Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025

S629 ENR: Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025 U.S. Senate text/xml EN 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. One Hundred Nineteenth Congress of the United States of America 2d Session Begun and held at the City of Washington on Saturday, the third day of January, two thousand and twenty six S. 629

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 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. 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. . 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. . Speaker of the House of Representatives Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate

119 S629 ES: Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025 U.S. Senate text/xml EN 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. 119th CONGRESS2d SessionS. 629IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESAN ACTTo 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 titleThis Act may be cited as the Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025.2.Improving the Emergency Conservation ProgramSection 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 determinationA 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..3.Improving the Emergency Forest Restoration ProgramSection 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 generalThe 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 fundsIf 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 Senate March 24, 2026.Secretary

119 S629 IS: Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025 U.S. Senate 2025-02-19 text/xml EN 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. II119th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 629IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESFebruary 19, 2025Mrs. Fischer (for herself, Mr. Luján, and Mr. Schiff) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and ForestryA BILLTo 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 titleThis Act may be cited as the Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025.2.Improving the Emergency Conservation ProgramSection 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 determinationA 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..3.Improving the Emergency Forest Restoration ProgramSection 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 generalThe 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 fundsIf 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..