Minor range improvements under Forest Service 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 notification regarding the minor range improvement. (b) Range improvements by the secretary The Secretary, acting through the applicable district ranger, 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 district ranger, 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 any 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.