H.R. 1011

119 HR 1011 EH: Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025
 U.S. House of Representatives
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 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 I
 119th CONGRESS  2d Session
 H. R. 1011
 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 AN ACT
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.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025  .
2.
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  ; and
(B)
by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
(1)
In general
With respect to a payment to an agricultural producer under subsection (a) for the repair or replacement of fencing, or for other emergency measures to rehabilitate farmland or to repair or replace a farmland or conservation structure, the Secretary shall give the agricultural producer the option of receiving—
(A)
before carrying out such replacement or rehabilitation, not more than 75 percent of the payment for such replacement or rehabilitation, which shall be based on the fair market value of the replacement or rehabilitation, as determined by the Secretary; and
(B)
before carrying out such repair, not more than 50 percent of the payment for such repair, which shall be based on the fair market value of the repair, as determined by the Secretary.
 ; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following:
(c)
Wildfires
A wildfire that causes damage with respect to which a payment may be made under subsection (a) includes any wildfire that is not caused naturally, including a wildfire that is caused by the Federal Government, if the damage is caused by the spread of the fire due to natural causes.
 .
3.
Improving the emergency forest restoration program
Section 407 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2206 ) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and
(2)
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 based on the fair market value of the cost of the emergency measures using the estimated cost of the applicable practice published in the Field Office Technical Guide of each State by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
(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.
 .
     Passed the House of Representatives April 14, 2026.  Kevin F. McCumber,  Clerk.