S. 879: National Forest Ecosystem Improvement Act of 2017
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S. 879: National Forest Ecosystem Improvement Act of 2017
115th Congress · introduced 2017-04-06 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
federal
Follow this bill, step by step
- Where it came from: introduced 2017-04-06 · official record
- Who proposed it: Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY] · what a sponsor is
- What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
- Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. 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.
Official title
National Forest Ecosystem Improvement Act of 2017
Plain summary
National Forest Ecosystem Improvement Act of 2017 This bill directs the Forest Service to prioritize and carry out ecosystem restoration projects on National Forest System (NFS) land to accomplish one or more of the objectives specified in this bill, which include restoring terrestrial habitat, carrying out a needed timber stand improvement, reducing the risk or extent of insect or disease infestation, or reducing wildland fire severity potential. The Forest Service may not carry out an ecosystem restoration project on any area of NFS land in the National Wilderness Preservation System or on which removal of vegetation is prohibited by law. The Forest Service must accomplish restoration treatments throughout the NFS on 1 million acres using certain mechanical treatment methods and on another 1 million acres using prescribed fire. The Forest Service shall prepare an environmental assessment in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for each ecosystem restoration project that accomplishes objectives of this bill. The Forest Service shall study and describe in each ecosystem restoration project both the proposed action and a no-action alternative. The Forest Service shall establish an arbitration program as an alternative dispute resolution process in lieu of judicial review for specified types of ecosystem restoration projects. A categorical exclusion is made available to the Forest Service for certain forest management activities in order to: (1) expedite specified critical response actions, (2) expedite salvage operations in response to catastrophic events, and (3) meet forest plan goals for early successional forests. For each forest management activity covered by a categorical exclusion granted by this bill, the Forest Service shall satisfy the interagency consultation obligations under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 by achieving compliance with certain alternative consultation procedures established by federal regulation.
Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.
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What does this mean? (plain words)
Official text
National Forest Ecosystem Improvement Act of 2017
Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes
Officials and money
Sponsor: Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY] · 3 cosponsors
Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.
Cosponsors on this site
Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY] reported raising $1.8 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 (4)
- 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).
- Obligation
- A binding promise by a government agency to pay money, for example by signing a contract or awarding a grant. Spending data such as USAspending.gov counts money when it is obligated, which can be before it is actually paid out.
- Resolution
- A formal statement or decision by a legislative body. Simple resolutions often only express an opinion or set rules for one chamber; they do not become law.
- 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 (Introduced in Senate)
- Congress.gov
- Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115s879.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/s>
Record fed-us-cong115-s879 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115