A proposal that would make it easier to manage forests has passed through the House of Representatives.
The House passed the bipartisan Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act as part of an amendment to the Fix Our Forests Act.
The big picture: The bill was proposed by Representatives David Valadao (R–Hanford), Jim Costa (D–Fresno), Salud Carbajal (D–Santa Barbara) and Brian Fitzpatrick (D–PA).
- It allows the U.S. Forest Service to approve the removal of hazardous trees near power lines on federal forest lands without requiring a timber sale.
- While utilities are required to keep trees and branches away from power lines on federal lands, they are not allowed to clear them without a timber sale, which slows down the process of clearing hazardous fuel out of the way.
What they’re saying: “California is no stranger to destructive wildfires, and in the Central Valley, we live with the consequences,” Valadao said. “Far too often, bureaucratic red tape gets in the way of proper forest management, and it directly impacts air quality in the Valley. It shouldn’t be so hard to remove the dead trees we know make fires worse, and I’m glad to see this commonsense step toward reducing wildfire risk cross the finish line in the House.”
- Costa added, “As our communities continue to recover from devastating wildfires, the House took the right step by passing the Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act to help prevent future disasters. This legislation will cut red tape, streamline the removal of hazardous vegetation near power lines, and strengthen our infrastructure to better protect homes and businesses.”
