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Congress·In Committee·about 1 year ago

Public Land Management: Endangered Species Rules

Also known as: FIR Act

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

Key Points

  • Representative Zinke introduced a bill called the FIR Act to change how the government handles environmental reviews on federal lands managed by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
  • Currently, when a new animal or plant is added to the endangered species list, these agencies often have to pause and redo their long-term land management plans to ensure the species is protected.
  • This bill would allow the agencies to keep their existing land plans in place without restarting those official reviews, even if a new species is protected or new information about a species' habitat is discovered.
  • The goal of the policy is to prevent delays for projects like thinning forests to reduce wildfire risks, maintaining hiking trails, and managing cattle grazing on public lands.
  • This change would affect how the government manages millions of acres of national forests and public lands across the country.
  • While this could speed up land use projects, some may worry it could lead to decisions that don't fully account for the needs of newly protected wildlife.

Milestones

3 milestones3 actions
Feb 28, 2025House

Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.

Jan 21, 2025House

Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced in House

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

FIR Act

Bill NumberHR 598
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(2)
R: 2

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