii7 a
 p]son t has sub/antial f9ancial        
res\rces4  7#b7 ,regulations ,!         
,secret>y %all promulgate regulations = 
:at con/itutes-- 7,a7 reasonable h\rly  
reimbursem5ts "u p>agraph 7#a77;,a72 &  
7,b7 sub/antial f9ancial res\rces "u    
p>agraph 7#a77;,b77ii74  4