H.R. 2921: National Forest System Vegetation Management Pilot Program Act of 2017

115th Congress · introduced 2017-06-15 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-06-15 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND-At Large] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

National Forest System Vegetation Management Pilot Program Act of 2017

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the House reported version is repeated here.) National Forest System Vegetation Management Pilot Program Act of 2017 (Sec. 2) This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct a limited, voluntary pilot program to permit vegetation management projects on National Forest System (NFS) land adjacent to rights-of-way to better protect utility infrastructure from potential passing wildfires. Program participants must have a right-of-way on NFS land. USDA shall give priority to holders of a right-of-way who have worked with Forest Service fire scientists and used technologies, such as light detection and ranging surveys, to improve utility infrastructure protection prescriptions. Vegetation management projects will involve limited and selective vegetation management activities, which: shall create the least amount of disturbance necessary to protect utility infrastructure from passing wildfires; may include thinning, fuel reduction, and creation and treatment of shaded fuel breaks; must only take place adjacent to the participant's right-of-way or within 75 feet of it; must not take place in any designated wilderness area, wilderness study area, or inventoried roadless area; and shall be subject to approval by the Forest Service. Participants shall not be held liable to the federal government for damage that was proximately caused by activities conducted pursuant to an approved vegetation management project, unless: such activities were carried out in a manner that was grossly negligent or that was in violation of criminal law, or the damage was caused by the participant's failure to comply with the specific safety requirements imposed by the Forest Service as a condition of participation in the pilot program. In order to implement the pilot program in an efficient and expeditious manner, USDA may waive or modify specific provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, including to allow for the development of contracts or agreements on a noncompetitive basis. USDA may: retain any funds provided to the Forest Service by participants in the pilot program, and use such funds to conduct such program. The bill states that the authority to conduct the pilot program and any vegetation management projects under such program will expire on December 21, 2027.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

National Forest System Vegetation Management Pilot Program Act of 2017

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND-At Large] · 9 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 2921, National Forest System Vegetation Management Pilot Program Act of 2017 (2017-10-20)

Cosponsors on this site

Diana DeGette (D-CO)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND-At Large] reported raising $1.3 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115hr2921.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/hr>

Record fed-us-cong115-hr2921 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115