Plain English Breakdown
The official text states the act takes effect after Mayor approval and a 30-day congressional review period, but does not specify if this process has been completed or when exactly it will start.
Long Bridge Project Temporary Amendment Act of 2025
This law temporarily changes rules to require the Mayor to issue a permit for removing specific Heritage Trees near or inside the Long Bridge Project site if strict conditions are met.
What This Bill Does
- Amends section 104a(b) of the Urban Forest Preservation Act of 2002 on a temporary basis.
- Requires the Mayor to issue a permit for removing a Heritage Tree that abuts or is within the Long Bridge Project site if certain rules are followed.
- Allows removal only if no reasonable design alternative exists to avoid the tree's location.
- Permits removal only if the Urban Forestry Division says the tree cannot reasonably be protected in its current spot.
- Requires proof that moving the tree costs more than $1 million or would cause an undue burden on the public.
Who It Names or Affects
- The Mayor of the District of Columbia, who must issue permits under these new rules.
- Applicants seeking to remove Heritage Trees at the Long Bridge Project site managed by the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority.
- The Urban Forestry Division, which determines if trees can be protected in place.
Terms To Know
- Heritage Tree
- A specific type of tree that receives special protection under the law and requires a permit to remove or move.
- Long Bridge Project
- The construction site managed by the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority where this rule applies.
Limits and Unknowns
- This law expires automatically after 225 days from when it takes effect.
- It only applies to Heritage Trees that abut or are within the Long Bridge Project site, not other trees in D.C.
- The applicant must agree to pay $1,200 for every inch of the tree's circumference as part of the permit agreement.