Wildfire Reduction Market Expansion Act of 2026

This bill changes the Clean Air Act's definition of "renewable biomass" used in the federal renewable fuel standard. It would count wood and paper leftovers from manufacturing, trees and shrubs from certain private, federal, and tribal lands, and vegetation cleared near buildings or in wildfire-risk areas as renewable biomass. Material from National Forest System or other federal public lands would qualify if the Secretary of Agriculture or the Interior certifies it is a by-product of land management or fuel reduction work and not suitable for use as a sawlog. Private landowners could qualify by showing forest certification, forest tax classification, or by attesting that land is managed for long-term timber production.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Jeff Merkley Democrat sponsor
• 8 cosponsors