GROUSE Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- S. 4548
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-14: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-29T07:38:45Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation This bill amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to create the Upland Species Habitat Restoration Program. The program offers financial support to private landowners for restoring habitat on certain forest lands, with the goal of benefiting upland wildlife species.
Key Provisions
- Program Establishment: The Secretary of Agriculture must create a program that pays landowners to restore eligible forest land through contracts.
- Eligible Land: Applies to nonindustrial private forest land of at least 10 acres that was commercially logged in the past 180 days, is currently being logged without conversion to development, is being logged for forest management, or was damaged by a major natural disaster (such as wildfire or insect infestation).
- Payment Limits: Landowners may receive payments for no more than the lesser of 5 percent or 250 acres of their eligible forest land.
- Payment Structure: The program covers 75 percent of eligible costs, including labor, planting, fertilizer, seedlings, and other materials for establishing native vegetation beneficial to upland wildlife.
- Contract Requirements: Contracts last up to 5 years and must include a habitat plan developed with input from wildlife biologists or foresters. Landowners submit applications with required information.
- Technical Assistance: The Secretary may provide or arrange technical help for planting trees and shrubs under the contracts.
Significant Changes to Existing Law The bill adds a new section 1240N after section 1240M in Chapter 5 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985. This introduces a targeted cost-share program focused on post-logging or disaster-affected forest lands, which did not previously exist under this framework.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Increases responsibilities for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in administering contracts, processing applications, and providing technical support.
- On Citizens: Offers financial incentives to nonindustrial private forest landowners for habitat work, potentially encouraging conservation practices on private property.
- On International Relations: No direct effects identified in the legislation.
The program aims to support early successional habitats through native plantings but limits participation to specific acreage thresholds per landowner.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Nonindustrial private forest landowners.
- Wildlife biologists and foresters involved in developing habitat plans.
- Upland wildlife species and related ecosystems.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture and its relevant offices.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The legislation operates within existing agricultural conservation authorities and does not introduce new regulatory mandates. It relies on voluntary contracts and cost-sharing, raising no apparent constitutional concerns. The program emphasizes private-land restoration following commercial activities or natural events.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-14: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 2026-05-14: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Growing and Restoring Operational Upland Species Ecosystems Act of 2026 — issued 2026-05-14 — PDF (4 pages)