LEAF Act of 2025

This legislation, known as the LEAF Act of 2025, amends the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 to establish a new contract preference for local businesses. It mandates that the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, give preference to appropriate local contractors when awarding contracts for hazardous fuel reduction projects on Federal land, to the maximum extent practicable. An "appropriate local contractor" is defined as an entity with its principal place of business in the project state and at least 26 percent of its workforce residing there, or an entity within a 60-mile radius of the project state. These "authorized projects" encompass a broad range of activities, including vegetation management, creating fuel breaks, removing hazard trees, and treating insects or disease, all aimed at reducing wildfire risk and improving forest health. To ensure accountability, the bill requires the Secretary to submit annual reports to Congress, detailing the number and value of contracts awarded to local contractors and assessing their economic impact on local employment and capacity. The Secretary must also explain instances where contracts were not awarded to local entities and describe the overall implementation of this section, supported by a new monitoring and evaluation process.