S 3785
North Rim and Kaibab National Forest Restoration Act of 2026
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Bill overview
The North Rim and Kaibab National Forest Restoration Act of 2026 aims to expedite recovery efforts in the Grand Canyon National Park and Kaibab National Forest following the 2025 Dragon Bravo and White Sage wildfires. It authorizes the National Park Service and Forest Service to use emergency contracting flexibilities to clear damaged areas, rebuild structures, and conduct restoration activities, prioritizing Tribal businesses and local stakeholders. The bill also requires regular reporting on expenditures and recovery progress.
Key provisions
- Expands emergency contracting authority for wildfire recovery.
- Prioritizes contracting with Tribal and local businesses.
- Requires the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to report on recovery expenditures and progress.
- Allows for 1-year extensions of the emergency contracting authority if new wildfires impact recovery efforts.
- Facilitates non-competitive contracts with existing concessioners to aid in recovery.
- Defines key terms like ‘Covered Area,’ ‘Dragon Bravo Fire,’ and ‘White Sage Fire.’
- Mandates consultation with Indian Tribes and local stakeholders in planning and reconstruction.
- Establishes a reporting requirement for cost analysis and waste/fraud detection.
Who is affected
- National Park Service
- Forest Service
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Kaibab National Forest
- Tribal Governments (11 Tribes)
Notable changes
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119th CONGRESS — 2d Session
S. 3785
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
A BILL
To authorize direct emergency acquisition flexibilities for the National Park Service and Forest Service for the purpose of retaining, vetting, approving, and expediting contractor approval for the clearing, rebuilding, maintenance, and improvement of areas of the Grand Canyon National Park and Kaibab National Forest damaged by certain wildfires, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the North Rim and Kaibab National Forest Restoration Act of 2026
.
Congress finds that—
the Grand Canyon is a national treasure that has exceptional historic, cultural, and geological value;
the Grand Canyon region drives the local economy through tourism and outdoor recreation;
the Grand Canyon is the ancestral homeland of 11 Indian Tribes, the members of which now live in the States of Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and Nevada;
the Dragon Bravo Fire and White Sage Fire—
In this Act:
The term covered area means any area within the Grand Canyon National Park or Kaibab National Forest impacted by the Dragon Bravo Fire or White Sage Fire.
The term Dragon Bravo Fire
means the wildfire in the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park in the State of Arizona that began on July 4, 2025, and was contained on September 29, 2025.
The term forest management or restoration activity
means slash and hazard tree (as defined in section 512(a) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1772(a))) removal, erosion control, slope stabilization, tree regeneration, wildlife rehabilitation, and reseeding with native seeds.
The term Secretary concerned means—
The term White Sage Fire means the wildfire that began near Fredonia, Arizona, on July 9, 2025, and was contained on September 12, 2025.
Improvements to the grounds and structures.
Other recovery efforts necessary for the economic and ecological well-being of the covered area.
Not later than 180 days after the date on which the Secretary concerned begins to use the authority under subsection (a), and every 180 days thereafter until the date that is 180 days after the date described in subsection (e), the Secretary concerned shall submit to the Committees on Energy and Natural Resources and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committees on Natural Resources and Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives a report that describes—
a description of cost expenditures;
a description of cost overruns;
the identification of contractors performing the work associated with the recovery from the Dragon Bravo Fire or White Sage Fire, as applicable;
a description of any affiliations or conflicts of interest between—
the contracting office at the Kaibab National Forest or the Forest Service;
a description of any waste, fraud, or abuse detected during the recovery efforts;
the identification of any contracts that came in under expected expenses;
an estimated time of completion for all projects and full recovery efforts related to the Dragon Bravo Fire or White Sage Fire, as applicable; and
a description of whether an extension is needed for the authority to complete projects associated with the Dragon Bravo Fire or White Sage Fire, as applicable; and
any progress with respect to recovery efforts by the Secretary concerned in the covered area relating to the Dragon Bravo Fire or White Sage Fire, as applicable, during the period covered by the report.
If, after the date of enactment of this Act, a new wildfire ignites within the covered area that impacts recovery efforts relating to the Dragon Bravo Fire or White Sage Fire, as applicable, the Secretary concerned may request a 1-year extension of the authority granted under subsection (a), subject to congressional approval.
The authority granted under subsection (a) shall expire on the date that is the earlier of the following:
5 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
The date on which recovery efforts within the covered area are determined by the Secretary concerned to be complete.
To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary concerned shall prioritize contracting with Tribal businesses and local businesses to carry out reconstruction activities relating to the recovery of the covered area in response to the Dragon Bravo Fire or White Sage Fire, as applicable.
During the period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act and ending on the date described in section 4(e), to facilitate recovery efforts relating to the Dragon Bravo Fire or White Sage Fire, as applicable, in the covered area, the Secretary concerned may enter into noncompetitive procurement contracts with existing National Park Service or Forest Service authorized concessioners in the covered area to carry out coordinated recovery efforts by the Secretary concerned and the concessioners at facilities in the covered area that are operated by the National Park Service, the Forest Service, or the concessioners, as applicable.
The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall jointly conduct a study of, and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on, the costs of carrying out the recovery efforts authorized under this Act.