The House Committee on Agriculture recently passed H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026.
Over 150 amendments were filed for consideration at the markup. None of the amendments debated or voted on address public power priorities.
The relevant provisions related to wildfire preparedness included in Title VIII of the bill include Section 8406, which would establish a specific NEPA categorical exclusion for vegetation management, inspection, and operations for utility rights-of-way on federal lands.
Section 8417 would allow the Secretary of Agriculture to permit electric utilities operating with special use permits or easements on National Forest System lands to remove trees and other vegetation within the vicinity of distribution or transmission lines, including hazard trees, without a requisite timber sale if that removal is consistent with the applicable land management plan.
If a utility decides to proceed with a sale under special use permit, proceeds from the sale, minus transportation costs, would be returned to the Forest Service.
It remains unclear when the Senate Agriculture Committee will release their version of the Farm Bill.
