Expediting Forest Restoration and Recovery Act of 2025 | ChamberLight
Bills · S 449
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
Senate BillS 449Environmental Protection
Expediting Forest Restoration and Recovery Act of 2025
INTRO FEB 6· LAST ACTION FEB 6
READING
4MIN
COSPONSORS
2
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8
Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed Senate
Passed House
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-written
Voters should care about this bill because it directly addresses the growing challenges of wildfire and forest health across the country. By speeding up the process for clearing hazardous fuels (like dead trees and brush) and tackling insect and disease outbreaks, the bill could lead to more resilient forests and fewer devastating wildfires, which have significant economic and environmental costs, and often impact air quality and public safety.
If this bill becomes law, we could see an increase in the number and speed of forest restoration projects, especially in high-risk areas. The change to the 'Good Neighbor Authority' could empower states to play a larger and more financially self-sustaining role in these efforts. If the bill doesn't pass, current processes for environmental review and funding for state-federal partnerships would remain, potentially leading to slower action on critical forest health issues and continued high risks from wildfires and forest pests.
KEY PROVISIONS
5AI-extracted
PROVISION 01
Requires the Forest Service to expedite environmental reviews for hazardous fuel and insect/disease reduction projects in specific 'insect and disease treatment areas.'
This aims to speed up critical forest health projects by reducing the time spent on detailed environmental analyses.
PROVISION 02
Expands the use of 'categorical exclusions' (a streamlined environmental review process) to areas in Fire Regime Group IV for these projects.
This allows for quicker implementation of fire risk reduction efforts in a broader range of high-fire-risk forest types.
PROVISION 03
Mandates that the Secretary of Agriculture prioritize reducing insect/disease and wildfire risks over other planning objectives in designated insect and disease treatment areas.
This ensures that efforts to mitigate these specific risks are given precedence in forest management decisions for vulnerable areas.
PROVISION 04
Allows states to retain and use revenue from timber sales under 'Good Neighbor Authority' agreements for further forest restoration services.
This provides states with a direct funding source to continue and expand forest health projects on federal lands, making the program more financially efficient.
PROVISION 05
Excludes components of the National Wilderness Preservation System and most inventoried roadless areas from the expedited review processes.
This protects designated wilderness and certain undeveloped areas from these specific expedited management actions.
Voters should care about this bill because it directly addresses the growing challenges of wildfire and forest health across the country. By speeding up the process for clearing hazardous fuels (like dead trees and brush) and tackling insect and disease outbreaks, the bill could lead to more resilient forests and fewer devastating wildfires, which have significant economic and environmental costs, and often impact air quality and public safety.
If this bill becomes law, we could see an increase in the number and speed of forest restoration projects, especially in high-risk areas. The change to the 'Good Neighbor Authority' could empower states to play a larger and more financially self-sustaining role in these efforts. If the bill doesn't pass, current processes for environmental review and funding for state-federal partnerships would remain, potentially leading to slower action on critical forest health issues and continued high risks from wildfires and forest pests.
KEY PROVISIONS
AI-extracted
high
Requires the Forest Service to expedite environmental reviews for hazardous fuel and insect/disease reduction projects in specific 'insect and disease treatment areas.'
This aims to speed up critical forest health projects by reducing the time spent on detailed environmental analyses.
high
Expands the use of 'categorical exclusions' (a streamlined environmental review process) to areas in Fire Regime Group IV for these projects.
This allows for quicker implementation of fire risk reduction efforts in a broader range of high-fire-risk forest types.
med
Mandates that the Secretary of Agriculture prioritize reducing insect/disease and wildfire risks over other planning objectives in designated insect and disease treatment areas.
This ensures that efforts to mitigate these specific risks are given precedence in forest management decisions for vulnerable areas.
high
Allows states to retain and use revenue from timber sales under 'Good Neighbor Authority' agreements for further forest restoration services.
This provides states with a direct funding source to continue and expand forest health projects on federal lands, making the program more financially efficient.
med
Excludes components of the National Wilderness Preservation System and most inventoried roadless areas from the expedited review processes.
This protects designated wilderness and certain undeveloped areas from these specific expedited management actions.
The Secretary shall annually make publicly available data describing the acreage treated under hazardous fuel or insect and disease risk reduction projects.
GLOSSARY
AI-written
Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003
A federal law passed in 2003 designed to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires on federal lands by expediting environmental reviews for certain forest health projects.
Hazardous fuel
Flammable materials in a forest, such as dead trees, branches, or dense undergrowth, that increase the risk and intensity of wildfires.
Insect and disease treatment area
A specific forest area identified by the government as being at high risk for widespread insect infestations or tree diseases.
Categorical exclusion
A category of actions that federal agencies can undertake without preparing a full environmental assessment or environmental impact statement, because they have been determined not to individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment.
Detailed studies required by federal law (NEPA) to analyze the potential environmental effects of proposed federal projects, allowing for public input.
Good Neighbor Authority
A program that allows states, and sometimes counties or tribes, to perform forest restoration services on federal lands under an agreement with the U.S. Forest Service.
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTS
FEB 6, 25
Introduced in Senate
INTROREFERRAL
FEB 6, 25
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text: CR S794)
