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Protect the West Act of 2025

USA119th CongressS-670| Senate 
| Updated: 2/20/2025
Michael F. Bennet

Michael F. Bennet

Democratic Senator

Colorado

Cosponsors (4)
Ruben Gallego (Democratic)John W. Hickenlooper (Democratic)Jacky Rosen (Democratic)Ron Wyden (Democratic)

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
The "Protect the West Act of 2025" establishes the Outdoor and Watershed Restoration Fund in the Treasury, appropriating a substantial $60 billion to support restoration and resilience efforts. This fund is designed to finance two primary initiatives: a grant program and a partnership program, both aimed at enhancing ecological integrity and community resilience. A Restoration Fund Advisory Council will provide recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture on fund disbursement, priority-setting for landscapes, and project evaluation. This council comprises diverse stakeholders, including representatives from resource-dependent industries, environmental experts, conservation organizations, and various levels of government. The Restoration and Resilience Grant Program , administered with the Council's guidance, focuses on increasing capacity for planning, coordinating, and monitoring projects on non-Federal land, as well as supporting collaboration on Federal land. It also funds projects on non-Federal land for restoration, wildfire-resistive construction, and expanding equitable outdoor access. The program offers both capacity and implementation grants, prioritizing projects that create jobs, are developed collaboratively, address shared priorities, and benefit lower-capacity or underserved communities . The Restoration and Resilience Partnership Program aims to restore forest, grassland, and rangeland ecosystems, create outdoor jobs, improve rangeland resilience against invasive species, and reduce uncharacteristic wildfires. The Secretary will designate specific partnership areas on Federal and non-Federal land based on criteria such as high wildfire potential, critical wildlife habitat, or location within the wildland-urban interface. Projects under the partnership program will prioritize actions like reintroducing low-intensity fire, reducing hazardous fuels, and improving wildlife habitat and water quality. Importantly, the bill specifies exclusions, prohibiting projects in wilderness areas, inventoried roadless areas, or for the removal of old growth stands. The legislation also includes provisions for interagency flexibility, allowing matching funds from other authorities and authorizing pay-for-performance contracts to purchase successful project outcomes, ensuring efficient use of funds and annual oversight by the Inspector General.
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Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 118-540
Protect the West Act of 2023
Feb 20, 2025
Introduced in Senate
Feb 20, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Mar 20, 2025

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 119-1459
Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 118-540
    Protect the West Act of 2023


  • February 20, 2025
    Introduced in Senate


  • February 20, 2025
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.


  • March 20, 2025

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 119-1459
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology.

Public Lands and Natural Resources

Related Bills

  • HR 119-1459: Protect the West Act of 2025

Protect the West Act of 2025

USA119th CongressS-670| Senate 
| Updated: 2/20/2025
The "Protect the West Act of 2025" establishes the Outdoor and Watershed Restoration Fund in the Treasury, appropriating a substantial $60 billion to support restoration and resilience efforts. This fund is designed to finance two primary initiatives: a grant program and a partnership program, both aimed at enhancing ecological integrity and community resilience. A Restoration Fund Advisory Council will provide recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture on fund disbursement, priority-setting for landscapes, and project evaluation. This council comprises diverse stakeholders, including representatives from resource-dependent industries, environmental experts, conservation organizations, and various levels of government. The Restoration and Resilience Grant Program , administered with the Council's guidance, focuses on increasing capacity for planning, coordinating, and monitoring projects on non-Federal land, as well as supporting collaboration on Federal land. It also funds projects on non-Federal land for restoration, wildfire-resistive construction, and expanding equitable outdoor access. The program offers both capacity and implementation grants, prioritizing projects that create jobs, are developed collaboratively, address shared priorities, and benefit lower-capacity or underserved communities . The Restoration and Resilience Partnership Program aims to restore forest, grassland, and rangeland ecosystems, create outdoor jobs, improve rangeland resilience against invasive species, and reduce uncharacteristic wildfires. The Secretary will designate specific partnership areas on Federal and non-Federal land based on criteria such as high wildfire potential, critical wildlife habitat, or location within the wildland-urban interface. Projects under the partnership program will prioritize actions like reintroducing low-intensity fire, reducing hazardous fuels, and improving wildlife habitat and water quality. Importantly, the bill specifies exclusions, prohibiting projects in wilderness areas, inventoried roadless areas, or for the removal of old growth stands. The legislation also includes provisions for interagency flexibility, allowing matching funds from other authorities and authorizing pay-for-performance contracts to purchase successful project outcomes, ensuring efficient use of funds and annual oversight by the Inspector General.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 118-540
Protect the West Act of 2023
Feb 20, 2025
Introduced in Senate
Feb 20, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Mar 20, 2025

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 119-1459
Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 118-540
    Protect the West Act of 2023


  • February 20, 2025
    Introduced in Senate


  • February 20, 2025
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.


  • March 20, 2025

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 119-1459
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology.
Michael F. Bennet

Michael F. Bennet

Democratic Senator

Colorado

Cosponsors (4)
Ruben Gallego (Democratic)John W. Hickenlooper (Democratic)Jacky Rosen (Democratic)Ron Wyden (Democratic)

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

Public Lands and Natural Resources

Related Bills

  • HR 119-1459: Protect the West Act of 2025
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted