Fix Our Forests Act

House Bill

H.R. 471

119th Congress

Fix Our Forests Act

In Committee

Introduced:Jan 16, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Bruce Westerman

R - AR

Cosponsors

56

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary

This comprehensive wildfire bill designates high-risk fireshed management areas and creates an interagency Fireshed Center for fire assessment. It expedites NEPA review for forest management projects and limits endangered species consultation requirements. The bill restricts litigation challenging fireshed projects and limits court remedies. It also supports community fire risk reduction, watershed restoration, biochar technology, and firefighter assistance.

Latest Action

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 119-27.

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This comprehensive wildfire bill designates high-risk fireshed management areas and creates an interagency Fireshed Center for fire assessment. It expedites NEPA review for forest management projects and limits endangered species consultation requirements. The bill restricts litigation challenging fireshed projects and limits court remedies. It also supports community fire risk reduction, watershed restoration, biochar technology, and firefighter assistance.

Last updated: 1/4/2026

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

Fix Our Forests ActThis bill establishes requirements for managing forests on federal land, including requirements concerning reducing wildfire threats, expediting the review of certain forest management projects, and implementing forest management projects and other activities.Specifically, the bill (1) designates certain firesheds at high risk for wildfires as fireshed management areas; (2) directs the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Geological Survey to jointly establish an interagency Fireshed Center that is responsible for duties related to assessing and predicting fire, including maintaining a fireshed registry on a publicly accessible website that provides interactive geospatial data on individual firesheds; and (3) makes other requirements related to reducing wildfire.Next, the bill expedites the review of certain forest management projects under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and exempts certain activities from NEPA review. It also establishes intra-agency strike teams to accelerate the review and any interagency consultation processes under NEPA, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and the National Historic Preservation Act. It also limits consultation requirements concerning threatened and endangered species under the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 and the Federal Land Management and Policy Act of 1976. Finally, it limits litigation involving fireshed management projects and limits remedies that courts may provide.Additionally, the bill supports reducing community wildfire risks, carrying out forest restoration and stewardship activities (including watershed protection and restoration), conducting biochar demonstration projects, advancing technologies to address forest wildfires, and assisting wildland firefighters and their families.

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Designates fireshed management areas for high-risk zones
Creates interagency Fireshed Center with public data registry
Expedites NEPA review and limits ESA consultations
Restricts litigation and remedies for forest projects
Supports biochar technology and firefighter assistance

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

This is one of the most comprehensive forest management bills, streamlining environmental review processes that critics argue delay critical fire prevention work. The fireshed approach focuses resources on highest-risk areas. Limiting litigation aims to speed project implementation but raises concerns about environmental safeguards. The bill reflects frustration with catastrophic wildfires despite existing management tools.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Public Lands and Natural Resources

Related Subjects

Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Agricultural practices and innovations

Alternative and renewable resources

Building construction

California

Climate change and greenhouse gases

Community life and organization

Computers and information technology

Congressional oversight

Department of Agriculture

+9 more

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

471, 119th Congress (2025). "Fix Our Forests Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-471