Legis Daily

Sage-Grouse and Mule Deer Habitat Conservation and Restoration Act of 2018

USA115th CongressS-1417| Senate 
| Updated: 9/7/2018
Orrin G. Hatch

Orrin G. Hatch

Republican Senator

Utah

Cosponsors (1)
Martin Heinrich (Democratic)

Environment and Public Works Committee, Natural Resources Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Sage-Grouse and Mule Deer Habitat Conservation and Restoration Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Interior to categorically exclude vegetative management activities that establish or improve habitat for greater sage-grouse and mule deer from environmental review requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Examples of vegetative management activities include restoring native vegetation following a natural disturbance or preventing the expansion of nonnative or invasive vegetation into such habitat. A categorical exclusion under NEPA is a category of actions which do not have a significant effect on the human environment and for which neither an Environmental Assessment nor an Environmental Impact Statement is required. The bill prohibits the categorical exclusion from including: (1) activity conducted in a wilderness area or wilderness study area, or (2) activity for the construction of a permanent road or trail. Before commencing a vegetative management activity that is covered by a categorical exclusion, Interior must develop a long-term monitoring and maintenance plan, covering at least 20 years, to ensure that management of the treated area does not degrade the habitat gains secured by the vegetative management activity. Vegetative material resulting from vegetative management activity may be: (1) used for fuel wood or other products; or (2) piled or burned, or both. Native vegetative cover must be reestablished on a temporary road constructed in connection with a categorically excluded vegetative management activity in order to minimize soil erosion from areas disturbed by the temporary road.

Bill Text Versions

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3 versions available

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Timeline
Jun 22, 2017
Introduced in Senate
Jun 22, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Sep 27, 2017
Committee on Environment and Public Works. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-112.
Sep 6, 2018
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Sep 6, 2018
Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Sep 6, 2018
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S6102-6103)
Sep 6, 2018
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works discharged by Unanimous Consent.
Sep 7, 2018
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Sep 7, 2018
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Sep 7, 2018
Received in the House.
  • June 22, 2017
    Introduced in Senate


  • June 22, 2017
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.


  • September 27, 2017
    Committee on Environment and Public Works. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-112.


  • September 6, 2018
    Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.


  • September 6, 2018
    Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.


  • September 6, 2018
    Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S6102-6103)


  • September 6, 2018
    Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works discharged by Unanimous Consent.


  • September 7, 2018
    Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.


  • September 7, 2018
    Message on Senate action sent to the House.


  • September 7, 2018
    Received in the House.

Public Lands and Natural Resources

Related Bills

  • HR 115-2: Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018
  • HR 115-3543: To require the Secretary of the Interior to develop a categorical exclusion for covered vegetative management activities carried out to establish or improve habitat for greater sage-grouse and mule deer, and for other purposes.
  • S 115-2068: A bill to discourage litigation against the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management relating to land management projects, to require the Secretary of the Interior to develop a categorical exclusion for covered vegetative management activities carried out to establish or improve habitat for greater sage-grouse and mule deer, to address the forest health crisis on National Forest System land, to expedite and prioritize forest management activities to achieve ecosystem restoration objectives, and for other purposes.
Administrative law and regulatory proceduresBirdsDepartment of the InteriorEndangered and threatened speciesEnvironmental assessment, monitoring, researchFiresLand use and conservationMammalsRoads and highwaysWildlife conservation and habitat protection

Sage-Grouse and Mule Deer Habitat Conservation and Restoration Act of 2018

USA115th CongressS-1417| Senate 
| Updated: 9/7/2018
Sage-Grouse and Mule Deer Habitat Conservation and Restoration Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Interior to categorically exclude vegetative management activities that establish or improve habitat for greater sage-grouse and mule deer from environmental review requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Examples of vegetative management activities include restoring native vegetation following a natural disturbance or preventing the expansion of nonnative or invasive vegetation into such habitat. A categorical exclusion under NEPA is a category of actions which do not have a significant effect on the human environment and for which neither an Environmental Assessment nor an Environmental Impact Statement is required. The bill prohibits the categorical exclusion from including: (1) activity conducted in a wilderness area or wilderness study area, or (2) activity for the construction of a permanent road or trail. Before commencing a vegetative management activity that is covered by a categorical exclusion, Interior must develop a long-term monitoring and maintenance plan, covering at least 20 years, to ensure that management of the treated area does not degrade the habitat gains secured by the vegetative management activity. Vegetative material resulting from vegetative management activity may be: (1) used for fuel wood or other products; or (2) piled or burned, or both. Native vegetative cover must be reestablished on a temporary road constructed in connection with a categorically excluded vegetative management activity in order to minimize soil erosion from areas disturbed by the temporary road.

Bill Text Versions

View Text
3 versions available

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Jun 22, 2017
Introduced in Senate
Jun 22, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Sep 27, 2017
Committee on Environment and Public Works. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-112.
Sep 6, 2018
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Sep 6, 2018
Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Sep 6, 2018
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S6102-6103)
Sep 6, 2018
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works discharged by Unanimous Consent.
Sep 7, 2018
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Sep 7, 2018
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Sep 7, 2018
Received in the House.
  • June 22, 2017
    Introduced in Senate


  • June 22, 2017
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.


  • September 27, 2017
    Committee on Environment and Public Works. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-112.


  • September 6, 2018
    Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.


  • September 6, 2018
    Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.


  • September 6, 2018
    Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S6102-6103)


  • September 6, 2018
    Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works discharged by Unanimous Consent.


  • September 7, 2018
    Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.


  • September 7, 2018
    Message on Senate action sent to the House.


  • September 7, 2018
    Received in the House.
Orrin G. Hatch

Orrin G. Hatch

Republican Senator

Utah

Cosponsors (1)
Martin Heinrich (Democratic)

Environment and Public Works Committee, Natural Resources Committee

Public Lands and Natural Resources

Related Bills

  • HR 115-2: Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018
  • HR 115-3543: To require the Secretary of the Interior to develop a categorical exclusion for covered vegetative management activities carried out to establish or improve habitat for greater sage-grouse and mule deer, and for other purposes.
  • S 115-2068: A bill to discourage litigation against the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management relating to land management projects, to require the Secretary of the Interior to develop a categorical exclusion for covered vegetative management activities carried out to establish or improve habitat for greater sage-grouse and mule deer, to address the forest health crisis on National Forest System land, to expedite and prioritize forest management activities to achieve ecosystem restoration objectives, and for other purposes.
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Administrative law and regulatory proceduresBirdsDepartment of the InteriorEndangered and threatened speciesEnvironmental assessment, monitoring, researchFiresLand use and conservationMammalsRoads and highwaysWildlife conservation and habitat protection