,i #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #deaf ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,july #ai1 #bjba,mr4 ,garcia of ,california 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,westerman1 ,mr4 ,la,malfa1 ,mr4 ,bentz1 ,mr4 ,obernolte1 ,mr4 ,newhouse1 ,mr4 ,johnson of ,south ,dakota1 ,mr4 ,nunes1 and ,mr4 ,rosendale7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to establish a categorical exclusion to expedite certain critical response actions1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,protecting and ,restoring ,our ,trees by ,enhancing ,conservation and ,treatments ,act or the ,,protect ,act4 #b4 ,categorical exclusion to expedite certain critical response actions 7a7 ,categorical exclusion established ,forest management activities described in subsection 7b7 are a category of actions hereby designated as being categorically excluded from the preparation of an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement under section #ajb of the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dccb74 7b7 ,forest management activities designated for categorical exclusion ,the forest management activities designated under this section for a categorical exclusion are forest management activities carried out by the ,secretary concerned on ,national ,forest ,system lands or public lands where the primary purpose of such activity is-- 7#a7 to address an insect or disease infestation2 7#b7 to reduce hazardous fuel loads2 7#c7 to protect a municipal water source2 7#d7 to maintain1 enhance1 or modify critical habitat to protect such habitat from catastrophic disturbances2 7#e7 to increase water yield2 7#f7 to remove dead or dying trees or trees at high risk of dying2 7#g7 to facilitate native species restoration2 or 7#h7 any combination of the purposes specified in paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#g74 7c7 ,availability of categorical exclusion ,on and after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary concerned may use the categorical exclusion established under subsection 7a7 in accordance with this section4 7d7 ,acreage limitations 7#a7 ,in general ,except as provided in paragraph 7#b71 a forest management activity covered by the categorical exclusion established under subsection 7a7 may not contain treatment units exceeding a total of #aj1jjj acres4 7#b7 ,larger areas authorized ,a forest management activity covered by the categorical exclusion established under subsection 7a7 may contain treatment units exceeding a total of #aj1jjj acres but not more than a total of #cj1jjj acres if the forest management activity is-- 7,a7 developed through a collaborative process2 7,b7 proposed by a resource advisory committee2 or 7,c7 covered by a community wildfire protection plan4 7e7 ,exclusions ,the authorities provided by this ,act do not apply with respect to any ,national ,forest ,system lands or public lands-- 7#a7 that are included in the ,national ,wilderness ,preservation ,system2 7#b7 that are located within a national or ,state-specific inventoried roadless area established by the ,secretary of ,agriculture through regulation1 unless-- 7,a7 the forest management activity to be carried out under such authority is consistent with the forest plan applicable to the area2 or 7,b7 the ,secretary concerned determines the activity is allowed under the applicable roadless rule governing such lands2 or 7#c7 on which timber harvesting for any purpose is prohibited by ,federal statute4 7f7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,collaborative process ,the term collaborative process means a process relating to the management of ,national ,forest ,system lands or public lands by which a project or forest management activity is developed and implemented by the ,secretary concerned through collaboration with multiple interested persons representing diverse interests4 7#b7 ,community wildfire protection plan ,the term community wildfire protection plan has the meaning given that term in section #aja of the ,healthy ,forests ,restoration ,act of #bjjc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #feaa74 7#c7 ,forest management activity ,the term forest management activity means a project or activity carried out by the ,secretary concerned on ,national ,forest ,system lands or public lands consistent with the forest plan covering such lands4 7#d7 ,forest plan ,the term forest plan means-- 7,a7 a land use plan prepared by the ,bureau of ,land ,management for public lands pursuant to section #bjb of the ,federal ,land ,policy and ,management ,act of #aigf 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #agab72 or 7,b7 a land and resource management plan prepared by the ,forest ,service for a unit of the ,national ,forest ,system pursuant to section #f of the ,forest and ,rangeland ,renewable ,resources ,planning ,act of #aigd 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #afjd74 7#e7 ,national forest system ,the term ,national ,forest ,system has the meaning given that term in section #aa7;a7 of the ,forest and ,rangeland ,renewable ,resources ,planning ,act of #aigd 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #afji7;a774 7#f7 ,public lands ,the term public lands has the meaning given that term in section #ajc of the ,federal ,land ,policy and ,management ,act of #aigf 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #agjb71 except that the term includes ,coos ,bay ,wagon ,road ,grant lands and ,oregon and ,california ,railroad ,grant lands4 7#g7 ,resource advisory committee ,the term resource advisory committee has the meaning given that term in section #bja of the ,secure ,rural ,schools and ,community ,self-,determination ,act of #bjjj 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #gaba74 7#h7 ,secretary concerned ,the term ,secretary concerned means-- 7,a7 the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 with respect to ,national ,forest ,system lands2 and 7,b7 the ,secretary of the ,interior1 with respect to public lands4