Summary#
The Save Our Sequoias Act directs Federal agencies and partners to take steps to protect, restore, and reforest giant sequoia groves in California. It codifies a Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition, requires a health and resiliency Assessment within 6 months and annual updates, and creates a public dashboard with grove-level data. The bill establishes an emergency determination lasting 7 years to allow prioritized "Protection Projects" (hazardous fuels treatments, removal of dead or at-risk trees, prescribed burning, limited chemical treatments, and related activities). Certain Protection Projects and reforestation activities that meet size and process limits are designated categorical exclusions from preparing an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement. The Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Agriculture must use the authorities in the Act and work with the State of California and the Tule River Tribe. The bill also requires reducing hazardous fuels in at least 3 giant sequoia groves each year when practicable. It creates Giant Sequoia Strike Teams, a grant program for collaborative restoration, expands good neighbor and stewardship contracting authorities to include some national parks and tribal partners, and sets up a Giant Sequoia Emergency Protection Program and Fund to be administered by the National Park Foundation and National Forest Foundation. The Fund can accept gifts and bequests and must direct at least 15% of those funds to tribal management and conservation. The bill authorizes annual appropriations for specified amounts from fiscal year 2026 through 2032 and says at least 90% of those authorized funds must be used for Protection Projects and the grant program.
What it means for you#
- If you work for a Federal land agency, State government, Tribe, nonprofit, university, or local government in or near sequoia country, the bill directs new coordination, data sharing, and opportunities for grants and contract work.
- If you are a Tribe or the Governor of California, the bill creates or requires opportunities to join shared stewardship agreements.
- If you are a landowner next to covered lands, the bill allows protection work on Federal land and on non-Federal land with the owners consent.
- If you are a member of the public, the Coalition must maintain a website with grove-level information, planned projects, permitting timetables, and public meeting information.
Expenses#
- The bill authorizes, subject to appropriations, up to:
- $10,000,000 for FY2026;
- $25,000,000 for FY2027;
- $30,000,000 for each of FY2028, FY2029, and FY2030; and
- $40,000,000 for each of FY2031 and FY2032.
- At least 90 percent of the amounts authorized must be used to carry out section 6 (Protection Projects) and section 9 (collaborative restoration grants).
- The Giant Sequoia Emergency Protection Fund will consist of gifts, devises, or bequests to the National Park Foundation and National Forest Foundation and those funds are available without further appropriation for approved projects. At least 15 percent of Fund amounts must support tribal management and conservation.
- No publicly available information on other estimated federal costs or long-term fiscal effects beyond the listed authorizations.
Proponents' View#
- The bill text states that Congress determines an emergency exists on covered lands and that Protection Projects are necessary to respond to threats from high-severity wildfires, insects, and drought to giant sequoias.
- The bill emphasizes faster, coordinated action, use of best available science and traditional ecological knowledge, and tools to increase the pace and scale of treatments, reforestation, and rehabilitation.
Opponents' View#
No publicly available information.