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H.R. 10916House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Aquatic Restoration and Conservation Act

To require the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to jointly develop a strategy to increase the use of aquatic restoration and conservation activities in wildfire risk mitigation and post-fire recovery efforts, and for other purposes.

Sponsored by Joe NeguseRep. Joe Neguse (D-CO)
Introduced October 26, 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated October 28, 2026 at 3:22 PM UTC

The Aquatic Restoration and Conservation Act directs the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior to work together on a plan that expands the use of wet‑land and stream restoration to lower wildfire risk and help lands recover after fires. The strategy must be created within a year and apply to federal lands managed by either department. It involves input from state, tribal and local governments and aims to link water‑related restoration projects with existing fire‑management programs.

Key Provisions

  • Develop a joint strategy within one year that outlines how aquatic restoration (wet meadows, riparian zones, wetlands, etc.) can be used for wildfire risk reduction and post‑fire recovery on federal lands.
  • Base the strategy on the best scientific information, identify research gaps, and consider workforce training needs of both departments.
  • Identify ways to incorporate aquatic restoration into authorized hazardous fuel‑reduction projects, grant‑funded programs, contracts, and stewardship agreements.
  • Integrate the strategy, where possible, with existing Forest Service land‑management plans, Interior resource‑management plans, and other relevant public planning documents.
  • Allow the Secretaries to enter cooperative agreements with organizations such as the National Park Foundation, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, National Forest Foundation, public‑lands foundations, and Indian tribes to help develop the strategy.
  • Submit a joint report on the completed strategy to the House Agriculture and Natural Resources committees and the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and Energy and Natural Resources committees within 30 days of finishing the plan.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Natural Resources Committee

October 26, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

October 26, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Natural Resources Committee

October 26, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued October 26, 2026

I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 10916

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 26, 2026

Mr. Neguse (for himself and Ms. Pettersen) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To require the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to jointly develop a strategy to increase the use of aquatic restoration and conservation activities in wildfire risk mitigation and post-fire recovery efforts, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Aquatic Restoration and Conservation Act.

2.

Joint strategy for use of aquatic restoration and conservation activities for wildfire risk mitigation and post-wildfire recovery

(a)

Strategy

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretaries, in consultation with State, Tribal, and local governments and relevant stakeholders, shall jointly develop a strategy to increase the use of aquatic restoration and conservation activities as a method of wildfire risk mitigation and post-fire recovery on covered lands.

(b)

Requirements

In developing the strategy under subsection (a), the Secretaries shall—

(1)

assess and consider the best available scientific information on the benefits of aquatic restoration and conservation activities as wildfire risk mitigation and post-wildfire recovery efforts;

(2)

identify any gaps in the best available scientific information described in paragraph (1), and any related research, and include in the strategy, if applicable, a plan to address each such gap;

(3)

assess the workforce training and development capacity of the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture and consider how such capacity may be leveraged as part of the strategy;

(4)

identify opportunities to improve the effectiveness of wildfire risk mitigation and post-wildfire recovery efforts of the Secretaries on covered lands through the increased use of aquatic restoration and conservation activities—

(A)

in authorized hazardous fuel reduction projects on covered lands;

(B)

in other authorized activities (to the extent relevant to such efforts) pursuant to the authorities provided in—

(i)

title I of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 651 et seq.);

(ii)

the first paragraph under the heading forest ecosystems health and recovery (revolving fund, special account) in title I of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1993 (43 U.S.C. 1736a);

(iii)

chapter 349 of the Act of September 20, 1922 (16 U.S.C. 594);

(iv)

sections 10091 and 102711 of title 54, United States Code;

(v)

the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd, 668ee);

(vi)

the National Indian Forest Resources Management Act (25 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.);

(vii)

chapter 1093 of the Act of June 17, 1902 (32 Stat. 388) (commonly referred to as the Reclamation Acts);

(viii)

the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); and

(ix)

any other authority provided to the Secretaries;

(C)

in projects carried out using grant funds issued under programs of the Department of Agriculture or the Department of the Interior that support wildfire risk mitigation; and

(D)

in projects carried out pursuant to a contract or stewardship agreement;

(5)

incorporate into the strategy, to the extent practicable, any relevant land management plans of the Forest Service or resource management plans of the Department of the Interior existing as of the date on which the strategy is developed, including, if applicable—

(A)

land use plans under section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1712);

(B)

land and resource management plans under section 6 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1604);

(C)

forest management plans, as defined in section 304 of the National Indian Forest Resources Management Act (25 U.S.C. 3103); and

(D)

watershed protection and restoration action plans under section 304 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6542);

(6)

incorporate into the strategy, to the extent practicable, any relevant public planning documents shared by State, local, and Tribal governments;

(7)

identify and leverage such additional information, resources, programs, or activities of the Department of Agriculture or the Department of the Interior as the Secretaries determine appropriate; and

(8)

identify how the Secretaries intend to incorporate aquatic restoration and conservation into wildfire risk reduction, wildfire response planning, post-fire recovery, and long-term land management activities of each Secretary.

(c)

Cooperative agreements

To facilitate the development of the strategy under subsection (a), the Secretaries may enter into a cooperative agreement or mutual benefit agreement with the following:

(1)

The National Park Foundation.

(2)

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

(3)

The National Forest Foundation.

(4)

The Foundation for America’s Public Lands.

(5)

1 or more Indian Tribes.

(d)

Report

Not later than 30 days after the completion of the development of the strategy under subsection (a), the Secretaries shall jointly submit a report describing the strategy developed under subsection (a) to—

(1)

the Committees on Agriculture and Natural Resources of the House of Representatives; and

(2)

the Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate.

(e)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Authorized hazardous fuel reduction project

The term authorized hazardous fuel reduction project has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511).

(2)

Aquatic restoration and conservation

The term aquatic restoration and conservation means any activity resulting in the protection or enhancement of wet meadows, stream or river corridors, floodplains, riparian areas, or wetlands for the purposes of mitigating wildfire risk, improving post-wildfire recovery, or improving watershed health.

(3)

Covered lands

The term covered lands means Federal lands subject to the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of the Interior.

(4)

Indian Tribe

The term Indian Tribe has the meaning given such term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).

(5)

Secretaries

The term Secretaries means—

(A)

the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service; and

(B)

the Secretary of the Interior.