House natural resources committee advances bill to streamline vegetation removal near power lines

The House Committee on Natural Resources recently advanced H.R. 1873, legislation that would streamline processes for the removal of hazardous overgrowth near power lines on federal lands in order to improve grid reliability.

Reps. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) and Kurt Schrader (D-OR) introduced the bill, the “Electricity Reliability
and Forest Protection Act,” which the committee advanced by a vote of 24-14.

“Our bill is a no-brainer and a great example of the bipartisan work this Congress can achieve when we work together,” Schrader said. “This bill will finally cut the red tape to create a streamlined and consistent process for removing hazardous trees and vegetation without wasting time and money before it can cause a wildfire. Preventing forest fires and maintaining a reliable electrical grid for our communities is an obvious priority for everybody.”

Reps. Bruce Westerman (R-AR), Jim Costa (D-CA), Liz Cheney (R-WY) and Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ) cosponsored the bill. The Western Governors’ Association, the Edison Electric Institute, the American Public Power Association and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association have endorsed the legislation.

“Our bill removes existing red tape that will allow for more streamlined removal of trees that have potential of falling on a power line and causing blackouts or forest fires, as has occurred before,” LaMalfa said. “We’ve had strong support from both sides of the aisle along with many local utility companies and power providers located in Northern California and beyond. I’m pleased to see this bill progress through committee quickly and I look forward to a vote on the House floor soon.”