Ranching Without Red Tape Act of 2023

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6441 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 6441

    To allow holders of certain grazing permits to make minor range 
 improvements and to require that the Secretary of Agriculture and the 
 Secretary of the Interior respond to requests for range improvements 
                within 30 days, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 15, 2023

 Mr. Vasquez (for himself, Mr. Curtis, and Mr. Duarte) introduced the 
    following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
   Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To allow holders of certain grazing permits to make minor range 
 improvements and to require that the Secretary of Agriculture and the 
 Secretary of the Interior respond to requests for range improvements 
                within 30 days, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Ranching Without Red Tape Act of 
2023''.

SEC. 2. MINOR RANGE IMPROVEMENTS UNDER USFS GRAZING PERMITS.

    (a) Minor Range Improvements by Permittees.--Not later than 1 year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue 
regulations allowing a permittee to carry out a minor range improvement 
on the lands with respect to which the permittee holds a grazing permit 
if--
            (1) the permittee notifies the applicable Forest Service 
        district ranger at least 30 days prior to carrying out such 
        minor range improvement; and
            (2) such applicable district ranger--
                    (A) approves the minor range improvement; or
                    (B) does not respond to the minor range 
                improvement.
    (b) Range Improvements by the Secretary.--The Secretary, acting 
through the applicable forest supervisor, shall--
            (1) respond to a covered request not later than 30 days 
        after the date on which such request is submitted; and
            (2) if such response confirms that the Secretary, acting 
        through the applicable forest supervisor, will carry out the 
        range improvement requested--
                    (A) notify the district office that serves the area 
                in which such range improvement will occur; and
                    (B) expedite the carrying out of such range 
                improvement using any available administrative tools or 
                authorities, including categorical exclusions.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) CFR terms.--The terms ``grazing permit'', 
        ``permittee'', and ``range improvement'' have the meanings 
        given those terms, respectively, in section 222.1 of title 36, 
        Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations).
            (2) Covered request.--The term ``covered request'' means a 
        request submitted by a permittee to the Secretary requesting 
        that the Secretary carry out a range improvement.
            (3) Minor range improvement.--The term ``minor range 
        improvement'' includes improvements to existing fences and 
        fence lines, wells, water pipelines, and stock tanks.
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture.

SEC. 3. MINOR RANGE IMPROVEMENTS UNDER BLM GRAZING PERMITS.

    (a) Minor Range Improvements by Grazing Permit Holders.--Not later 
than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall issue regulations allowing a grazing permit or lease holder to 
carry out a minor range improvement on the lands with respect to which 
the grazing permit or lease applies if--
            (1) the grazing permit or lease holder notifies the 
        applicable Bureau of Land Management district or field manager 
        at least 30 days prior to carrying out such minor range 
        improvement; and
            (2) such applicable district or field manager--
                    (A) approves the minor range improvement; or
                    (B) does not respond to the minor range 
                improvement.
    (b) Range Improvements by the Secretary.--The Secretary, acting 
through the applicable State Director of the Bureau of Land Management, 
shall--
            (1) respond to a covered request not later than 30 days 
        after the date on which such request is submitted; and
            (2) if such response confirms that the Secretary, acting 
        through the applicable State Director of the Bureau of Land 
        Management, will carry out the range improvement requested--
                    (A) notify the State office that serves the area in 
                which such range improvement will occur; and
                    (B) expedite the carrying out of such range 
                improvement using any available administrative tools or 
                authorities, including categorical exclusions.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Covered request.--The term ``covered request'' means a 
        request submitted by a grazing permit holder to the Secretary 
        requesting that the Secretary carry out a range improvement.
            (2) Grazing permit or lease.--The term ``grazing permit or 
        lease'' means a grazing permit or lease described in section 
        4130.2 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (or success 
        regulations).
            (3) Minor range improvement.--The term ``minor range 
        improvement'' includes improvements to existing fences and 
        fence lines, wells, water pipelines, and stock tanks.
            (4) Range improvement.--The term ``range improvement'' 
        means a range improvement carried out pursuant to subpart 4120 
        of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor 
        regulations).
            (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
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