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# Summary of H.R. 9678: Federal Lands Amplified Security for the Homeland (FLASH) Act The FLASH Act aims to enhance border security and address environmental damage on federal lands near the southern border. The bill requires the construction of at least 584 miles of roads on federal lands along the border within five years to improve access for border patrol and law enforcement, and allows border states to place temporary barriers on federal land for border security purposes with 45 days' notice. The legislation grants U.S. Customs and Border Protection expanded access to protected wilderness areas to conduct patrols, surveillance, and other enforcement activities, while prohibiting the Departments of Interior and Agriculture from restricting these activities within 100 miles of the border. The bill addresses environmental damage by requiring federal agencies to establish policies and procedures to reduce trash accumulation and wildfire risk along the border within 90 days, with annual reporting to Congress on waste collection costs and amounts. It establishes two dedicated accounts—one for the Forest Service and one for the Department of Interior—to fund cleanup of illegal cannabis cultivation sites, with $16 million authorized annually through 2031. The legislation increases criminal penalties for illegal pesticide application during cannabis cultivation on federal lands to up to $250,000 in fines and 20 years imprisonment. Finally, the bill prohibits federal funds from being used to house undocumented immigrants on federal lands and specifically revokes a National Park Service lease with New York City related to migrant housing at Gateway National Recreation Area.

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