This bill changes the rules for consulting on land management plans, allowing officials to skip some steps when new endangered species are identified. This could speed up the process of managing forests and other lands.
Forest Information Reform Act or the FIR Act This bill specifies that neither the Forest Service nor the Bureau of Land Management are required to reinitiate consultation on a land management plan when a new species is listed as threatened or endangered, critical habitat is designated, or new information reveals effects of the plan may affect a listed species or critical habitat in a manner or to an extent not previously considered.
1. This bill allows the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to skip certain consultations. 2. It applies when new species are listed or critical habitats are designated under the Endangered Species Act. 3. The bill changes how land management plans are reviewed for their impact on endangered species. 4. It aims to streamline the planning process for forest and land management. 5. The bill affects how quickly land management plans can be updated.
Forest managers and environmental groups monitoring endangered species.