HR 7695
To provide that the final rule titled "Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation" and issued on January 12, 2001 (66 Fed. Reg. 3244) shall have no force or effect and require the Secretary of Agriculture to construct certain roads on National Forest System lands, and for other purposes.
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Bill overview
This bill aims to overturn the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation rule, which limited federal land management decisions regarding road construction and development. It directs the Secretary of Agriculture to construct specific roads on National Forest System lands to support forest restoration, hazardous fuels reduction, and road decommissioning efforts. The bill also defines key terms related to at-risk communities and the wildland-urban interface.
Key provisions
- Nullifies the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation rule.
- Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to construct roads for forest restoration.
- Authorizes road construction to reduce hazardous fuels in specific areas.
- Allows road construction to replace or decommission existing roads.
- Directs road construction to support the intent of the 1897 Forest Reserve Act.
- Defines ‘at-risk community’ and ‘wildland-urban interface’ using definitions from the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003.
- Clarifies the definition of ‘National Forest System’.
Who is affected
- Department of Agriculture
- Forest Service
- National Forest System Lands
- Local Communities (specifically at-risk communities)
- Landowners and residents in the wildland-urban interface
Notable changes
- Reverses a previous federal regulation regarding road construction on National Forest System lands.
- Mandates new road construction to address forest health and wildfire risk.
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
Harriet M. [R-WY-At Large] Hageman
Cosponsors
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119th CONGRESS — 2d Session
H. R. 7695
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To provide that the final rule titled Special Areas; Roadless
Area Conservation
and issued on January 12, 2001 (66 Fed. Reg. 3244) shall have no
force or effect and require the Secretary of Agriculture to construct certain roads on
National Forest System lands, and for other purposes.
The final rule of the Department of Agriculture titled Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation
and issued on January 12, 2001 (66 Fed. Reg. 3244) shall have no force or effect.
The Secretary of Agriculture may not take any action to propose, finalize, implement, administer, or enforce any rule substantially similar to the rule described in paragraph (1).
to carry out hazardous fuels reduction activities of the Forest Service in—
an at-risk community;
the wildland-urban interface; or
a municipal watershed;
to replace or decommission any existing permanent road determined by the Secretary to be adversely affecting the health of a forest, rangeland, or a watershed; or
The terms at-risk community and wildland-urban interface have the meanings given such terms, respectively, in section 101 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511).