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Post-Wildfire Environmental Emergency Assistance Act
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the use of fire management assistance grants for debris removal, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the use of fire management assistance grants for debris removal and remediation following wildfires. The President may provide assistance to clear debris and wreckage from publicly and privately owned lands and waters resulting from fire, whether or not a major disaster declaration is issued. The bill also allows the President to direct the Environmental Protection Agency to provide personnel, equipment, and technical assistance to state and local governments for debris removal involving hazardous waste or hazardous substances. The EPA assistance can be provided with or without reimbursement to support cleanup efforts.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR)
1 cosponsor
- Sen. Marshall, Roger [R-KS] (R-KS)
Actions (2)
- Dec 16, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. · senate
- Dec 16, 2025 Introduced in Senate
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 16, 2025
Mr. Merkley (for himself and Mr. Marshall) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
A BILL
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the use of fire management assistance grants for debris removal, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Post-Wildfire Environmental Emergency Assistance Act”.
SEC. 2. FIRE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE.
Section 420 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5187) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a), by striking “and control” and inserting “control, and remediation”;
(2) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and
(3) by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
“(e) Debris Removal.—
“(1) In general.—Whether or not a major disaster is declared, the President may provide assistance under this section to clear debris and wreckage from publicly and privately owned lands and waters resulting from a fire described in subsection (a).
“(2) EPA assistance.—In providing assistance to a State or local government for debris removal under this section involving hazardous waste identified or listed pursuant to section 3001(b) of the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6921(b)), a hazardous substance described or listed pursuant to sections 101 and 102 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601, 9602), or a hazardous substance described in section 302.4 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulation), the President may direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to provide, with or without reimbursement, the authorities and resources granted to the Environmental Protection Agency under Federal law (including personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, and managerial, technical, and advisory services) to assist the State or local government with the debris removal.”. <all>
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