Schiff Joins Bipartisan Senate Effort to Help Remove Wildfire Fuels From National Forests

Sen. Adam Schiff, (D-Pasadena), has joined a bipartisan group of senators in introducing legislation aimed at reducing wildfire risk by helping communities and forest managers remove hazardous woody debris left behind after forest-thinning projects.

The Hazardous Fuels Transportation Assistance Act would establish a grant program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help offset the cost of transporting woody biomass generated during hazardous fuels reduction projects. Supporters say high transportation costs often force operators to leave the material in forests, where it can become additional fuel for wildfires.

“I’m proud to join Senators Kelly and Luján in introducing legislation that will mitigate transportation barriers and facilitate the removal of hazardous fuels materials from the forest floor,” Schiff said in a statement. “Expanding this essential financial support will improve forest management, reduce the frequency and intensity of fires, and help strengthen wildfire mitigation efforts.”

California generates tens of millions of tons of forestry biomass each year as forests are mechanically thinned to reduce wildfire risk. While thinning reduces fuel loads, the process also produces large quantities of woody material that can remain on the forest floor if it is too expensive to haul away.

Supporters of the bill said transportation costs have risen significantly, making forest restoration projects more difficult to complete and reducing the effectiveness of wildfire prevention efforts.

The legislation would authorize $25 million annually from 2026 through 2030 to provide grants covering transportation costs, equipment purchases and modifications, loading facilities, custom chipping operations and workforce development. Individual grants would be capped at $3 million, with up to $250,000 available for equipment purchases.

Most grants would require a 25% local cost share, while tribal applicants would qualify for a 90% federal cost share.

The bill also would prioritize projects located in high-risk wildfire areas, support the expansion of wood-processing facilities and encourage partnerships among industry, tribal governments and state and local agencies.

Kelly said the measure addresses a key obstacle to forest restoration efforts.

“Thinning the forest is only half the job,” Kelly said. “This legislation will help get the material left behind out of the forest to prevent more wildfires and support the jobs, businesses, and forest restoration projects so many Arizona families depend on.”

The proposal has drawn support from a broad coalition of forestry, conservation and biomass organizations, including the National Forest Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, the American Biomass Energy Association, the American Loggers Council, the National Association of State Foresters and the National Wild Turkey Federation.

The Hazardous Fuels Transportation Assistance program was originally created through the Inflation Reduction Act. The new legislation would permanently authorize and codify the program in federal law.