Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025
Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025 - Summary **What the Bill Does** This bill would expand two federal disaster-relief programs that help farmers and forest owners recover from natural disasters. The Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) helps agricultural producers repair or rebuild farmland and structures damaged by disasters, while the Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) assists private forest owners. The bill would make it easier for these landowners to get advance payments from the government to start emergency repairs before the full cost-sharing is finalized—essentially providing faster access to funds when disasters strike. **Key Changes** Currently, farmers can only get an advance of 25% of costs for fence repairs. This bill would expand that significantly, allowing advances of up to 75% for replacement work and 50% for repairs or restoration on farmland and conservation structures.
Forest owners would also gain access to advance payments of up to 75% for disaster recovery on private forest land. The bill also broadens who qualifies for these programs by expanding eligibility criteria for agricultural producers and forest landowners affected by natural disasters. **Current Status** The bill (S. 629) was introduced by Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) in the 119th Congress and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been voted on by the full Senate.
CRS Official Summary
Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025 This bill revises the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and the Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) to expand eligibility for payments to agricultural producers and owners of forest land impacted by natural disasters. The bill also provides additional options to receive an advance on cost-sharing payments before carrying out emergency measures.The bill expands advance ECP payments to include the replacement, repair, or restoration of farmland or conservation structures requiring an immediate response. Producers may receive an advance on cost-sharing payments for 75% of the cost of the replacement and 50% of the cost of the repair or restoration. Current law limits advance payments to 25% of the cost of the repair or replacement of fencing.Under EFRP, the bill allows owners of nonindustrial private forest land impacted by a natural disaster to receive an advance on cost-sharing payments for up to 75% of the cost of the emergency measures. Currently, advance payments are not available under the program.ECP and EFRP recipients must use the funds within 180 days after the funds are disbursed. This provides additional time to ECP recipients who currently must use the funds within 60 days.The bill also expands eligibility for payments under the programs to include emergency measures to address damages caused by (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.
Latest Action
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.