HR 179 · 119th CongressIn Committee

Proven Forest Management Act of 2025

Latest updateJan 8, 2026

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-430, Part I.

Public Lands and Natural Resources

Sponsor

Tom McClintock

Introduced

January 3, 2025

Latest action

January 8, 2026

Legislative Progress

How far this bill has traveled through Congress

Introduced

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Reviewed & reported

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President

Sent to White House

Enacted

Signed into law

Introduced

Bill filed in chamber

Committee

Reviewed & reported

Passed Chamber

House or Senate vote

Passed Both

House & Senate agree

President

Sent to White House

Enacted

Signed into law

Latest Action

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-430, Part I.

Plain-Language Summary

AI Generated

Currently, the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management conduct forest management activities on federal lands under existing environmental review requirements, primarily the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. These reviews can be lengthy and complex, requiring detailed analysis of environmental impacts before projects proceed. Local governments, fire departments, and community groups often have limited formal roles in planning these activities, even though they may be directly affected by forest management decisions on nearby federal lands. The current framework aims to balance environmental protection with management needs, but stakeholders report that coordination gaps can slow projects and reduce local input.

The Proven Forest Management Act directs the Secretary of Agriculture (for National Forest System lands) and the Secretary of the Interior (for public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management) to coordinate with impacted parties—including local governments, fire departments, Tribal governments, and volunteer groups—when conducting forest management activities. The bill requires these activities to pursue multiple ecosystem benefits, such as reducing forest fuels, maintaining biodiversity, improving water quality, and increasing climate resilience, unless costs are excessive. Critically, the bill creates a categorical exclusion from full National Environmental Policy Act review for fuel-reduction projects up to 10,000 acres (with no more than 3,000 acres of mechanical thinning), provided they are developed in coordination with local governments and are consistent with existing forest plans.

Implementation begins immediately upon enactment. The categorical exclusion streamlines approval timelines for qualifying fuel-reduction projects by eliminating the need for comprehensive environmental impact statements, though projects must still meet forest plan requirements and coordinate with local stakeholders. The bill does not appropriate new funding; agencies will absorb coordination and monitoring costs within existing budgets. By reducing procedural delays for fuel-reduction work, the bill may accelerate thinning and prescribed burn projects on federal forests, potentially increasing timber sales and contracting opportunities while also expanding local government involvement in planning decisions that affect their communities.

Key Provisions

1Requires the Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of the Interior to coordinate with impacted parties, including local governments and fire departments, when conducting forest management activities on National Forest System lands and public lands.
2Directs forest management activities to attain multiple ecosystem benefits including fuel reduction, biological diversity maintenance, water quality improvement, and climate resilience, except when costs are determined to be excessive.
3Establishes a categorical exclusion from National Environmental Policy Act review for fuel-reduction projects up to 10,000 acres (with mechanical thinning capped at 3,000 acres) that are developed in coordination with local governments and consistent with forest plans.
4Authorizes the Secretary concerned to enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with qualified entities to conduct fuel reduction, erosion control, reforestation, and Stream Environment Zone restoration on both federal and non-federal lands.
5Requires the Secretary concerned to establish post-program ground condition criteria for ground disturbance caused by forest management activities and provide monitoring to verify attainment of those conditions.

★ Why this matters

Fuel-reduction projects on federal forests will move faster because qualifying projects no longer require full environmental impact reviews, potentially accelerating thinning and prescribed burn work. Local governments and community organizations gain formal roles in planning forest management activities, giving them earlier input into decisions affecting their regions. The bill balances efficiency gains with ecosystem protections by requiring projects to pursue multiple benefits—fuel reduction, water quality, biodiversity—unless costs become prohibitive.

● Who this affects

Local government officials (county supervisors and commissioners) in counties with National Forest System or Bureau of Land Management lands, who now have mandatory coordination roles in project planning. Fire departments and volunteer fire organizations that conduct or support fuel-reduction work on federal lands. Timber contractors and forestry companies that may see increased contracting opportunities from accelerated fuel-reduction projects. Environmental and conservation groups concerned with forest management practices, who lose some procedural review opportunities for projects under 10,000 acres. Tribal governments and state environmental agencies that participate in consultation on forest management activities.

Bill Text

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<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 179

 To direct the Secretary concerned to coordinate with impacted parties 
 when conducting a forest management activity, and for other purposes.

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 3, 2025

Mr. McClintock (for himself, Mr. Calvert, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Valadao, Mr. 
    Stauber, and Mr. Issa) introduced the following bill; which was 
   referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the 
    Committee on Natural Resources, 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 direct the Secretary concerned to coordinate with impacted parties 
 when conducting a forest management activity, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Proven Forest Management Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. FOREST MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES FOR NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LAND.

    (a) Coordination.--In conducting a forest management activity on 
National Forest System land, the Secretary concerned shall, as 
appropriate, coordinate with impacted parties to increase efficiency 
and maximize the compatibility of management practices across National 
Forest System land.
    (b) Forest Management Activities.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), in 
        conducting a forest management activity on National Forest 
        System land, the Secretary concerned shall conduct such 
        activity in a manner that attains multiple ecosystem benefits, 
        including--
                    (A) reducing forest fuels;
                    (B) maintaining biological diversity;
                    (C) improving wetland and water quality, including 
                in Stream Environment Zones; and
                    (D) increasing resilience to changing water 
                temperature and precipitation.
            (2) Exception for cost.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply if 
        the Secretary concerned determines that the costs associated 
        with attaining multiple ecosystem benefits are excessive.
    (c) Ground Disturbance.--Consistent with applicable Federal law and 
the forest plan developed for the relevant National Forest System land, 
the Secretary concerned shall--
            (1) establish any post-program ground condition criteria 
        for a ground disturbance caused by a forest management activity 
        required by such plan; and
            (2) provide for monitoring to ascertain the attainment of 
        relevant post-program conditions.
    (d) Availability of Categorical Exclusion for Certain Forest 
Management Activities.--A forest management activity conducted on 
N…

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Where House representatives currently stand

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448 tracked

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447

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Members whose public record points toward backing the bill.

Kevin Kiley

I-California · District 3

Likely support

While there are no explicit statements about the Proven Forest Management Act of 2025 in the public record, several factors suggest possible support: (1) Rep. Kiley represents California's 3rd District, which includes forested areas in the Sierra Nevada region affected by forest management issues; (2) He demonstrates a track record of securing funding for rural community projects and infrastructure, including agriculture appropriations; (3) He is an Independent (I-CA) focused on practical governance solutions; (4) The bill's emphasis on forest management aligns with typical priorities of representatives from California's forest-heavy districts. However, confidence is moderate because there is no direct evidence of his stance on this specific bill, no voting record on similar forest management legislation provided, and no explicit policy statements about forest management in the available content.

Proven Forest Management Act of 2025

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● Who this affects

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Proven Forest Management Act of 2025

Legislative Progress

Plain-Language Summary

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★ Why this matters

● Who this affects

Bill Text

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