Us Congress House Bill HB567

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/26/23
• Refer: 1/26/23
• Refer: 2/13/23
• Refer: 2/21/23

Caption

SALVAGE Act Salvaging American Lumber Via Action with Greater Efficiency Act

Impact

The legislation will significantly alter how salvage operations are conducted in response to wildfires and other large-scale disasters. By imposing a maximum limit on the size of treatment units to 10,000 acres and mandating expedited environmental assessments, the bill is expected to enhance the speed of reforestation efforts. Additionally, the Secretary of Agriculture is required to convert timber sales affected by wildfires into salvage sales within 60 days of containment, thereby facilitating quicker recovery and management of forest resources. These changes have implications for forest management strategies across various regions.

Summary

House Bill 567, titled the 'Salvaging American Lumber Via Action with Greater Efficiency Act' (SALVAGE Act), is designed to expedite salvage operations and reforestation activities on National Forest System lands and public lands following catastrophic events such as wildfires. The bill aims to streamline the processes involved in assessing environmental impacts, allowing quick responses to salvage timber sales in areas affected by disasters. Specifically, it establishes categorical exclusions from typical environmental assessment requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to expedite actions necessary to recover from such catastrophic events.

Contention

Points of contention surrounding HB567 primarily revolve around environmental concerns. Critics argue that the expedited processes could undermine environmental protections and lead to potential harm to ecosystems that may still be vulnerable post-catastrophe. There is also concern regarding the balance between efficient recovery efforts and the thorough assessment of ecological impacts, as typical public input and scrutiny might be bypassed under the new categorical exclusions. Proponents, however, contend that quicker responses are essential for mitigating damage and enhancing forest resilience after catastrophic events.