HR 731

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 24, 2025

Mr. Issa (for himself, Mr. Bacon, and Mr. LaMalfa) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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

A BILL

To exempt hazardous fuel reduction activities from certain environmental requirements for a 10-year period.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Green Tape Elimination Act of 2025”.

SEC. 2. EXEMPTION OF HAZARDOUS FUEL REDUCTION ACTIVITIES FROM CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS.

(a) In General.—During the 10-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this section, a hazardous fuel reduction activity carried out on Federal land—

(1) shall not be considered a major Federal action for the purposes of section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)); and

(2) may be carried out without regard to the provisions of law specified in subsection (b).

(b) Provisions of Law Specified.—The provisions of law specified in this subsection are all Federal laws, regulations, and legal requirements of, deriving from, or related to the subject of the following laws:

(1) The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

(2) Division A of subtitle III of title 54, United States Code (commonly referred to as the “National Historic Preservation Act”).

(3) The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.).

(4) The Migratory Bird Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 715 et seq.).

(c) Clean Air Act Amendment.—Section 319 of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7619) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(c) Certain Air Quality Monitoring Data Excluded.—In the event a hazardous fuel reduction activity (as that term is defined in section 2(d) of the Green Tape Elimination Act of 2025) is carried out that the Administrator determines has a significant impact on air quality, the Administrator shall exclude air quality monitoring data that is directly due to such hazardous fuel reduction activity from use in determinations by the Administrator with respect to exceedances or violations of the national ambient air quality standard for any air pollutant.”.

(d) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) Hazardous fuel.—The term “hazardous fuel” means any vegetative material that is susceptible to burning, including—

(A) trees;

(B) grasses;

(C) shrubs;

(D) sagebrush;

(E) chaparral; and

(F) any dead vegetative material on or near the ground.

(2) Hazardous fuel reduction activity.—The term “hazardous fuel reduction activity” means an activity the purpose of which is—

(A) the installation of—

(i) a natural or manmade change in fuel characteristics that affects fire behavior such that a fire can be more readily controlled (commonly known as a “fuel break”); or

(ii) a natural or constructed barrier used to stop or check a fire or to provide a control line from which to work to stop or check a fire (commonly known as a “firebreak”); or

(B) to reduce hazardous fuels, including—

(i) prescribed fire;

(ii) wildland fire use; and

(iii) the use of mechanical methods such as crushing, tractor and hand piling, thinning, pruning, cutting, or otherwise removing hazardous fuels. <all>