Sponsors (5)
Creates a Forest Service competitive grant program to subsidize transport and related costs for hazardous fuels material and authorizes $25M/year for FY2027–2031.
The bill directs recurring federal funds and grants to help rural communities, processors, and tribes reduce wildfire risk and support local jobs, but it restricts capital investment in processing facilities, limits grant sizes, and may favor larger applicants while adding new federal spending.
Communities near National Forests (especially rural communities and local governments) can treat and remove more hazardous fuels to reduce wildfire risk because the bill funds removal and transport of forest residues.
Small businesses and rural economies that process wood can retain or expand jobs because the bill provides up to $25M/year (FY2027–2031) to support infrastructure for moving forest residues and grants can fund workforce development and equipment maintenance.
Indian Tribes can more affordably undertake fuels projects and partner on treatments because tribes may receive up to 90% cost‑share, increasing tribal capacity for fuels reduction work.
Local processors and communities may remain dependent on outside processors because grants explicitly cannot be used to build processing facilities, limiting long‑term local infrastructure development.
Larger, capital‑intensive transport or equipment solutions may be impractical because the bill caps per-grant equipment purchases at $250,000 and overall grants at $3M, constraining bigger projects.
Smaller local governments and community groups may be disadvantaged in accessing funds because the competitive grant process favors applicants with grant-writing capacity and resources.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Official title: Direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program to provide hazardous fuels transportation grants, and for other purposes.
Introduced June 24, 2026 by Mark Edward Kelly · Last progress June 24, 2026
Creates a competitive USDA Forest Service grant program to help pay to remove and transport material produced by hazardous fuels treatments on National Forest System lands. The program funds transportation, equipment (purchase/lease/maintenance), woodyard and loading costs, workforce development and related transport expenses, with grant caps, cost‑share rules, and prioritized criteria for high‑risk areas. Authorizes $25 million per year for FY2027–2031, with individual grants capped at $3 million per year and equipment purchase limits, and requires the Secretary to establish the program within 180 days of enactment.