Sponsors (57)
The bill accelerates and coordinates large-scale fuels reduction, watershed restoration, tribal inclusion, and community assistance to reduce wildfire risk and create economic opportunities — but it does so by streamlining and expanding federal authorities in ways that reduce environmental review, local control, and some legal protections while raising administrative costs and implementation risks.
Homeowners and rural communities in high-risk firesheds will receive prioritized fuel-reduction and resilience projects that reduce wildfire exposure to people and structures.
State, tribal, and local governments (and responders) gain clearer authorities, shared decision tools, and streamlined access to funding through uniform definitions, a Fireshed Center, a public registry, and a single grants portal—speeding planning and coordination.
Tribes and tribal communities are explicitly included with tailored definitions and cooperation requirements, improving tribal participation in fuels management, cultural burning, and project implementation.
Residents, wildlife, and cultural-resource stewards face reduced environmental review and public input due to expanded NEPA categorical exclusions, exempted assessments, and narrowed ESA reinitiation—raising the risk of ecological and cultural harms.
Local communities and ecosystems may experience increased large-scale vegetation removal, timber activity, grazing, and chemical treatments—potentially harming habitat, air and water quality, and public health (herbicides, dust, smoke).
Homeowners, local governments, and tribes could lose local control as the statutory expansion of 'public lands' and permission for projects (including permanent roads) on non‑Federal/Indian lands brings more federal actions onto lands formerly governed locally.
Based on analysis of 12 sections of legislative text.
Prioritizes and coordinates federal wildfire, watershed, and biochar programs by creating fireshed designations and interagency centers, streamlining grant access, and establishing casualty assistance for wildland fire personnel.
Creates new, coordinated federal programs to reduce wildfire risk, protect watersheds, expand biochar research and markets, and provide casualty assistance for wildland fire personnel. It designates large “fireshed management areas” where federal agencies will prioritize hazardous fuels reduction and forest-health projects, establishes an interagency Fireshed Center and a Community Wildfire Risk Reduction Program to streamline grants and technical help, and directs multiple agencies to support biochar demonstration projects and commercialization. Changes include new definitions that expand the scope of “public lands,” faster fireshed designations that are exempt from NEPA, requirements for watershed projects that rely on willing adjacent landowners, a single online portal and uniform application for multiple wildfire and emergency grant programs, and a requirement that the Interior create a casualty-assistance program for injured or fallen wildland fire personnel and their families. Most programs require funding by Congress and create new interagency reporting, mapping, and coordination duties for federal agencies and partners.
Introduced January 16, 2025 by Bruce Westerman · Last progress January 28, 2025