TORCH Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 7578
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-02-13: 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.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-24T08:08:29Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The TORCH Act (H.R. 7578) aims to enhance the U.S. Forest Service (under the Secretary of Agriculture) and Bureau of Land Management (under the Secretary of the Interior)'s ability to conduct forest management activities that reduce catastrophic wildfire risks. It streamlines administrative processes, expands project sizes, and promotes tools like tree removal, grazing, and utility vegetation management.
Key Provisions
The bill is organized into four titles:
Title I: Hazardous Fuel Reduction Activities
- Sec. 101: Creates a categorical exclusion (a NEPA shortcut bypassing full environmental reviews for low-impact activities) for removing "high-priority hazard trees" (dead or unstable trees near roads, trails, or recreation sites likely to fall and cause harm) on up to 3,000 acres.
- Sec. 102: Allows unappraised timber sales up to $50,000 (up from $10,000) and disposal of trees/products during extreme risks like wildfires or droughts without appraisal.
- Sec. 103: Directs a grazing strategy for fuel reduction, including temporary permits during disasters and post-fire restoration.
- Secs. 104-105: Increases project size limits for wildfire resilience and fuel breaks from 3,000 to 10,000 acres under existing laws.
Title II: Good Neighbor Authority
- Sec. 201: Expands partnerships with states, counties, and Indian tribes; allows them to retain timber sale revenues for restoration projects.
Title III: Electrical Utility Lines Rights-of-Way and Vegetation Management
- Sec. 301: Expands hazard tree removal distance from 10 to 50 feet around power lines; streamlines plan approvals (automatic after 60-67 days); requires utility consultation with private landowners.
- Sec. 302: Establishes a categorical exclusion for vegetation management plans and routine maintenance around utility lines (exempt from NEPA, ESA, and historic preservation reviews); prohibits new permanent roads.
- Sec. 303: Permits utilities to cut/remove vegetation near lines without separate timber sales; requires sharing sale proceeds with Forest Service.
Title IV: Reform of Administrative Requirements
- Sec. 401: Exempts Forest Service and BLM land management plans from re-consultation under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) when new species are listed or new effects are found.
- Sec. 402: Raises categorical exclusion size for collaborative restoration projects from 3,000 to 10,000 acres.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- NEPA and Categorical Exclusions: New exclusions for hazard trees, utility rights-of-way, and larger projects; bypasses "extraordinary circumstances" reviews in some cases.
- ESA: Eliminates reinitiation of consultations for land plans due to new listings or information.
- Project Acreage Limits: Multiple increases from 3,000 to 10,000 acres (e.g., Healthy Forests Restoration Act, Infrastructure Act).
- Timber Sales: Higher unappraised sale thresholds; new extreme risk disposals.
- Utility Management: Broader removal zones, faster approvals under Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA).
- Good Neighbor: Includes Indian tribes; simplifies revenue retention.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Faster project implementation for Forest Service and BLM, reducing administrative delays in wildfire-prone areas.
- Citizens: Lower wildfire risks near communities, roads, and utilities; potential economic benefits from grazing/timber but possible short-term disruptions from management activities.
- Electric Utilities: Simplified vegetation control to prevent power outages and fire ignitions.
- No direct international relations impacts noted.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Agencies: USDA Forest Service, DOI Bureau of Land Management.
- Utilities: Electric transmission/distribution companies.
- Local Partners: States, counties, Indian tribes via Good Neighbor agreements.
- Private Sector: Grazing permit holders, timber interests.
- Public: Residents near federal lands (safer from fires), recreation users, private landowners near utilities.
- Environmental/Conservation Groups: Potentially affected by reduced reviews.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Streamlines NEPA/ESA processes, potentially reducing litigation delays but inviting challenges for weakening environmental safeguards (categorical exclusions must still comply with NEPA basics).
- Constitutional: No direct issues; aligns with property clause authority over federal lands.
- Political: Promotes proactive wildfire mitigation amid rising fire severity; may spark debate over balancing rapid action with species protection and public input. Applies to ongoing projects under certain conditions.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Rep. Gallagher, James [R-CA-1]
Recent Actions
- 2026-02-13: 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.
- 2026-02-13: 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.
- 2026-02-13: Introduced in House
- 2026-02-13: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Targeted Operations to Remove Catastrophic Hazards Act — issued 2026-02-13 — PDF (17 pages)