S. 140 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Jan 16, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryIncreases forest management to prevent wildfires
Ever wondered why some federal forests burn more easily than others? This bill sets up a plan to reduce wildfire risk on Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands. It requires these agencies to thin out more trees and vegetation each year, use prescribed fire more often, and test new wildfire prevention technologies. By 2029, they need to nearly double the acres they treat compared to recent years. The bill also lets them use livestock grazing to reduce wildfire fuel and speeds up environmental reviews for high-risk forest projects.
How it affects you
If you live near federal forests or depend on them for recreation, water, or other resources, this could mean lower wildfire risk in those areas. Local governments and Native American tribes gain a say in lawsuits about federal forest projects, giving communities more voice in decisions affecting nearby lands.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Jan 16, 2025)
This bill establishes forest management requirements for federal lands, particularly with respect to reducing wildfires.
For example, the bill establishes annual goals to increase (1) the number of acres of Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land that are mechanically thinned (i.e., a management process related to the removal of trees and vegetation); and (2) the number of acres of Forest Service and BLM land treated by prescribed fire. By FY2029, the goals must be to increase the number of acres of each by at least 40% compared to the average number of acres of each in FY2019-FY2023.
The bill also directs the Forest Service and the BLM to (1) implement standardized procedures for tracking data relating to hazardous fuels reduction activities they carry out, and (2) develop a strategy to identify opportunities to use livestock grazing as a wildfire risk reduction tool on federal land. Additionally, the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior must establish a deployment and test bed pilot program for wildfire prevention, detection, communication, and mitigation technologies.
The bill mandates use of existing authorities for expedited environmental review for certain forest land at high risk from wildfire, insects, or disease.
Finally, the bill provides local governments and Indian tribes the right to intervene in lawsuits concerning certain projects on federal land that (1) reduce risks posed by wildfire, insects, or disease; or (2) generate revenue from harvesting timber.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 140
A BILL
Wildfire Prevention Act of 2025
Sponsor: Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) · Introduced Jan 16, 2025 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jun 10, 2026: “Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.”
Sections
Title I — Accomplishments over rhetoric · 5
Title II — Forest management · 5
- Sec. 201Vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and maintenance relating to electric transmission and distribution facility rights-of-wayNo change
- Sec. 202Timber sales on National Forest System landNo change
- Sec. 203Categorical exclusion for high-priority hazard treesNo change
- Sec. 204Intervenor statusNo change
- Sec. 205Utilizing grazing for wildfire risk reductionNo change