S3152-119

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Local Employment Access for our Forests Act of 2025 or the LEAF Act of 2025.

2. Contract preference for local contractors for certain hazardous fuel reduction projects Title I of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 is amended— by redesignating sections 107 and 108 (16 U.S.C. 6517, 6518) as sections 108 and 109, respectively; and by inserting after section 106 (16 U.S.C. 6516) the following: In this section: The term appropriate local contractor means an entity that carries out, pursuant to a contract or agreement, 1 or more authorized projects located— in a State in which— the entity has its principal place of business, as certified by the entity or an individual representing the entity; and not fewer than 26 percent of the total workforce assigned to the applicable contract or agreement (including subcontractors at any tier) will reside, as certified by the entity or an individual representing the entity; or within a 60-mile radius of the State in which the entity is registered as a business or has its principal place of business, as certified by the entity or an individual representing the entity. The term authorized project includes any of the following activities, as authorized under this Act: A vegetation management activity, including mechanical thinning, mastication, prescribed burning, cultural burning (as determined by an applicable Indian tribe), timber harvesting, and grazing, carried out— to control vegetation growth, composition, health, or quality of Federal land; or otherwise to reduce the risk of wildfires on Federal land. Creating a fuel break or fire break. Removing hazard trees, dead trees, or dying trees, as determined by the Secretary. Developing, approving, or conducting routine maintenance under a vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance plan under section 512(c) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1772(c)). Removing trees to address overstocking or crowding in a forest stand, consistent with achieving the appropriate basal area of the forest stand, as determined by the Secretary. Using treatments to address insects or disease or to control vegetation competition or invasive species. A wet-meadow, floodplain, or riparian restoration activity that increases wildfire resistance. A forest stand improvement activity necessary to protect life and property from catastrophic wildfire, as determined by the Secretary. Any combination of activities described in this paragraph. The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service. Effective beginning on the date of enactment of the LEAF Act of 2025, the Secretary shall give preference in awarding a contract to carry out an authorized project in a State to an appropriate local contractor, to the maximum extent practicable. Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of the LEAF Act of 2025, and not less frequently than annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that includes— a quantitative analysis of the number and percentage of contracts awarded to appropriate local contractors, the total dollar value of those contracts, and an assessment of the economic impact of the contract preference under subsection (b) on local employment and contractor capacity; a description of the reasons for awarding a contract to carry out an authorized project in a State to an individual or entity that is not an appropriate local contractor; and a description of the implementation by the Secretary of this section. The Secretary shall establish a monitoring and evaluation process— to assess compliance with the requirements of this section, including the contract preference under subsection (b); and to support the reports required under subsection (c). The process described in paragraph (1) may include participation by— any cooperating governmental agencies, including Tribal governments; and any other interested groups or individuals. The table of contents contained in section 1(b) of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (Public Law 108–148; 117 Stat. 1887) is amended by striking the items relating to sections 107 and 108 and inserting the following: 107. Contract preference for local contractors for certain hazardous fuel reduction projects (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Appropriate local contractor The term appropriate local contractor means an entity that carries out, pursuant to a contract or agreement, 1 or more authorized projects located— (A) in a State in which— (i) the entity has its principal place of business, as certified by the entity or an individual representing the entity; and (ii) not fewer than 26 percent of the total workforce assigned to the applicable contract or agreement (including subcontractors at any tier) will reside, as certified by the entity or an individual representing the entity; or (B) within a 60-mile radius of the State in which the entity is registered as a business or has its principal place of business, as certified by the entity or an individual representing the entity. (2) Authorized project The term authorized project includes any of the following activities, as authorized under this Act: (A) A vegetation management activity, including mechanical thinning, mastication, prescribed burning, cultural burning (as determined by an applicable Indian tribe), timber harvesting, and grazing, carried out— (i) to control vegetation growth, composition, health, or quality of Federal land; or (ii) otherwise to reduce the risk of wildfires on Federal land. (B) Creating a fuel break or fire break. (C) Removing hazard trees, dead trees, or dying trees, as determined by the Secretary. (D) Developing, approving, or conducting routine maintenance under a vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance plan under section 512(c) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1772(c)). (E) Removing trees to address overstocking or crowding in a forest stand, consistent with achieving the appropriate basal area of the forest stand, as determined by the Secretary. (F) Using treatments to address insects or disease or to control vegetation competition or invasive species. (G) A wet-meadow, floodplain, or riparian restoration activity that increases wildfire resistance. (H) A forest stand improvement activity necessary to protect life and property from catastrophic wildfire, as determined by the Secretary. (I) Any combination of activities described in this paragraph. (3) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service. (b) Contract preference Effective beginning on the date of enactment of the LEAF Act of 2025, the Secretary shall give preference in awarding a contract to carry out an authorized project in a State to an appropriate local contractor, to the maximum extent practicable. (c) Report Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of the LEAF Act of 2025, and not less frequently than annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that includes— (1) a quantitative analysis of the number and percentage of contracts awarded to appropriate local contractors, the total dollar value of those contracts, and an assessment of the economic impact of the contract preference under subsection (b) on local employment and contractor capacity; (2) a description of the reasons for awarding a contract to carry out an authorized project in a State to an individual or entity that is not an appropriate local contractor; and (3) a description of the implementation by the Secretary of this section. (d) Monitoring and evaluation (1) In general The Secretary shall establish a monitoring and evaluation process— (A) to assess compliance with the requirements of this section, including the contract preference under subsection (b); and (B) to support the reports required under subsection (c). (2) Participants The process described in paragraph (1) may include participation by— (A) any cooperating governmental agencies, including Tribal governments; and (B) any other interested groups or individuals. . Sec. 107. Contract preference for local contractors for certain hazardous fuel reduction projects. Sec. 108. Effect of title. Sec. 109. Authorization of appropriations. .

107. Contract preference for local contractors for certain hazardous fuel reduction projects In this section: The term appropriate local contractor means an entity that carries out, pursuant to a contract or agreement, 1 or more authorized projects located— in a State in which— the entity has its principal place of business, as certified by the entity or an individual representing the entity; and not fewer than 26 percent of the total workforce assigned to the applicable contract or agreement (including subcontractors at any tier) will reside, as certified by the entity or an individual representing the entity; or within a 60-mile radius of the State in which the entity is registered as a business or has its principal place of business, as certified by the entity or an individual representing the entity. The term authorized project includes any of the following activities, as authorized under this Act: A vegetation management activity, including mechanical thinning, mastication, prescribed burning, cultural burning (as determined by an applicable Indian tribe), timber harvesting, and grazing, carried out— to control vegetation growth, composition, health, or quality of Federal land; or otherwise to reduce the risk of wildfires on Federal land. Creating a fuel break or fire break. Removing hazard trees, dead trees, or dying trees, as determined by the Secretary. Developing, approving, or conducting routine maintenance under a vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance plan under section 512(c) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1772(c)). Removing trees to address overstocking or crowding in a forest stand, consistent with achieving the appropriate basal area of the forest stand, as determined by the Secretary. Using treatments to address insects or disease or to control vegetation competition or invasive species. A wet-meadow, floodplain, or riparian restoration activity that increases wildfire resistance. A forest stand improvement activity necessary to protect life and property from catastrophic wildfire, as determined by the Secretary. Any combination of activities described in this paragraph. The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service. Effective beginning on the date of enactment of the LEAF Act of 2025, the Secretary shall give preference in awarding a contract to carry out an authorized project in a State to an appropriate local contractor, to the maximum extent practicable. Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of the LEAF Act of 2025, and not less frequently than annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that includes— a quantitative analysis of the number and percentage of contracts awarded to appropriate local contractors, the total dollar value of those contracts, and an assessment of the economic impact of the contract preference under subsection (b) on local employment and contractor capacity; a description of the reasons for awarding a contract to carry out an authorized project in a State to an individual or entity that is not an appropriate local contractor; and a description of the implementation by the Secretary of this section. The Secretary shall establish a monitoring and evaluation process— to assess compliance with the requirements of this section, including the contract preference under subsection (b); and to support the reports required under subsection (c). The process described in paragraph (1) may include participation by— any cooperating governmental agencies, including Tribal governments; and any other interested groups or individuals.