United States 115th Congress Status: Passed House Bipartisan · 15 R · 5 D · 1 I cosponsors

HR 1873 — Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act

Last action — Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-485.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 115th Congress. It reached “Passed House” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act (Sec. 2) This bill requires the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA), with respect to lands under their respective jurisdictions, to ensure that all existing and future rights-of-way for electrical transmission and distribution facilities on such lands include requirements for utility vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance activities that: are developed in consultation with the holder of the right-of-way; enable the owner or operator of a facility to operate and maintain it in good working order and comply with federal, state, and local electric system reliability and fire safety requirements; and minimize the need for case-by-case or annual approvals, and instead provide for expedited review and approval, for routine vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance activities within existing electrical transmission and distribution rights-of-way, as well as utility vegetation management activities necessary to control hazard trees within or adjacent to electrical transmission and distribution rights-of-way. Interior and USDA shall give facility owners and operators the option to submit to the appropriate agency a vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance plan. Interior and USDA shall develop jointly a consolidated and coordinated process for review and approval of these plans. Interior and USDA shall apply its categorical exclusion process under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) to plans developed by this bill. (A "categorical exclusion" under the NEPA is a category of actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment and for which neither an Environmental Assessment nor an Environmental Impact Statement is required.) If vegetation on federal lands within, or hazard trees on federal lands adjacent to, an electrical transmission or distribution right-of-way granted by Interior or USDA has contacted, or is in imminent danger of contacting, one or more electric transmission or distribution lines, the owner or operator: may prune or remove the vegetation or hazard tree to avoid disruption of electric service and risk of fire, and shall notify the local agent of the relevant agency within 24 hours after such removal. The owner or operator of a transmission or distribution facility, after notifying Interior or USDA, as appropriate, may also conduct vegetation management activities on federal lands to meet clearance requirements under standards established by the Electric Reliability Organization or by state and local authorities. An owner or operator of a transmission or distribution facility shall not be held liable for wildfire damage, loss, or injury, including the cost of fire suppression, if Interior or USDA fails to allow it to: operate consistently with an approved vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance plan on federal lands within or adjacent to a right-of-way to comply with federal, state, or local electric system reliability and fire safety standards; or perform vegetation management activities in response to a hazard tree or a tree in imminent danger of contacting the owner's or operator's transmission or distribution facility. Interior and USDA may develop a program to train their personnel involved in vegetation management decisions on rights-of-way relating to transmission and distribution facilities. Interior and USDA shall prescribe regulations, or amend existing regulations, to implement this bill. An owner or operator does not have to develop and submit a vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance plan if one has already been approved by Interior or USDA before the enactment of this bill. (Sec. 3) This bill shall not detract from the availability of funds or other resources for wild-fire suppression.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

6 added · 1 removed

Plain-language change summary

The current version of the bill adds information about its referral to the Senate and the specific committee it was sent to. The previous version did not include this detail. This change matters because it clarifies the bill's current status in the legislative process.

→
Previous
Latest
1873 Engrossed in House (EH)] <DOC> 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H.
1873 Referred in Senate (RFS)] <DOC> 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H.
1873 _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to enhance the reliability of the electricity grid and reduce the threat of wildfires to and from electric transmission and distribution facilities on Federal lands by facilitating vegetation management on such lands.
1873 _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 22, 2017 Received;
read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to enhance the reliability of the electricity grid and reduce the threat of wildfires to and from electric transmission and distribution facilities on Federal lands by facilitating vegetation management on such lands.
Clerk.
KAREN L.
115th CONGRESS 1st Session H.
HAAS, Clerk.
R.
1873 _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to enhance the reliability of the electricity grid and reduce the threat of wildfires to and from electric transmission and distribution facilities on Federal lands by facilitating vegetation management on such lands.
⬇ Download PDF
View plain text versions (4)

Action History

  1. Introduced in House

  2. Introduced in House

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.

  7. Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans.

  8. Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry.

  9. Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans Discharged.

  10. Subcommittee on Federal Lands Discharged.

  11. Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

  12. Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 24 - 14.

  13. Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H2991)

  14. Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 115-165, Part I.

  15. Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 115-165, Part I.

  16. Committee on Agriculture discharged.

  17. Committee on Agriculture discharged.

  18. Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 110.

  19. Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 392 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1873 and 1654, with 1 hour of general debate for each bill. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except a motion to recommit with or without instructions on each bill. Both measures will be considered read and have specified amendments.

  20. Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 392. (consideration: CR H5022-5032)

  21. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1873 and 1654, with 1 hour of general debate for each bill. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except a motion to recommit with or without instructions on each bill. Both measures will be considered read and have specified amendments.

  22. House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 392 and Rule XVIII.

  23. The Speaker designated the Honorable Steve Womack to act as Chairman of the Committee.

  24. GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 1873.

  25. DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 392, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Carbajal Part A Amendment No. 1.

  26. POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Carbajal Part A amendment No. 1, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Carbajal demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until later in the legislative day.

  27. DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 392, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Sinema Part A Amendment No. 2.

  28. DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 392, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Beyer Part A Amendment No. 3.

  29. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - The Chair announced that the unfinished business was on adoption of the Carbajal Part A Amendment No. 1 which was debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.

  30. The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 1873.

  31. The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.

  32. The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H5027-5029)

  33. Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 300 - 118 (Roll no. 315).

  34. On passage Passed by recorded vote: 300 - 118 (Roll no. 315).

  35. Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

  36. Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

  37. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-485.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 20 co-sponsors · 526 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (20)

Not signed on (526)

526 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 526 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

environment energy
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does HR 1873 do?
Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act (Sec. 2) This bill requires the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA), with respect to lands under their respective jurisdictions, to ensure that all existing and future rights-of-way for electrical transmission and distribution facilities on such lands include requirements for utility vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance activities that: are developed in consultation with the holder of the right-of-way; enable the owner or operator of a facility to operate and maintain it in good working order and comply with federal, state, and local electric system reliability and fire safety requirements; and minimize the need for case-by-case or annual approvals, and instead provide for expedited review and approval, for routine vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance activities within existing electrical transmission and distribution rights-of-way, as well as utility vegetation management activities necessary to control hazard trees within or adjacent to electrical transmission and distribution rights-of-way. Interior and USDA shall give facility owners and operators the option to submit to the appropriate agency a vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance plan. Interior and USDA shall develop jointly a consolidated and coordinated process for review and approval of these plans. Interior and USDA shall apply its categorical exclusion process under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) to plans developed by this bill. (A "categorical exclusion" under the NEPA is a category of actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment and for which neither an Environmental Assessment nor an Environmental Impact Statement is required.) If vegetation on federal lands within, or hazard trees on federal lands adjacent to, an electrical transmission or distribution right-of-way granted by Interior or USDA has contacted, or is in imminent danger of contacting, one or more electric transmission or distribution lines, the owner or operator: may prune or remove the vegetation or hazard tree to avoid disruption of electric service and risk of fire, and shall notify the local agent of the relevant agency within 24 hours after such removal. The owner or operator of a transmission or distribution facility, after notifying Interior or USDA, as appropriate, may also conduct vegetation management activities on federal lands to meet clearance requirements under standards established by the Electric Reliability Organization or by state and local authorities. An owner or operator of a transmission or distribution facility shall not be held liable for wildfire damage, loss, or injury, including the cost of fire suppression, if Interior or USDA fails to allow it to: operate consistently with an approved vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance plan on federal lands within or adjacent to a right-of-way to comply with federal, state, or local electric system reliability and fire safety standards; or perform vegetation management activities in response to a hazard tree or a tree in imminent danger of contacting the owner's or operator's transmission or distribution facility. Interior and USDA may develop a program to train their personnel involved in vegetation management decisions on rights-of-way relating to transmission and distribution facilities. Interior and USDA shall prescribe regulations, or amend existing regulations, to implement this bill. An owner or operator does not have to develop and submit a vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance plan if one has already been approved by Interior or USDA before the enactment of this bill. (Sec. 3) This bill shall not detract from the availability of funds or other resources for wild-fire suppression.
Who sponsors HR 1873?
HR 1873 is sponsored by Schrader, Kurt (Democratic), Cheney, Liz (Republican), Costa, Jim (Democratic), Westerman, Bruce (Republican), O'Halleran, Tom (Democratic), Pearce, Stevan (Republican), Sinema, Kyrsten (Independent), Jones, Walter B., Jr. (Republican), Amodei, Mark E. (Republican), Peterson, Collin C. (Democratic), Simpson, Michael K. (Republican), Weber, Randy K. Sr. (Republican), Meadows, Mark (Republican), Rooney, Thomas J. (Republican), Calvert, Ken (Republican), Kind, Ron (Democratic), McSally, Martha (Republican), Denham, Jeff (Republican), McClintock, Tom (Republican), Emmer, Tom (Republican), and LaMalfa, Doug (Republican).
What is the current status of HR 1873?
This bill died with 115th Congress. It reached “Passed House” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track HR 1873?
Track HR 1873 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on HR 1873

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of HR 1873

Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →