Forestry and Horticulture

Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act

Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2025 This bill bars the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the Forest Service from prohibiting or regulating the use of lead ammunition or tackle on federal land or water. The bill makes exceptions for specified existing regulations and where the FWS, the BLM, or the Forest Service determines that a decline in wildlife population at the specific unit of federal land or water is primarily caused by the use of lead in ammunition or tackle, based on the field data from such unit, and the state approves the regulations.

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 335.

Fire Department Repayment Act of 2025

Fire Department Repayment Act of 2025 This bill requires standard operating procedures for reciprocal fire suppression cost share agreements, which are agreements between federal, state, and local governments to share the costs of suppressing wildfires that occur across multiple jurisdictions. The Departments of Agriculture, the Interior, Homeland Security, and Defense must establish standard operating procedures relating to payment timelines for fire suppression cost share agreements established under the Reciprocal Fire Protection Act. The departments must also review each agreement that is in operation within a year of this bill's enactment and modify an agreement as necessary to comply with the standard operating procedures. The standard operating procedures must require that (1) each fire suppression cost share agreement be aligned with each of the cooperative fire protection agreements applicable to the entity subject to such fire suppression cost share agreement, and (2) the federal paying entity reimburse a local fire department if the fire department submits an invoice in accordance with cost settlement procedures.

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.

Law Enforcement Officer and Firefighter Recreation Pass Act

Law Enforcement Officer Recreation Pass Act This bill directs the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to make the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass available, without charge and for the lifetime of the passholder, to law enforcement officers.

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

TORCH Act

Targeted Operations to Remove Catastrophic Hazards Act or the TORCH Act This bill establishes requirements concerning forest management on federal land, including provisions to expedite the approval of forest management activities. Specifically, it expands exclusions from environmental review requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for certain forest management activities, including by directing the Forest Service to develop a categorical exclusion for forest management activities that mitigate the risks associated with high-priority hazard trees. A categorical exclusion is a class of actions that a federal agency has determined do not significantly affect the quality of the human environment and, thus, do not require an environmental assessment nor an environmental impact statement. The bill also exempts the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management from the requirement to reinitiate consultation with the Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 on an approved, amended, or revised land management plan when (1) a new species is listed or critical habitat is designated, or (2) new information reveals that the land management plan may affect a listed species or critical habitat in a manner or to an extent not previously considered. It also creates and modifies requirements related to vegetation management practices and forest management activities, such as activities to reduce wildfire risks. For example, the bill modifies the treatment of certain revenue under good neighbor agreements, which allow federal agencies to partner with state and local governments to carry out certain restoration services.

Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.

Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act of 2025

Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act of 2025 This bill reauthorizes the Department of Defense to sell its excess aircraft and aircraft parts that are acceptable for commercial sale for wildfire suppression purposes. Such authority begins October 1, 2025, and ends October 1, 2035. The bill also provides that such aircraft may be used to deliver water by air in order to suppress wildfire (the previous authority only provided for the delivery of fire retardant). The bill removes the previous limitation on providing international wildfire suppression assistance with such purchased aircraft.

Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.

Tim’s Act

Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Classification and Pay Parity Act or Tim's Act This bill increases compensation and establishes additional benefits and programs for federal wildland firefighters. (These individuals are employed by the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Interior, or tribal governments.) The bill increases the minimum rate of basic pay for wildland firefighters at General Schedule (GS) levels 1 through 15 by percentages specified in the bill, with smaller increases for higher GS levels. The bill also requires comparable increases to the hourly rates paid to prevailing rate employees who are wildland firefighters. It also establishes premium pay for wildland firefighters who respond to certain prolonged fire incidents and are deployed outside of their normal duty stations or to an area adjacent to the incident. These changes take effect after other temporary pay increases for wildland firefighters expire. The bill also (1) establishes paid rest and recuperation leave; (2) allows certain prior service to be credited for retirement purposes; and (3) provides housing allowances, tuition assistance, and other benefits for wildland firefighters. Further, the bill directs the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs within the Department of Labor to ensure that psychological stress-related injuries and illnesses correlated to fire response are compensated and to expedite related claims. The bill also establishes programs to (1) assist the next-of-kin of wildland firefighters and fire support personnel who are critically injured or killed while in the line of duty, and (2) support the mental and physical health of wildland firefighters.

Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.

PASTURES Act

Protecting Agricultural Spaces Through Effective Ranching Strategies Act or the PASTURES Act This bill prohibits the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of the Interior from imposing penalties on livestock owners for grazing on certain public lands. Under the bill, covered lands are National Forest System lands, lands administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or public lands (1) on which grazing is allowed by a permit or lease on or after the date of the bill's enactment and is then subsequently prohibited, and (2) that border private property. Specifically, the departments may not impose a penalty on an owner of livestock (including cattle, bison, horses, sheep, and goats) for grazing on covered lands that do not have a fence to prevent grazing. The bill specifies that USDA or Interior, depending on the covered land, is responsible for any expense related to the construction or maintenance of a fence for the prevention of grazing by livestock.

Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.

Public Lands in Public Hands Act

Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.