S. 629 — Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025

This section revises advance payment authority under the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)—which provides payments to agricultural producers for emergency measures to control wind erosion or rehabilitate farmlands damaged by natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, or wildfires when new conservation problems threaten productivity and require federal aid—as follows: (1) expands eligibility for advance payments to other emergency measures to replace or restore farmland or conservation structures requiring immediate response (as determined by the Secretary), in addition to fencing repair or replacement; (2) increases the maximum advance payment amount to 75 percent of the cost for replacements and to 50 percent of the cost for repairs or restorations (from not more than 25 percent of fair market value); and (3) extends the period for expending advance payments from 60 days to 180 days before funds must be returned. This section further clarifies that ECP-eligible wildfires include those not caused naturally (if damage results from natural spread) and those caused by the federal government.

This section amends the Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP)—which provides cost-share payments covering up to 75% of costs for emergency measures to restore nonindustrial private forest land damaged by natural disasters—(1) to expand the definition of natural disaster to include wildfires not caused naturally (if damage results from natural spread) and wildfires caused by the federal government; and (2) to authorize advance payments of up to 75% of the estimated cost of emergency measures, which must be returned if not expended within 180 days of receipt.