Sponsors (3)
The bill focuses federal resources and new grant/contract pathways to accelerate tribal and federal reforestation and improve project success, but it creates short-term program uncertainty, administrative costs, and risks unequal access for smaller tribes without additional capacity support.
Indigenous tribes and local partners will gain competitive grant and contracting pathways (including ISDEAA contracts) that increase tribal control over and funding for local forest restoration work.
Tribal and federal lands identified as needing help will receive prioritized reforestation projects, increasing restored forest cover and ecosystem recovery on those lands.
The bill supports seed and seedling availability to speed implementation and improve survival of replanted areas, helping projects move faster and be more successful.
The program sunsets after 7 years, creating uncertainty that could limit long-term restoration planning and sustained funding on tribal and rural lands.
Competitive grant processes may disadvantage smaller tribes or local partners with limited application capacity, reducing equitable access to funds and control over projects.
Imposes additional administrative burdens on Interior and partner agencies to run assessments, grants, outreach, and reporting without dedicated appropriations, potentially straining staff and taxpayer resources.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Directs the Secretary of the Interior, working with five named federal agencies, to identify federal and Indian tribal lands that will not naturally recover after unplanned disturbances (wildfire, pests, extreme weather) and to propose and carry out priority reforestation and restoration projects. The measure authorizes use of competitive grants, contracts (including ISDEAA contracts), and cooperative agreements to implement projects, requires outreach to tribes, states, local governments and other stakeholders, mandates annual reporting to Congress, and sunsets after seven years.
Introduced January 16, 2025 by Brittany Pettersen · Last progress March 17, 2026