H.R. 2492: Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act of 2025

This bill, known as the Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act of 2025, aims to streamline the process for electrical utilities to manage vegetation near power lines on certain federal lands. Here are the key points of the bill:

1. Authority for Vegetation Management

The bill authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to allow electrical utilities to cut and remove trees or other vegetation around distribution and transmission lines located on:

• National Forest System lands
• Public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management

This can be done without the need for a formal timber sale process, provided that it aligns with existing land management plans and environmental laws.

2. Special Use Permits

When granting special use permits or easements to electrical utilities for operating on these federal lands, the Secretary may include permissions for vegetation removal as part of the permit agreement. This means utilities can manage vegetation more efficiently to reduce risks, such as wildfires or power outages, associated with overgrown vegetation near power lines.

3. Proceeds from Vegetation Sales

If an electrical utility decides to sell any of the material it removes (such as timber), the bill requires that they share a portion of the proceeds with the federal government. The utility must notify the Secretary of the amount earned, minus any transport costs incurred during the sale.

4. Environmental Compliance

All activities under this bill must comply with applicable land and resource management plans and other environmental regulations. This ensures that while vegetation is managed for safety, environmental protections remain in place.

5. Definitions

The bill defines the relevant terms:

• Covered Federal lands: Refers to lands within the National Forest System and those managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
• Secretary concerned: Refers to the Secretary of Agriculture for National Forest lands and the Secretary of the Interior for Bureau of Land Management lands.

Overall, this legislation is intended to facilitate better management of vegetation around electrical lines on federal lands, with a focus on safety, efficiency, and environmental compliance.

Relevant Companies

• PCG (Pacific Gas and Electric Company) - Likely to be directly impacted as they manage large electrical lines over federal lands and may benefit from more streamlined vegetation management.
• ED (Consolidated Edison, Inc.) - May also see impacts from the bill as they operate in regions with federal lands and manage electrical delivery in relation to vegetation maintenance.