WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) released the following statement upon passage of the bipartisan Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. Congressman Valadao joined Reps. Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Jim Costa (CA-21) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) to re-introduce this bill which would allow the U.S. Forest Service to approve the removal of hazardous trees near power lines on federal forest lands without requiring a timber sale. This eases a serious threat that has been a major cause of destructive wildfires in the past.

“California is no stranger to destructive wildfires, and in the Central Valley, we live with the consequences,” said Congressman Valadao. “Far too often, bureaucratic red tape gets in the way of proper forest management, and it directly impacts air quality in the Valley. It shouldn’t be so hard to remove the dead trees we know make fires worse, and I’m glad to see this commonsense step toward reducing wildfire risk cross the finish line in the House.”

"The Western United States continues to experience catastrophic wildfires, and we need common-sense solutions that balance sustainable forest management practices with reducing wildfire risks," said Rep. Carbajal. "My bipartisan bill strives to find this balance and is a common sense solution to protect our communities.”

“As our communities continue to recover from devastating wildfires, the House took the right step by passing the Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act to help prevent future disasters,” said Rep. Costa. “This legislation will cut red tape, streamline the removal of hazardous vegetation near power lines, and strengthen our infrastructure to better protect homes and businesses.”

“As Co-Chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, I’ve worked to advance practical, prevention-first solutions to reduce wildfire risks. The House’s bipartisan passage of the Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act is a meaningful step forward—cutting through red tape to allow for the safe removal of hazardous vegetation near power lines on federal lands. This commonsense measure will help protect lives, support our firefighters, and make our communities more resilient in the face of growing wildfire threats,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick.

Background:

Currently, utility companies are required to keep trees and branches away from power lines on federal lands. But fallen or dead trees cannot be cleared currently without a timber sale, creating an administrative step that can slow clearing of hazardous fuel and potential wildfire triggers on federal lands.

This bill was adopted as an amendment to the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act. The Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act was first introduced in 2023 by California Congressmen David Valadao (CA-22), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), and Jim Costa (CA-21) and was approved by the House Natural Resources Committee unanimously in September 2024.

U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Steve Daines (R-MT) led the companion bill in the Senate.

Read the full bill here.

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