H.R. 3476 — Forest Conservation Easement Program Act of 2025

This section establishes a Forest Conservation Easement Program under a new subtitle I of Title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 to conserve and restore eligible private and Tribal forest land (or land being restored to forest) through (1) forest land easements conveyed to eligible entities (i.e., State/local governments, Indian Tribes, or qualified nonprofits) that protect forest uses and values while allowing continued working forest production and (2) forest reserve easements conveyed to the USDA Secretary that maintain or enhance recovery of endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1533) or improve at-risk species, also allowing compatible working forest uses per a plan. The program prioritizes beginning, socially disadvantaged, and veteran forest landowners; facilitates eligible entity purchases of forest land easements with cost-share assistance, voluntary forest management plans, and technical assistance; and furthers purposes including habitat protection for threatened and endangered species, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, watershed restoration, and preventing military base encroachment (while incorporating functions of the prior Healthy Forests Reserve Program).

This section provides $100 million annually from the Commodity Credit Corporation for the forest conservation easement program established under subtitle I for each of FY2026 through 2030. (The program supports acquisition of permanent conservation easements on private forest land to achieve environmental benefits such as improved water quality, wildlife habitat, and carbon sequestration. Thus, these funds shall remain available until expended.)

This section repeals Title V of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6571 et seq.), which established the Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP) to promote the recovery of threatened and endangered species, improve biodiversity, and enhance carbon sequestration on private forest land through easements and restoration. It replaces HFRP with the forest conservation easement program established under subtitle I of the Food Security Act of 1985 in the list of covered programs eligible for Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) partnerships. (Thus, RCPP funds may now support forest conservation easement activities previously ineligible under HFRP.) It further provides transition rules preserving the validity and funding of existing HFRP contracts, agreements, and easements using prior-year Commodity Credit Corporation funds or new forest conservation easement program funds, without allowing payment increases or modifications.