S. 5290: Emergency Mountain Pine Beetle Response and Coordination Act

This bill would create a federal program focused on responding to mountain pine beetle outbreaks on National Forest System lands. In plain terms, it would let the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service award competitive grants and enter into cooperative agreements with states, local governments, tribes, and certain utility or water entities to help manage forests damaged by the beetle.

What the grant program would do

The bill would direct the Secretary of Agriculture to set up a Mountain Pine Beetle Response Program. Under this program, eligible public or tribal entities, and certain utilities and water districts, could apply for grants to carry out projects aimed at restoring forest health in areas with severe mountain pine beetle damage.

Projects funded under the program could include:

• Removing trees killed or infested by mountain pine beetles, especially hazardous trees.
• Processing those trees after removal.
• Thinning forests and reducing fuels left behind by beetle outbreaks to lower fire risk or protect public safety, infrastructure, or watersheds.
• Replanting trees and supporting reforestation.
• Ecological restoration work meant to improve biodiversity.
• Watershed protection measures such as slope stabilization, runoff control, flood and erosion mitigation, and related planning or technical assistance.

The bill says that when choosing grant recipients, the Secretary should give priority to projects that:

• Protect municipal water supplies and critical infrastructure;
• Reduce wildfire risk for communities near forests and developed areas;
• Address areas with high tree mortality or poor natural regrowth after beetle outbreaks; and
• Fit with state forest plans or watershed strategies.

The bill also requires that grant money be fully paid out no later than 30 days after the recipient says the project is complete.

What the cooperative agreement section would do

The bill would also let the Secretary of Agriculture make cooperative agreements with governors, tribes, counties, municipalities, and certain other local officials to support detection, treatment, and mitigation of mountain pine beetle infestations on land under federal or local control.

These agreements could cover:

• Shared monitoring and data collection;
• Joint planning and project implementation;
• Processing beetle-killed or infested trees;
• Expanding wood processing capacity and workforce development; and
• Reducing hazards in affected areas.

In addition, the bill would require the Secretary, through the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, to provide technical help on request for monitoring and managing beetle infestations, including how the pest spreads and how to respond to it. It would also require technical assistance from the Rural Development side of USDA on workforce needs, wood processing infrastructure, and creating markets for wood from beetle-damaged trees. That assistance could include uses such as mass timber, wood energy, and affordable housing construction.

Overall effect

Overall, the bill would use federal grants, cooperative agreements, and technical assistance to help public and tribal partners respond to mountain pine beetle damage, reduce related wildfire and watershed risks, and support the processing and reuse of affected wood.

Relevant Companies

None found.