Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025
Floor Speech
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Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 629) to amend the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 to remove barriers to agricultural producers in accessing funds to carry out emergency measures under the emergency conservation program, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: S. 629
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025''. SEC. 2. IMPROVING THE EMERGENCY CONSERVATION PROGRAM.
Section 401 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2201) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by inserting ``and Other Emergency Conservation Measures'' after ``Fencing'';
(B) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by inserting ``or for other emergency measures to replace or restore farmland or conservation structures requiring an immediate response (as determined by the Secretary),'' after ``replacement of fencing,''; and
(ii) by striking ``option of receiving'' and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting the following: ``option of receiving, before the agricultural producer carries out the repair, replacement, or restoration--
``(A) with respect to a payment to the agricultural producer for a replacement, 75 percent of the cost of the replacement, as determined by the Secretary; and
``(B) with respect to a payment to the agricultural producer for a repair or restoration, 50 percent of the cost of the repair or restoration, as determined by the Secretary.''; and
(C) in paragraph (2), by striking ``60-day'' and inserting ``180-day''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Wildfire Determination.--A wildfire that causes damage eligible for a payment under subsection (a) includes--
``(1) a wildfire that is not caused naturally, if the damage is caused by the spread of the wildfire due to natural causes; and
``(2) a wildfire that is caused by the Federal Government.''. SEC. 3. IMPROVING THE EMERGENCY FOREST RESTORATION PROGRAM.
Section 407 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2206) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ``wildfires,'' and inserting ``wildfires (including a wildfire that is not caused naturally, if the damage is caused by the spread of the wildfire due to natural causes, and a wildfire that is caused by the Federal Government),'';
(2) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and
(3) by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
``(e) Advance Payments.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall give an owner of nonindustrial private forest land the option of receiving, before the owner carries out emergency measures under this section, not more than 75 percent of the cost of the emergency measures, as determined by the Secretary.
``(2) Return of funds.--If the funds provided under paragraph (1) are not expended by the end of the 180-day period beginning on the date on which the owner of nonindustrial private forest land receives those funds, the funds shall be returned within a reasonable timeframe, as determined by the Secretary.''.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 629, the Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025, introduced by Senator Fischer of Nebraska.
The Emergency Conservation Program and the Emergency Forest Restoration Program are two critical cost-share programs available to landowners following a natural disaster. Given the natural disasters we have witnessed, including wildfires, hurricanes, and flooding, these programs have remained critically important.
Wildfires continue to present significant challenges, especially in the West, due to their increasing intensity and the extensive number of acres burned each year. Forest managers and wildfire experts have predicted that 2026 will be a particularly challenging fire year. So far this year, we have already witnessed approximately 2.7 million acres burned in over 34,000 fires, and it is only June.
Recently, devastating wildfires have occurred in the plains of Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas, instead of just being confined to the forest and mountains of the West. This year, we saw approximately 300,000 acres burn after multiple wildfires ignited in Oklahoma and Kansas this past February.
In addition, due to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, we have observed significant needs for emergency assistance resulting from the devastation in southeastern States, including the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. Natural disasters have inflicted great damage on private property across the country at no fault of the landowners.
Under ECP, landowners can receive both technical and financial assistance for repairs and restoration of land adversely affected by natural disasters, including floods, hurricanes, wildfires, and droughts. Additionally, EFRP provides financial assistance to nonindustrial private forest landowners to support recovery efforts following similar natural disasters.
While these programs are critical, participants have reported ongoing issues with payment delays and insufficient upfront assistance to cover the costs of urgent conservation needs.
To address this issue, S. 629 allows for advanced payments of up to 75 percent of the total project cost for both programs, clarifies eligibility for cost-share payments, and allows for a longer period for the use of ECP payments.
In addition, since receiving recommendations from both the Government Accountability Office and the USDA Office of Inspector General, USDA has indicated that the Department is taking actions to improve the integrity and the administration of ECP. Given the significant challenges that our producers and forest landowners are facing in the aftermath of recent natural disasters, as well as the increased risk of extreme fire damage this year, it is my hope that we can enhance this program's integrity, while also providing timely assistance to those in great need.
Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation and encourage my colleagues to vote favorably.
Mr. Speaker, I simply want to thank my colleague for her efforts on this piece of legislation and on the floor today.
The challenges that this bill is designed to address are real, and they are not just one particular locality, whether it is Hawaii, various States on the East or West Coasts, or across the country. We need to pass this legislation to make the process work more efficiently.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to vote for this piece of legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
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