Sponsors (10)
The bill provides targeted federal grants and a pilot to help post-wildfire communities repair mudslide damage and build resilience, but funding is modest and limited, creating potential equity and governance concerns and a small recurring taxpayer cost.
Communities in post-wildfire areas (local governments, homeowners, rural communities) gain access to federal grants for repairing mudslide damage, enabling faster recovery and lower local repair costs.
Tribal governments and forestry agencies receive direct access to hazard-mitigation funding tailored to their lands, improving their ability to address localized risks.
A pilot program funds innovative repair and mitigation approaches, which could lower future repair costs and improve long-term community resilience.
Limited annual funding means many eligible communities may not receive grants, producing uneven recovery support and leaving some high-need areas without help.
Taxpayers will fund a modest recurring cost of $5 million per year from 2026–2032, which could divert resources from other priorities.
Grant criteria set by agency Secretaries could favor certain applicants or approaches, reducing transparency and predictability for applicants.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a competitive pilot grant program, to be run jointly by the Department of the Interior and the Department of Homeland Security (through FEMA), that will fund innovative projects to repair mudslide damage that occurs after wildland fires. The agencies must set up the program within 180 days of enactment and determine application rules. Authorizes $5,000,000 per year to carry out the pilot from fiscal year 2026 through 2032. Eligible applicants include states (and territories), Indian Tribes, state or tribal forestry agencies, local governments, fire departments, and nonprofits (including homeowners associations in fire-risk areas).
Introduced February 13, 2025 by Norma Judith Torres · Last progress February 13, 2025