H.R. 1873 - 115th Congress (2017-2018) - Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act

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 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 the 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 the USDA shall apply its categorical exclusion process under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) to plans developed under this bill.

(A "categorical exclusion" under 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.)

Text (4)

June 22, 2017

June 21, 2017

June 12, 2017

April 4, 2017

Amendments (3)

Jun 21, 2017

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 139

An amendment numbered 3 printed in Part A of House Report 115-186 to prohibit any loss of funds for wild-fire suppression.

Agreed To

Jun 21, 2017

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 138

An amendment numbered 2 printed in Part A of House Report 115-186 to ensure personnel of the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service involved in vegetation management decisions on transmission and distribution rights-of-way receive training on how unmanned technologies can be used to identify vegetation management needs, lower energy costs, and reduce the risk of wildfires.

Agreed To

Jun 21, 2017

Not Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 137

Amendment sought to ensure that owners and operators of electric transmission and distribution facilities submit management plans to the Secretary.

Active

Actions (32)

Show Only Major Actions

09/19/2017

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

06/22/2017

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

06/21/2017

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

06/21/2017

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

06/21/2017

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

06/21/2017

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)

06/21/2017

The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.

06/21/2017

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

06/21/2017

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.

06/21/2017

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.

06/21/2017

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.

06/21/2017

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.

06/21/2017

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.

06/21/2017

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

06/21/2017

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

06/21/2017

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

06/21/2017

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.

06/21/2017

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

06/20/2017

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.

06/12/2017

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 110.

06/12/2017

Committee on Agriculture discharged.

06/12/2017

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

05/01/2017

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H2991)

04/27/2017

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

04/27/2017

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

04/27/2017

Subcommittee on Federal Lands Discharged.

04/27/2017

Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans Discharged.

04/24/2017

Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry.

04/11/2017

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans.

04/11/2017

Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.

04/04/2017

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.

04/04/2017

Introduced in House

Public Record

Record Updated

Jan 11, 2023 1:36:06 PM