Rep. LaMalfa Leads Bipartisan Push to Ensure Firefighters Can Use Aerial Retardant Without Permits
This bill is currently in the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure where it has been since it was introduced in June 2026. It must be reviewed by a House committee before it can move forward, but no further action has occurred since the sponsorship change on June 28, 2026. Most bills like this do not receive a committee vote and often stall at this stage.
This bill has strong bipartisan support from members in fire-prone states and addresses a practical hurdle for emergency responders.
This bill’s path across every version that has carried it.
Reintroduced
Reintroduced from H.R. 1586 (118th), which died when its Congress ended.
H.R. 1586 (118th) →Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
Homeowners in wildfire-prone regions stand to benefit from faster, less legally complicated aerial firefighting. By removing the permit requirement for retardant drops near water, firefighters can respond more aggressively, potentially saving homes that might otherwise be lost while agencies navigate regulatory uncertainty.
ASSUMING FIRST SPONSORSHIP - Mr. Hurd (CO) asked unanimous consent that he may hereafter be considered as the first sponsor of H.R. 3300, a bill originally introduced by Representative LaMalfa, for the purpose of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII. Agreed to without objection.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
The Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act, introduced by Rep. Doug LaMalfa, passed the House as part of the PERMIT Act. The bill ensures aerial fire retardant remains available for wildfire suppression without being sidelined by Clean Water Act permitting delays.
As aircraft drop hundreds of thousands of gallons of retardant on Los Angeles fires, the practice remains under legal scrutiny. A 2022 lawsuit accused the Forest Service of violating clean water laws, leading to a judge's order for the agency to seek environmental permits.
A federal judge in Montana ruled that the U.S. Forest Service violated the Clean Water Act by dropping fire retardant into waterways without a permit. However, the judge declined to halt the use of retardant, citing the risk of catastrophic wildfires to human life and property.
No votes recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act of 2025
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