PRIA Logo™
119-s-449119th CongressWALLET

Expediting Forest Restoration and Recovery Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Thune, John [R-SD]

Introduced

Summary

Would speed up hazardous fuel and insect and disease risk reduction projects on federal forest land by letting the Forest Service use HFRA’s expedited tools and a categorical exclusion in agency-designated treatment areas. It also clarifies planning priorities, limits some exclusions for wilderness and roadless areas, and requires annual public reporting of treated acreage.

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Faster forest treatments in risk areas

If enacted, the Forest Service would be allowed to speed up hazardous fuel and insect/disease projects in designated at-risk areas. "Insect and disease treatment areas" would mean places the Secretary designates or areas marked at-risk on the latest National Insect and Disease Risk Map. The Secretary would have to use a categorical exclusion to speed projects where the area is suitable for timber production or where timber harvest is allowed; that rule would also apply to Fire Regime Group IV. Large or sensitive projects — for example areas as large as a Hydrologic Unit Code 5 watershed or where the Secretary finds other significant resource concerns — would still need an environmental assessment or impact statement. National Wilderness components and inventoried roadless areas would generally be excluded from the expedited rule unless the activity is allowed under the final Roadless rule or a State roadless rule. If enacted, the Secretary would also publish a yearly public report showing acreage treated in these areas the prior year.

States keep timber sale money

If enacted, Governors would keep timber sale receipts from Good Neighbor agreements to pay for restoration under that same agreement first. If money remains, Governors could use the leftover funds for other in-state Good Neighbor restoration services.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Thune, John [R-SD]

SD • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID]

    ID • R

    Sponsored 2/6/2025

  • Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD]

    SD • R

    Sponsored 2/10/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
Back to Legislation