Protect the West Act of 2025

This bill establishes an Outdoor and Watershed Restoration Fund to provide grants and partnerships for restoration and resilience projects on federal and non-federal land, focusing on improving forest conditions, rangeland health, watershed function, and wildlife habitat.

Sec. 2, Definitions: Defines key terms including the Restoration Fund Advisory Council, covered authorities (existing programs like the Good Neighbor Authority and Water Source Protection Program), ecological integrity, eligible entities (state agencies, local governments, tribal governments, nonprofits), the Fund, grant program, restoration, restoration and resilience projects, the Secretary of Agriculture, and wildland-urban interface.

Sec. 3, Outdoor and Watershed Restoration Fund: Establishes a Treasury fund to support the grant program and a Restoration and Resilience Partnership Program. The Secretary uses the fund transparently, in coordination with the Advisory Council. Activities must complement existing programs, not duplicate them, and supplement rather than supplant other funds. Allows interagency flexibility, pay-for-performance contracts, and acceptance of non-federal contributions. Requires annual Inspector General oversight reports.

Sec. 4, Restoration Fund Advisory Council: Creates a council to advise the Secretary on fund disbursement, priority-setting, and project evaluation. The council includes the Secretary, 12 appointed members from industry, natural resource experts, conservation groups, and government representatives, plus up to 3 federal agency representatives. Requires annual reports to Congress on project status, benefits, jobs, and recommendations.

Sec. 5, Restoration and Resilience Grant Program: Establishes a grant program for capacity building (planning, coordination, monitoring) and implementation (restoration projects, wildfire risk reduction, equitable outdoor access). The Secretary, guided by the Council, provides grants or pay-for-performance contracts. Priority is given to projects that create jobs, use collaborative processes, address shared priorities, advance state/tribal plans, use watershed data, serve underserved communities, or improve long-term economic security.

Sec. 6, Restoration and Resilience Partnership Program: Establishes a partnership program to restore ecological integrity, create outdoor jobs, improve rangeland resilience, and reduce wildfires. The Secretary designates partnership areas within 60 days, prioritizing areas with high wildfire potential, high-priority wildlife habitat, or wildland-urban interface. Projects focus on reintroducing low-intensity fire, reducing hazardous fuels, retaining old trees, improving habitat and water quality, and promoting community wildfire mitigation. Projects cannot occur in wilderness areas, inventoried roadless areas, or remove old growth stands.

Sec. 7, Oversight: Requires the Secretary to submit a report to Congress within 60 days explaining the methodology for priority landscapes, performance metrics, and fund allocation to states, forests, and tribes for forestry funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

Sec. 8, Funding: Appropriates $60,000,000,000 for the Fund, with $20,000,000,000 for the grant program and $40,000,000,000 for the partnership program (at least $20,000,000,000 for federal land projects). Funds are available until expended and can be used for staffing and workforce needs.