October 2026 Legislative Update: Forest Management, Wildfire Resilience, and Montana's Wood Products Industry
Federal proposals, Montana legislation, and the policy decisions shaping our working forests
October 2026 | Montana Wood Products Association
Forest management policy affects far more than timber harvesting. Decisions made in Washington, D.C., and Helena influence wildfire preparedness, forest restoration, rural employment, manufacturing capacity, and the ability of businesses to invest in Montana's wood-products economy.
This October, the Montana Wood Products Association (MWPA) is tracking 12 federal and state legislative measures addressing forest management, wildfire resilience, environmental review, industry infrastructure, and public safety.
Some proposals remain under consideration in Congress. Others were enacted during Montana's 2025 legislative session and are now part of the state's legal framework.
Below is an overview of what each measure addresses, its potential benefits, implementation concerns, and why it matters to Montana.
Federal Legislation: Forest Management and Wildfire Resilience
1. H.R. 471 — Fix Our Forests Act
Sponsor: U.S. Representative Bruce Westerman (R–Arkansas)
Bipartisan lead: Representative Scott Peters (D–California)
Montana involvement: Representative Ryan Zinke is a cosponsor.
Status: Passed the U.S. House on January 23, 2025; subsequently received a Senate committee hearing.
What the bill would do
The Fix Our Forests Act seeks to accelerate certain forest-management and wildfire-risk-reduction projects on federal lands. It addresses environmental review procedures, litigation requirements, intergovernmental coordination, and forest restoration activities.
Potential benefits: Faster project approvals could help agencies address hazardous fuel accumulation, improve forest conditions, and create more predictable opportunities for contractors and wood-products manufacturers.
Potential concerns: Changes to environmental review and litigation procedures raise questions about public participation, ecological safeguards, and the ability to challenge agency decisions. Project implementation would also depend on staffing and funding.
Why Montana is watching: Federal forestlands are an important part of Montana's landscape. Changes to federal project planning could affect forest restoration activity, local contractors, and timber availability.
2. S. 1462 — Fix Our Forests Act
Sponsor: U.S. Senator John Curtis (R–Utah)
Original cosponsors: Senators John Hickenlooper (D–Colorado), Tim Sheehy (R–Montana), and Alex Padilla (D–California)
Status: Reported from the Senate Agriculture Committee and placed on the Senate legislative calendar on October 27, 2025.
What the bill would do
The Senate version addresses forest restoration, wildfire-risk reduction, environmental review, and coordination among federal agencies, states, tribal governments, and other partners.
Although it shares a name with H.R. 471, the Senate legislation contains its own provisions and amendments. The two measures should not be treated as identical.
Potential benefits: The proposal could expand opportunities for coordinated restoration, support wildfire preparedness, and reduce delays affecting qualifying projects.
Potential concerns: Lawmakers and stakeholders must consider how expedited procedures would interact with environmental protections, public involvement, funding, and agency capacity.
Why Montana is watching: Senator Sheehy's involvement gives Montana a direct connection to the Senate proposal. Its provisions could influence future forest-management work across the West.
3. H.R. 8682 — Accelerating Forest Management Act
Sponsor: U.S. Representative Troy Downing (R–Montana)
Status: Introduced May 7, 2026; House subcommittee hearing recorded in MWPA's tracker.
What the bill would do
This legislation would codify a proposed Bureau of Land Management categorical exclusion for certain salvage-harvesting activities.
Categorical exclusions allow qualifying federal actions to proceed without preparing a full environmental assessment or environmental impact statement when applicable requirements are met.
Potential benefits: More efficient review could allow certain salvage projects to proceed sooner, potentially recovering usable timber and supporting post-disturbance management.
Potential concerns: Salvage harvesting can involve sensitive questions about wildlife habitat, soils, erosion, and ecological recovery. The scope and safeguards of the exclusion would be important considerations.
Why Montana is watching: Montana businesses may be affected by the timing and availability of salvage timber following fires and other forest disturbances.
4. H.R. 7951 — Long-Term Good Neighbor Authority Act
Sponsor: U.S. Representative David Valadao (R–California)
Cosponsor: Representative Jimmy Panetta (D–California)
Status: Introduced March 16, 2026; referred to House committees and the Forestry and Horticulture Subcommittee.
What the bill would do
The measure would amend federal law to provide for longer-term Good Neighbor Authority arrangements.
Good Neighbor Authority allows federal land-management agencies to work with state, tribal, and other eligible partners on authorized forest-management activities.
Potential benefits: Longer-term agreements could improve project continuity, contracting predictability, and coordination across ownership boundaries.
Potential concerns: Longer commitments may require sustained funding, administrative capacity, and clear accountability for project performance.
Why Montana is watching: Cross-boundary forest projects can involve multiple landowners and agencies. More predictable agreements could help participating organizations plan work over longer periods.
5. H.R. 3361 — Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program Reauthorization Act of 2025
Sponsor: U.S. Representative Joe Neguse (D–Colorado)
Montana involvement: Representative Ryan Zinke is an original cosponsor.
Status: Introduced May 13, 2025; subsequent committee action requires confirmation.
What the bill would do
The legislation would reauthorize the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program, which supports collaborative, landscape-scale restoration on national forestlands.
Potential benefits: Continued program authorization could support multi-year restoration planning, partnerships, and coordinated work addressing forest health and wildfire risk.
Potential concerns: Program outcomes depend on appropriations, partner participation, measurable restoration results, and the ability to sustain projects over time.
Why Montana is watching: Landscape-scale restoration can connect forest management with contractors, local communities, and wood-processing infrastructure.
6. H.R. 1213 — Forest Data Modernization Act of 2025
Sponsor: U.S. Representative Kim Schrier (D–Washington)Status: Introduced February 11, 2025; subsequent committee action requires confirmation.
What the bill would do
The legislation addresses modernization of the U.S. Forest Service's forest inventory and analysis program, including how forest-resource information is collected and used.
Potential benefits: Better data could strengthen forest planning, improve resource assessments, and help policymakers and businesses understand changing forest conditions.
Potential concerns: Modernization would require investment in technology, personnel, data quality, and consistent reporting.
Why Montana is watching: Reliable forest inventory information is important for long-term resource planning, forest health assessments, and investment decisions.
7. H.R. 3922 — Cross-Boundary Wildfire Solutions Act
Sponsor: U.S. Representative Joe Neguse (D–Colorado)Original cosponsors: Representatives Young Kim (R–California), Josh Harder (D–California), and Jay Obernolte (R–California)Status: Placed on the Senate legislative calendar, according to MWPA's tracking record.
What the bill would do
The proposal directs the Government Accountability Office to study federal programs, regulations, and authorities that help or hinder wildfire mitigation across federal and nonfederal landownership boundaries.
Unlike proposals that directly authorize additional timber harvesting, this legislation primarily focuses on identifying coordination barriers.
Potential benefits: A comprehensive review could identify duplicated procedures, administrative obstacles, and opportunities for more effective cross-boundary cooperation.
Potential concerns: A study does not itself fund or implement forest treatments. Any improvements identified would require subsequent agency or legislative action.
Why Montana is watching: Wildfire risks cross property boundaries. Better coordination among landowners and agencies could support more effective landscape-level planning.
Montana Legislation: Laws Enacted in 2025
The following five measures were enacted during Montana's 2025 legislative session. They remain relevant in October 2026 because implementation, funding, and operational impacts can continue well beyond the year a bill becomes law.
8. HB 79 — Exempt Small Projects from Fire Hazard Reduction Agreements
Sponsor: Montana Representative Curt Cochran (R)
Status: Signed into law March 27, 2025.
What the law does
HB 79 establishes exemptions from certain fire-hazard-reduction agreement requirements for qualifying small-scale activities, including some firewood harvesting.
Potential benefits: Reduced administrative requirements may make smaller forest projects easier to complete.
Potential concerns: Exemptions must be applied carefully to ensure that slash and other fire hazards are still appropriately addressed.
Why it matters: Small landowners, firewood operators, and forestry contractors may benefit from clearer requirements for limited-scale work.
9. HB 84 — Revise Liability and Training for Prescribed Fires
Sponsor: Montana Representative Steve Gist (R)
Status: Signed into law May 12, 2025.
What the law does
HB 84 establishes a framework for a prescribed-fire-manager certification program and addresses liability standards for qualifying prescribed-fire activities.
Potential benefits: Professional training and clearer liability rules may encourage carefully planned prescribed burning as a forest-management tool.
Potential concerns: Certification availability, insurance, training costs, smoke management, and compliance requirements may affect participation.
Why it matters: Prescribed fire can be one component of forest restoration and fuel management, alongside mechanical thinning and other treatments.
10. HB 130 — Revise State Wildland Fire Policy and Funding
Sponsor: Montana Representative Llew Jones (R)
Status: Signed into law May 1, 2025.
What the law does
HB 130 revises Montana's wildland-fire policy, including DNRC responsibilities under specified circumstances involving federal fire-response activity near state or county protection areas.
Potential benefits: The measure could strengthen response coordination and clarify expectations when wildfires threaten communities near jurisdictional boundaries.
Potential concerns: Expanded response responsibilities can create questions about staffing, cost recovery, interagency relationships, and long-term funding.
Why it matters: Wildfire suppression policy affects communities, forest resources, public expenditures, and the operating environment for Montana businesses.
11. HB 421 — Increase DNRC Fire Assessment Fees
Sponsor: Montana Representative Steve Gist (R)
Status: Signed into law May 12, 2025.
What the law does
HB 421 increases the maximum fire-protection assessment that DNRC may charge qualifying forestland owners.
The state's fiscal reporting indicates that the measure was expected to generate approximately $450,000 annually in additional revenue.
Potential benefits: Additional assessment revenue can help support the state's wildland-fire protection funding structure.
Potential concerns: Higher assessments increase costs for affected landowners. The long-term adequacy and distribution of fire-protection funding remain important questions.
Why it matters: Forestland ownership costs and dependable fire-protection services both affect Montana's working forests.
12. HB 490 — Revise Civil Liability Laws Related to Wildfires and Utilities
Sponsor: Montana Representative Amy Regier (R)
Status: Signed into law in 2025.
What the law does
HB 490 addresses wildfire mitigation planning and the civil liability standards applicable to electric utilities.
Potential benefits: Clearer legal standards may encourage utilities to adopt documented wildfire-mitigation practices and improve predictability when managing infrastructure-related risks.
Potential concerns: Changes to liability standards can affect the legal remedies available to property owners and communities following utility-related wildfires. The effectiveness of mitigation plans and compliance oversight are important considerations.
Why it matters: Utility infrastructure, wildfire prevention, forest management, and community protection are closely connected across Montana.
What These Measures Mean for Montana's Wood Products Industry
Although the legislation covers different issues, several common themes emerge.
Forest management and project timelines. Federal proposals address how projects are reviewed, approved, and implemented. Changes could influence the timing of restoration activities and the predictability of work available to contractors.
Wildfire preparedness and community protection. Both federal and state measures seek to improve prevention, coordination, or response. Their effectiveness will depend on implementation, available resources, and local conditions.
Manufacturing and rural employment. Forest-management activities can support work for logging companies, truckers, mills, equipment suppliers, and secondary manufacturers. However, legislation alone does not guarantee increased timber supply or new jobs.
Funding and accountability. Whether a policy expands authority, changes liability, or adjusts fees, its practical effects depend on funding, oversight, and measurable outcomes.
Collaboration across ownership boundaries. Montana's forests include federal, state, tribal, and private lands. Effective coordination must recognize the different responsibilities and management priorities of each landowner.
Looking Ahead
As the 119th Congress continues its work, MWPA will be watching the progress of federal forest-management proposals and the implementation of Montana's recently enacted laws.
For Montana's wood-products industry, the key question is how these policies translate into practical results: healthier and more resilient forests, effective wildfire-risk reduction, reliable opportunities for responsible forest management, and a competitive manufacturing sector.
Readers are encouraged to review the official bill texts and legislative histories linked above for the most current information.
Explore more industry news and legislative information at MONTANAFORESTS.COM.
Editor's note: This update is intended as a nonpartisan overview of legislation relevant to Montana's forest-products industry. Potential benefits and concerns are analytical considerations, not official MWPA positions. Legislative status and bill language are subject to change.
Comments