To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to select and implement landscape-scale forest restoration projects, to assist communities in increasing their resilience to wildfire, and for other purposes.
Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill addresses wildfire risk and forest health through a multi-pronged approach. It creates a pilot program for large-scale forest restoration projects on National Forest System land using conservation finance agreements (public-private partnerships). It also establishes programs for critical infrastructure microgrids, fire-resistant home retrofits, wildfire detection technology, prescribed fire training centers, and forestry workforce development.
Who Benefits and How
Conservation finance developers and investors receive new opportunities to fund forest restoration projects with repayment over time. Forestry companies and timber operations benefit from contracts for hazardous fuels removal and restoration work. Fire detection technology companies gain expedited permitting for sensors and cameras. Communities in fire-prone areas benefit from microgrid grants, weatherization assistance (raised from $6,500 to $13,000 average), and fire-resistant building materials. Disadvantaged communities are prioritized for land stewardship grants. Educational institutions receive grants for prescribed fire training and workforce development.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The Forest Service faces new obligations to implement the conservation finance pilot (up to 20 agreements, $250M over 10 years) and report to Congress within 4 years. Federal agencies must expedite wildfire equipment permitting and make wildfire data publicly available. Homeowners using weatherization assistance must use fire-resistant materials as directed by states.
Key Provisions
- Creates conservation finance agreement pilot for forest restoration projects up to $50M each
- Establishes microgrid program for critical facilities like hospitals, schools, and emergency centers
- Increases weatherization assistance average from $6,500 to $13,000 and requires fire-resistant materials
- Expedites permitting for wildfire detection equipment (sensors, cameras)
- Creates western prescribed fire training centers at universities
- Establishes forestry workforce development grant program
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Authorizes landscape-scale forest restoration projects through conservation finance agreements, improves community wildfire resilience through microgrids and fire-resistant retrofits, and establishes workforce development programs for forestry and fire management.
Key Policy Areas
Public Lands, Wildfire, Energy, Workforce Development, Environment
Primary Purpose
Authorizes landscape-scale forest restoration projects through conservation finance agreements, improves community wildfire resilience through microgrids and fire-resistant retrofits, and establishes workforce development programs for forestry and fire management.
Policy Domains
Title I - Conservation Finance Agreements
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Conservation finance developers
- Private investors
- Forestry/timber companies
- Communities near national forests
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Forest Service (implementation)
- Federal budget
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Title II - Critical Infrastructure and Energy Resilience
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Critical facilities (hospitals, schools, etc.)
- Homeowners in fire-prone areas
- Fire-resistant building materials manufacturers
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Department of Energy (program implementation)
- Homeowners (compliance with material requirements)
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Title VI - Wildfire Detection
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Wildfire detection technology companies
- Firefighters
- Communities at wildfire risk
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- USDA and Interior (permitting and data disclosure)
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Title III - Workforce and Community Capacity
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Universities and colleges
- Workforce training organizations
- Disadvantaged communities
- Indian Tribes
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Federal budget
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMrs. Feinstein (for herself, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Daines, and Mr. …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Congress, Forest Service, Indian Tribes
Positive-direction: Congress, Indian Tribes, Indian Tribes with critical facilities, National Forest System lands
Negative-direction: Forest Service, USDA Forest Service, USDA Forest Service and Interior Department, USDA and Interior Department
Communities adjacent to national forests, Communities in wildfire-prone areas, Disadvantaged communities near national forests
Conservation finance developers, Conservation finance project developers, Private investors in forest restoration
Community colleges and training institutions, Universities and colleges with forestry/fire programs
Nonprofit conservation organizations, Nonprofit forestry and fire organizations
Federal and State fire agencies, Local governments in rural forested areas
Wildfire detection equipment providers, Wildfire detection technology companies
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Agriculture
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Energy
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Agriculture
- "the_secretaries"
- → Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of the Interior
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Agriculture
- "the_secretaries"
- → Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of the Interior
Note: 'The Secretary' refers to Secretary of Agriculture in Titles I and III, but Secretary of Energy in Title II
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
A mutual benefit agreement (2-20 year term) for a conservation finance project that may provide for contingent performance based on appropriations and cancellation payments if appropriations are not made.
A project on National Forest System land that protects, restores, or improves the land using a debt financing approach where loaned capital covers up-front costs and is repaid over time by project beneficiaries.
A facility that provides services to save lives, protect property, public health and safety, including hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, police stations, fire stations, schools, utility stations, and federal facilities.
A low-income community or a community with significant population systematically denied full opportunity to participate in economic, social, and civic life.
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology