Sponsors (3)
This is not an official government website.
Copyright © 2026 PLEJ LC. All rights reserved.
Creates a temporary federal program led by the Secretary of the Interior to find and prioritize federal and Indian lands damaged by unplanned events (like wildfires, insect outbreaks, or storms) that are unlikely to regrow on their own and need active reforestation or ecosystem restoration. The program can fund projects through grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements (including tribal self‑determination contracts), work with several land management agencies, do outreach to tribes, states, localities, and stakeholders, and report annually to Congress on needs and gaps such as seed and seedling availability. The authority expires seven years after enactment.
The bill accelerates restoration of wildfire-, storm-, and insect‑damaged public and Tribal lands and increases Tribal and local input and transparency, but it increases federal spending without offsets, creates short‑term program uncertainty for long‑term investments, and carries risks of resource‑
General public and land managers: More federal funding and projects will speed restoration of forests and rangelands damaged by wildfires, storms, or insects on public and Tribal lands, reducing erosion, habitat loss, and long‑term ecological damage.
Indian Tribes: Tribes can receive and implement restoration projects through Indian Self‑Determination Act contracts, increasing Tribal control and capacity over work on Tribal trust lands.
Taxpayers and the public: Annual identification/prioritization of damaged lands plus required reporting to Congress will improve targeting of limited restoration resources and provide transparency on needs, progress, and funding gaps.
Taxpayers: The new federal spending over the program’s 7‑year life is not offset and could raise taxpayer costs.
Nurseries, restoration contractors, and land managers: The program’s short 7‑year sunset creates uncertainty for long‑term workforce, nursery, and restoration investments that require multi‑year commitments.
Local communities and land managers: Prioritizing identified federal lands for restoration could divert agency staff and funding away from other land‑management priorities or local needs not on the priority list.
Introduced January 16, 2025 by Brittany Pettersen · Last progress March 17, 2026