A federal program to restore forests after disaster has gotten too many funding requests

A federal program that helps landowners restore forests after disasters has run out of money to pay new claims. The Emergency Forest Restoration Program, known as EFRP, covers up to 75 percent of the cost of clearing damaged trees, replanting, and managing invasive species after storms or other disasters. The USDA confirmed that requests for aid nationwide now exceed the funding available.

This matters most to anyone with wooded property that has been hit by a recent disaster. In Michigan, landowners have been waiting since last year to find out if they'll get reimbursed for restoring forests damaged by a severe 2025 ice storm, which affected about 3 million acres across 12 counties. Similar backlogs are happening in Minnesota after a windstorm there. The USDA says landowners can start restoration work before getting approved, but they do so "at personal expense," since payment isn't guaranteed. For expensive work like replanting, which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, many are stuck waiting rather than risk paying out of pocket.

Congress set aside $357 million for the program in 2024, meant to last until spent, but demand from hurricanes, flooding, pest infestations, and storms across several states has outpaced it. Congress passed a law this summer allowing advance payments to speed things up in the future, though it's unclear yet how that will affect pending applications. If you own forested land that's been damaged by a recent disaster, it's worth checking with your state's Farm Service Agency office on the status of funding and whether starting repairs now could affect your eligibility later.