Hazardous Fuels Transportation Assistance Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- S. 4887
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-24: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-07T04:53:29Z
AI-Generated Summary
Hazardous Fuels Transportation Assistance Act of 2026
Purpose
This legislation directs the Secretary of Agriculture to create a competitive grant program that incentivizes the transportation and utilization of material removed during hazardous fuels management activities on National Forest System lands, with the goal of reducing wildfire risk.
Key Provisions
- Definitions: Establishes terms including "eligible recipient" (for-profit entities, nonprofits, states, local governments, Indian Tribes, and institutions of higher education), "fireshed" (landscape-scale areas with similar wildfire exposure), and "hazardous fuels management activity" (vegetation management such as thinning, mastication, timber harvest, and grazing on National Forest System land).
- Grant Program: Requires the Secretary to establish the program within 180 days of enactment. Grants support projects that remove material from existing contracts or agreements with the Forest Service.
- Eligible Uses: Funds may cover transportation of byproducts (roundwood, chips, biomass), woodyard and loading facility costs, equipment purchase/modification/leasing for transport, equipment maintenance, workforce training and certifications, and other Secretary-approved transport expenses.
- Ineligible Uses: Prohibits funds for construction or capital improvements (including processing facilities), stumpage or timber purchases, and other expenses determined ineligible by the Secretary.
- Prioritization: Awards prioritize projects in high-risk firesheds, those maximizing treated acres and transported volume, retention of forest products infrastructure, development of wood processing facilities, long-term utilization of forest products, and integration with programs like the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program or Joint Chiefs Landscape Restoration Partnership. Additional priority for projects using good neighbor agreements, stewardship contracts, tribal self-determination agreements, or Tribal Forest Protection Act mechanisms.
- Funding and Limits: Authorizes $25,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. Individual grants capped at $3,000,000 per fiscal year; equipment purchases limited to $250,000 per grant per year. Cost-share is generally 75 percent (90 percent for Indian Tribes).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
The Act introduces a new grant authority under the Secretary of Agriculture focused on transportation incentives for hazardous fuels removal. It does not amend or repeal existing statutes but adds a targeted funding mechanism to support activities under current authorities such as the Healthy Forests Restoration Act and good neighbor agreements.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The Forest Service will administer the program, including application review, prioritization, and oversight of grant expenditures.
- Citizens and Communities: May support wildfire risk reduction in fire-prone areas, create economic opportunities in rural and tribal communities through wood product utilization, and provide workforce training benefits.
- International Relations: No direct effects identified.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Eligible recipients such as states, local governments, Indian Tribes, nonprofits, for-profit entities, and higher education institutions.
- The U.S. Forest Service and Department of Agriculture.
- Communities and industries involved in forest management, wildfire mitigation, and wood products processing.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
The legislation operates within existing congressional authority over federal lands and agriculture. It includes specific cost-share preferences for Indian Tribes and prioritizes tribal agreements, which may enhance tribal participation in federal forestry projects without raising apparent constitutional concerns.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (4)
Sen. Curtis, John R. [R-UT], Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM], Sen. Hyde-Smith, Cindy [R-MS], Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-24: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 2026-06-24: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Hazardous Fuels Transportation Assistance Act of 2026 — issued 2026-06-24 — PDF (8 pages)