Congress·Passed House
Wildfire Prevention: Accurate Reporting on Land Clearing
ACRES Act
Legislative Progress
✓ Filed
✓ Review
✓ House
Senate
President
Key Points
- This bill requires the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior to give Congress and the public a clear picture of how they are reducing wildfire risks. They must report exactly how many acres of federal land were treated to remove dangerous brush and trees that could fuel a fire.
- To ensure the numbers are honest, the agencies can only count each acre once per year, even if they did multiple projects on that same spot. This prevents the government from making their progress look bigger than it actually is by double-counting the same land.
- The reports must include specific details, such as whether the work was done near neighborhoods, how much the work cost per acre, and if the risk of a wildfire actually went down after the project was finished. This information will be posted online for anyone to see.
- The agencies have 90 days to set up a new, standardized system for tracking this data. This ensures that different departments are using the same rules and methods to measure their success in protecting forests and nearby communities.
- A government watchdog will study the new reporting system after two years to make sure it is working correctly. No new money is being spent on these requirements; the agencies must use the funds they already have.
Milestones
4 milestones11 actions
Mar 4, 2026Senate
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Feb 12, 2026Senate
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held.
Jan 22, 2025Senate
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Jan 21, 2025House
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Jan 21, 2025House
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H244-245)
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
ACRES Act
Bill NumberHR 204
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionCommittee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Sponsor
Data Sources
Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.