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Congress·In Committee·8 months ago

Senate Bill Would Fund Large-Scale Forest Restoration and Community Fire Resilience Under Wildfire Emergency Act

Also known as: Wildfire Emergency Act of 2025

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
Senate
House
President

Impacts

Positive Impacts(1)
Tribal Member
Helps

Key Points

  • Creates a Forest Service pilot to fund large forest restoration projects (often 100,000 acres or more) using deals that bring in private and local money.
  • Caps the pilot at 20 projects and up to $250 million total over 10 years, with no more than $50 million tied to any single project.
  • Sets up a Energy Department program with $100 million to help critical places (like hospitals, schools, fire stations, and water systems) keep power during disasters using microgrids and backup energy.
  • Expands home weatherization rules so fire- and heat-resistant materials can be included, and raises the typical per-home cost limit to $13,000 (inflation-adjusted).
  • Pushes faster rollout of wildfire detection tools (like cameras and sensors), plus training centers and workforce grants to grow the prescribed-fire and forest-restoration workforce.
EnvironmentEnergyInfrastructureLabor EmploymentRenewable Energy

Milestones

3 milestones4 actions
Jul 17, 2025Senate

Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Jul 17, 2025Senate

Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources discharged by Unanimous Consent.

Jan 30, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Jan 30, 2025

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Within months after the bill is enacted and funded

Department of Energy starts the critical facilities and microgrid program

Critical facilities (like hospitals, water systems, and emergency centers) could begin applying for help to add back-up power, storage, and local microgrids that keep power on during wildfires and shutoffs.

After federal and state program guidance is updated following enactment

Weatherization projects can start including fire-resistant materials under updated rules

Eligible households could get weatherization work that also improves fire resistance, and programs could spend more per home on average (up to $13,000, inflation-adjusted).

After funding is appropriated for FY2025–FY2029 and the application process opens

Forest Service begins awarding national community capacity and land stewardship grants

Disadvantaged communities and Tribes could get up to $50,000 per year to plan, coordinate, and run local stewardship and wildfire resilience work tied to national forests/grasslands.

Related News

2 articles
East County Magazine·about 1 year ago

Senator Padilla Introduces Bipartisan Bills to Improve Fire Mitigation and Resiliency

Senator Alex Padilla introduced the Wildfire Emergency Act of 2025 to support forest restoration and energy resilience. The bill provides the Forest Service with pilot authority for 20 conservation finance projects and authorizes $100 million for DOE microgrids at critical facilities.

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InsuranceNewsNet·20 days ago

WATCH: LA leaders, lawmakers discuss wildfire legislation

Local and federal leaders discussed a package of bills designed to address the aftermath of the Palisades and Eaton fires. The legislation includes the Wildfire Emergency Act, which focuses on landscape-scale forest restoration and critical infrastructure power backups.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Wildfire Emergency Act of 2025

Bill NumberS 350
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionReferred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(2)
D: 1R: 1

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.