Michael Bennet (D-CO)
Emergency Mountain Pine Beetle Response and Coordination Act
A Democratic bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Emergency Mountain Pine Beetle Response and Coordination Act," directs the Secretary of Agriculture to address mountain pine beetle outbreaks. It establishes a competitive grant program called the "Mountain Pine Beetle Response Program" for various sponsors to carry out restoration projects on National Forest System land. The bill also authorizes the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements with covered entities like State Governors and Indian Tribes. These agreements aim to support the detection, treatment, and mitigation of infestations. Additionally, the bill provides for technical assistance regarding monitoring, management, and wood processing capacity.
Yes· 3 of 14
- Scored +7
Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests?
The bill provides tools and funds to manage National Forest System land against beetle outbreaks.
- Scored +6
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The bill addresses forest health, biodiversity, and watershed protection.
- Scored +6
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
The bill emphasizes rural development through wood processing and workforce growth.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Forest Health and Safety: The bill allows for projects that restore forest health by removing beetle-killed or infested hazard trees and performing forest thinning (Section 2(a)(2)). This can address public safety, critical infrastructure, or watershed health needs.
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Wildfire Risk Reduction: Priority is given to projects designed to reduce wildfire risk to communities located in the wildland-urban interface (Section 2(c)(2)).
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Water Supply Protection: The bill prioritizes projects designed to protect municipal water supplies (Section 2(c)(2)). It also includes watershed protection activities like slope stabilization, sediment control, and flood mitigation (Section 2(a)(2)(B)(vi)).
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Economic and Workforce Opportunities: Cooperative agreements can increase wood processing and workforce development capacity (Section 3(b)(2)). Technical assistance is also provided to help develop markets for beetle-kill byproducts, including mass timber, wood energy innovation, and affordable housing construction (Section 3(c)(2)).
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Ecological Benefits: The bill supports ecological restoration designed to promote biodiversity (Section 2(a)(2)(B)(v)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts or burdens are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests? — The bill provides tools and funds to manage National Forest System land against beetle outbreaks. Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill addresses forest health, biodiversity, and watershed protection. Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill assists in developing wood processing infrastructure and workforce capacity. Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster? — The bill focuses on reducing wildfire risk and protecting critical infrastructure. Does this put more money into wind, solar and other renewable power? — The bill supports innovation in wood energy through technical assistance. Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change? — By facilitating wood energy innovation and forest management, it may indirectly reduce carbon impacts.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill emphasizes rural development through wood processing and workforce growth. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill authorizes cooperative agreements directly with Indian Tribes. Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill creates new markets and infrastructure opportunities for wood processing. Would union members be better off under this? — The bill promotes workforce development and increased processing capacity. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill supports the development of affordable housing via wood byproducts.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill supports workforce development capacity and the creation of markets for wood byproducts. Is this likely to grow the economy? — The bill promotes economic growth through wood processing infrastructure and market development.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make housing cost less? — The bill facilitates technical assistance for using beetle-kill byproducts in affordable housing construction.
- 8/6/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
John HickenlooperDemocrat · Colorado