White Oak Resiliency Act of 2025

Bill Number

S. 476

Origin Chamber

Senate

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Environmental Protection

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-02-06: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Last Updated

2025-06-04T11:03:19Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The White Oak Resiliency Act of 2025 aims to promote the restoration, health, and natural regeneration of white oak trees across the United States. It directs the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior to coordinate efforts, fund initiatives, and conduct research to address declining white oak populations, improve forest resilience, and support related economic and ecological benefits.

Key Provisions

• Short Title and Definitions: The Act is titled the "White Oak Resiliency Act of 2025." It defines "land-grant college or university" to include institutions established under historical U.S. land-grant laws (1862, 1890, and 1994 Institutions), which are public universities focused on agriculture, science, and engineering.

• White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition (Section 3): Establishes a voluntary coalition of public, state, private, and nongovernmental organizations to coordinate white oak restoration. Duties include making policy recommendations on barriers to restoration, improving coordination among landowners, identifying research needs, outreach to landowners, and enhancing tree nursery supplies. The coalition must submit a report to congressional committees within two years. The Secretaries provide administrative and technical support; the coalition is exempt from the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA, a law requiring formal procedures for federal advisory groups). Funding can come from existing agricultural conservation accounts.

• Forest Service Pilot Program (Section 4): Requires the Secretary of Agriculture, through the U.S. Forest Service, to establish five pilot projects in national forests to restore white oak using natural regeneration practices. At least three must occur in forests reserved from public lands. Cooperative agreements with partners are authorized.

• Department of the Interior Assessment and Pilot Projects (Section 5): The Secretary of the Interior must assess lands under their jurisdiction (e.g., national wildlife refuges and abandoned mine lands) for existing white oak and restoration potential, using data from sources like the new coalition. A report is due to Congress and publicly available within 180 days. Following this, five pilot projects for white oak restoration must be established, with authority for cooperative agreements.

• White Oak and Upland Oak Habitat Regeneration Program (Section 6): The Secretary of Agriculture establishes a non-regulatory (non-mandatory) program to prioritize and implement science-based restoration activities. It involves collaboration with the coalition, federal agencies (e.g., Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service), states, and Tribes. Purposes include coordinating multi-level efforts, improving habitats, engaging the public, and building scientific capacity. A voluntary grant and technical assistance program is created, administered through a cooperative agreement with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, subject to its establishment laws (with some exceptions).

• White Oak Tree Nursery Shortages (Section 7): Within one year, the Forest Service must develop a national strategy to boost capacity in federal, state, Tribal, and private nurseries to address shortages of white oak seedlings. The strategy, based on input from qualified land-grant universities, covers regional shortages, reforestation needs, seed diversity, and infrastructure barriers.

• White Oak Research (Section 8): The Forest Service enters a memorandum of understanding with a land-grant university for research on white oak genetics, vigor, seed banks, seedling supply, reforestation methods, and restoration on abandoned mine lands. Consultations with states, nonprofits, and experts are encouraged.

• National Institute of Food and Agriculture Partnerships (Section 9): The Secretary of Agriculture, through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), partners with qualified land-grant universities for research on white oak resiliency, including genetic sequencing, stress responses, seedling performance, and product development. Priorities focus on resistance to diseases, pests, heat, and drought.

• Natural Resources Conservation Service Initiative (Section 10): The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) establishes an initiative to restore white oak forests, improve management of existing ones, and provide technical assistance to private landowners for regeneration.

• Authorities (Section 11): The Secretaries must use the Act's provisions alongside existing laws, such as "good neighbor agreements" (partnerships with states or Tribes for forest management) and "stewardship contracting" (flexible contracting for restoration projects), to maximize implementation.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This Act introduces new standalone programs, coalitions, pilots, and strategies without directly amending prior laws. It builds on existing frameworks by authorizing expanded use of tools like conservation funding accounts, cooperative agreements, and research partnerships under laws such as the Food Security Act of 1985 and the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003. A key change is the FACA exemption for the coalition, allowing more flexible operations than typical federal advisory groups. It also mandates non-regulatory approaches and prioritizes no net increase in federal staff.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of the Interior (DOI) will face new responsibilities for assessments, pilots, research, and program administration, potentially increasing coordination across agencies like the Forest Service, NRCS, NIFA, and Fish and Wildlife Service. This could strain resources but leverages existing funding and partnerships to minimize costs.

• Citizens and Landowners: Private, Tribal, and state landowners benefit from technical assistance, grants, and outreach to restore white oak on their properties, potentially improving forest health, wildlife habitats, and economic opportunities (e.g., timber and stave industries). Public engagement through education may raise awareness of environmental issues.

• International Relations: No direct impacts; the Act focuses on domestic U.S. forests and restoration.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Federal Agencies: USDA (Forest Service, NRCS, NIFA) and DOI, responsible for implementation, pilots, research, and funding.
• State, Tribal, and Local Governments: Involved in coordination, pilots, and restoration on public lands; governors and agencies receive consultation.
• Educational Institutions: Land-grant colleges and universities, selected for research and strategy development based on expertise in white oak science and regional economics.
• Private and Nongovernmental Entities: Landowners, nonprofits, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (for grant administration), and industry partners (e.g., stave and timber sectors) gain from technical aid, grants, and collaborative projects.
• Conservation Groups and the Public: Benefit from coalition recommendations, habitat improvements, and outreach efforts.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: The FACA exemption streamlines coalition operations but ensures accountability through required reporting to Congress. Reliance on existing authorities like stewardship contracting promotes efficient, flexible implementation without new regulatory burdens. Cooperative agreements enable partnerships without federal control over private lands.

• Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's authority over federal lands and spending (Article I, Section 8), emphasizing voluntary, non-regulatory programs that respect property rights and state sovereignty through consultations.

• Political: Introduced bipartisansely (by Senators McConnell and Warner), it fosters cross-party support for environmental and economic goals. Potential for broader implications in climate resilience and rural development, though implementation depends on funding availability and agency priorities.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Sen. McConnell, Mitch [R-KY]

Cosponsors (4)

Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA], Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS], Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC], Sen. Britt, Katie Boyd [R-AL]

Recent Actions

• 2025-02-06: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
• 2025-02-06: Introduced in Senate

Bill Versions

• White Oak Resiliency Act of 2025 — issued 2025-02-06 — PDF (16 pages)