Federal agencies are proposing a new rule outlining if and when power companies can clear vegetation surrounding their equipment in federally owned forests.
The proposed rule applies to a 2017 law aimed at streamlining the permitting process so utilities could maintain their power lines and transmission equipment faster. Lawmakers hoped this would decrease the chances of power lines sparking a wildfire.
The rule sets deadlines for the National Forest Service to review utility companies' application to maintain their equipment on federal lands. It also defines what sort of vegetation 鈥� like dead trees and bushes 鈥� companies could remove from rights-of-way.
California Congressman Doug LaMalfa sponsored the bill.
鈥淢y bill moved in the direction of trying to make it a simpler process to get out there and get the work done without unnecessary bureaucratic roadblocks,鈥� LaMalfa told JPR. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 get to do as much as we wanted to do in the bill, but it鈥檚 progress.鈥�
LaMalfa says it got some pushback from environmental groups.
鈥淭here will be those that ask, 鈥榃ell, does that mean you guys are going to clear cut?鈥欌�� LaMalfa says. 鈥淣o, it doesn鈥檛 mean clear-cutting. It doesn鈥檛 mean a massive opportunity for the big timber to go out and cut all the trees.鈥�
The public can comment on the proposed rule until November 25th. The Forest Service will publish a final rule by next spring.
