Wildfire Resilient Communities Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 4295
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-07-07: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-05T21:45:52Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 4295: Wildfire Resilient Communities Act
Purpose
The legislation aims to enhance wildfire resilience by providing dedicated funding for reducing hazardous fuels on federal lands, supporting community defense grants, reauthorizing collaborative restoration programs, and creating a new fund to share revenues with counties. It focuses on preventing wildfires, protecting communities, and restoring landscapes through proactive federal action.
Key Provisions
- Hazardous Fuels Reduction Projects (Section 2):
- Requires agency heads from the National Park Service, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Indian Affairs to implement projects on federal lands. These projects involve removing or modifying flammable vegetation using methods like controlled burns (prescribed fire), thinning trees, or clearing brush, chosen based on what is ecologically suitable and cost-effective for each site.
- Priorities include areas near at-risk communities (municipalities or areas at high wildfire risk), high-value watersheds (key water sources), zones with very high wildfire hazard potential, or lands in specific fire-prone categories (fire regimes I, II, or III, as defined in existing law). Projects should also align with national strategies for fire-adapted communities, resilient landscapes, and effective firefighting.
- Provides $30 billion in mandatory funding transferred from the U.S. Treasury starting the first October 1 after enactment, available until spent. Up to 10% can cover administrative and planning costs.
- Community Wildfire Defense Grants (Section 3):
- Authorizes an additional $3 billion for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to the Secretary of Agriculture. This builds on an existing grant program under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which helps communities develop plans and projects to defend against wildfires.
- Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program Reauthorization (Section 4):
- Reauthorizes and expands an existing program for large-scale forest restoration through partnerships.
- Updates selection criteria for projects to include addressing species threats from pathogens (disease-causing organisms), standardized monitoring of outcomes, federal staffing for collaboration, innovative tools like conservation finance agreements (funding partnerships for environmental work) and good neighbor agreements (contracts allowing non-federal entities to manage federal lands), reducing wildfire risks across public and private lands (including urban-wildland interfaces where development meets forests), and improving watershed health.
- Increases the maximum number of ongoing projects from 10 to 20 and pilot projects from 2 to 4.
- Adds support for conflict resolution and collaborative governance (processes for group decision-making) in program activities.
- Raises annual funding to $100 million starting in fiscal year 2026 and continuing indefinitely (previously $80 million for 2019–2023).
- County Stewardship Fund (Section 5):
- Establishes a new fund in the U.S. Treasury for stewardship contracts (agreements where federal agencies partner with others for land management, often involving timber sales).
- Deposits into the fund each fiscal year: the greater of 25% of the appraised value of sold forest products or 25% of excess receipts from the contract.
- Distributes payments to counties where contracts occur, equal to 25% of contract receipts, which counties can use for any government purposes (e.g., schools, roads, or emergency services).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces mandatory, non-annual funding ($30 billion lump sum plus $3 billion authorization) for fuels reduction and grants, bypassing the usual congressional appropriations process.
- Expands the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program by adding new evaluation criteria (e.g., cross-boundary risk reduction, watershed focus), increasing project limits, and boosting funding levels and duration.
- Creates the County Stewardship Fund as a new revenue-sharing mechanism under the Healthy Forests Restoration Act, ensuring counties receive a fixed percentage of benefits from federal land management contracts, which previously shared revenues variably.
- Builds directly on prior laws like the Healthy Forests Restoration Act (2003) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021) by enhancing definitions, priorities, and funding without altering core structures.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Provides substantial new resources to five key federal agencies, enabling more proactive wildfire prevention on millions of acres of public lands. This could reduce future suppression costs (estimated in billions annually) but requires coordination for project prioritization and allocation formulas.
- Citizens and Communities: Improves safety in at-risk areas by lowering wildfire threats near homes, watersheds, and infrastructure. Grants will support local planning and defenses, potentially saving lives, property, and water quality for millions in fire-prone regions like the western U.S.
- Counties and Local Governments: Offers predictable revenue streams for essential services, benefiting rural areas dependent on federal lands (e.g., for timber economies).
- International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic federal lands.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Agencies: Department of the Interior (National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs) and Department of Agriculture (Forest Service) as primary implementers.
- Local and Tribal Communities: At-risk communities, Tribal nations (via Bureau of Indian Affairs involvement), and counties receiving payments or grants.
- Landowners and Partners: Private landowners, states, and collaborators in restoration projects, who gain opportunities for joint management and funding.
- Environmental and Industry Groups: Conservation organizations (benefiting from restoration) and forestry/timber sectors (from stewardship contracts and revenues).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Establishes mandatory spending (transfers without further appropriation), which is permissible under Congress's spending power but could face challenges if seen as bypassing budget oversight. Enhances collaborative processes, potentially streamlining environmental reviews under laws like the National Environmental Policy Act (though not explicitly addressed).
- Constitutional: Relies on federal authority over public lands (Article IV), promoting interstate commerce by protecting resources like watersheds. No apparent free speech or due process issues.
- Political: Addresses a growing bipartisan concern over escalating wildfire costs (over $2 billion yearly in suppression alone), but the large funding amount may spark debates on fiscal responsibility and priorities amid federal deficits. Encourages cross-jurisdictional cooperation, which could set precedents for future land management reforms.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (3)
Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2], Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6], Rep. Bynum, Janelle S. [D-OR-5]
Recent Actions
- 2025-07-07: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-07-07: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-07-07: Introduced in House
- 2025-07-07: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Wildfire Resilient Communities Act — issued 2025-07-07 — PDF (9 pages)