Analyst Brief March 16, 2026

H.R. 528 — Post-Disaster Reforestation and Restoration Act of 2025

Current Status

Introduced

Executive Summary

H.R. 528, the "Post-Disaster Reforestation and Restoration Act," establishes a program within the Department of the Interior to identify and restore federal lands and Indian Forest Land or Rangeland impacted by unplanned disturbances like wildfires, insect infestations, or weather events. The bill mandates the Secretary of the Interior to coordinate with various agencies, propose priority projects, and engage with diverse stakeholders, including Indian Tribes and state governments, to facilitate reforestation and ecosystem recovery. This initiative aims to address areas unlikely to naturally regenerate, ensuring long-term ecological health and resilience.

Bill Data

Primary Sponsor

MS. PETTERSEN

Bill Number

H.R. 528

Session

119th

Co-Sponsors

Mr. EDWARDS
View on Congress.gov ↗

Arguments For

  • Ecological Resilience & Disaster Recovery: Directly addresses the urgent need to restore lands damaged by increasing natural disasters, enhancing ecosystem health and preventing further degradation.
  • Economic Opportunity: Creates jobs and stimulates local economies through federal grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements for restoration work, benefiting forestry, conservation, and related sectors.
  • Intergovernmental Collaboration: Fosters critical partnerships with Indian Tribes, states, and local governments, ensuring culturally sensitive and locally informed restoration efforts.
  • Proactive Land Management: Establishes a structured, data-driven approach to identify and prioritize restoration needs, moving beyond reactive responses to environmental crises.

Likely Supporters

Environmental advocacy groupsNative American tribal organizationsState and local government associationsForestry and conservation industriesDisaster relief organizations

Arguments Against

  • Federal Spending & Scope: Opponents may raise concerns about the potential cost of a broad federal program, especially given the extensive definition of 'covered lands' and the range of eligible activities.
  • Bureaucratic Complexity: Coordinating multiple federal agencies and diverse stakeholders across various land types could lead to administrative inefficiencies and delays in project implementation.
  • "Natural Regeneration" Ambiguity: The criteria for identifying lands "unlikely to experience natural regeneration without assistance" might be subjective, leading to debates over project selection and resource allocation.
  • Sunset Clause Limitations: The 7-year termination clause could be seen as insufficient for long-term ecological recovery, potentially creating uncertainty for ongoing projects and future planning.

Likely Opponents

Fiscal conservative groupsProperty rights advocates (if perceived federal overreach)Some industry groups (if perceived as burdensome)

📋 Key Provisions

  • Requires the Secretary of the Interior to identify covered lands needing reforestation and restoration within one year of enactment and annually thereafter.
  • Mandates the Secretary to propose a list of priority projects for reforestation and restoration for each fiscal year.
  • Allows priority projects to be carried out through competitively awarded grants, contracts, contracts under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, and cooperative agreements.
  • Requires outreach to Indian Tribes, States, territories, local governments, Alaska Native organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, institutions of higher education, and Federal agencies with adjoining land.
  • Mandates annual reports to relevant Congressional Committees, detailing covered lands, project progress, outreach efforts, and assessments of seed/seedling availability and funding needs.
  • Establishes a sunset clause, terminating the authority provided under the section 7 years after the date of enactment.
  • Defines key terms including 'covered agency' (National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Indian Affairs), 'covered lands' (Federal land or Indian Forest Land/Rangeland), 'Indian Tribe', 'natural regeneration', 'reforestation', 'restoration', and 'unplanned disturbance'.
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Claim Analysis Page 2, Line 1

The bill establishes a Post-Disaster Reforestation and Restoration Program.

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"SEC. 2. POST-DISASTER REFORESTATION AND RESTORA-"

Claim Analysis Page 4, Line 11

The program's authority terminates 7 years after the bill's enactment.

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"terminate on the date that is 7 years"

Claim Analysis Page 2, Line 15

Priority projects can be implemented through competitively awarded grants.

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"(A) competitively awarded grants;"

Claim Analysis Page 3, Line 16

The Secretary must submit annual reports to Congress.

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"annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit"

Claim Analysis Page 4, Line 15

Covered agencies include the National Park Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs.

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"National Park Service, the United States Fish"