S. 395: Emergency Fuel Reduction Act of 2025

This bill categorically excludes from the environmental review requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) certain hazardous fuel reduction projects on federal land. A categorical exclusion applies to a class of actions that do not require an environmental assessment nor an environmental impact statement under NEPA.

The categorical exclusion established by the bill applies to a hazardous fuel reduction project that (1) involves the removal of trees that are dead, dying, or insect-infected or present a threat to public safety; (2) involves the removal of hazardous fuels threatening infrastructure; (3) is conducted on federal land with conditions that pose a risk to adjacent nonfederal land; or (4) treats 10,000 acres or less of federal land that is at particular risk for wildfire, contains threatened and endangered species habitat, or provides conservation benefits to certain species, such as a special concern species.

This categorical exclusion does not apply to federal land (1) that is a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System, (2) on which the removal of vegetation is specifically prohibited by federal law, or (3) that is within a national monument as of the date of enactment of this bill.

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.