S. 2399 — Loggers Economic Assistance and Relief Act

This section establishes a payment program administered by the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Farm Service Agency, for eligible entities—timber harvesting or hauling businesses that conducted such operations in the previous calendar year—which incur at least a 10% loss in gross revenue during a 30-day period or calendar quarter due to a major disaster, as compared to the same period in the previous year. For this program, major disaster has the meaning given in section 102(2) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122(2)) and includes an insect infestation declared a major disaster under that Act; payments equal 10% of the entity's gross revenue during the loss period and may be used only for operating expenses, as certified by the recipient. The section requires annual reports to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the House Committee on Agriculture detailing payment recipients and amounts; directs expedited interim final regulations within 30 days of enactment without notice-and-comment rulemaking or Paperwork Reduction Act requirements; and authorizes $50 million for each of FY2025 through FY2029.