H.R. 375 — Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025

This section defines, for purposes of the Act, (1) “Rapid Ohia Death” as the disease caused by the fungal pathogen Ceratocystis fimbriata that affects Metrosideros polymorpha trees, and (2) “State” as the State of Hawaii.

This section directs the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to continue efforts to combat Rapid Ohia Death (ROD), a fungal disease threatening Hawaii's native ohia forests that provide critical habitat and cultural value. Specifically, the section requires (1) the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey and the Forest Service Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry to conduct research on ROD vectors and transmission; (2) the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in partnership with the Secretary of Agriculture, Hawaii, and local stakeholders, to manage ungulates in ROD control areas on federal, state, and private lands (with private landowner consent); and (3) the Forest Service Chief to provide financial assistance (including via agreements with the Secretary of the Interior) to prevent ROD spread and restore native forests, as well as staff and infrastructure funding to the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry for ROD research.