Moran, Carter Introduce Legislation to Support Timely Reforestation After Natural Disasters

U.S. Representatives Nathaniel Moran (TX-01) and Buddy Carter (GA-01) introduced the Save America's Family Forests (SAFF) Act to help rural landowners and forestry operations rapidly recover from natural disasters by removing key taxation barriers that currently delay reforestation efforts across the country.

"When a natural disaster tears through a rural community, landowners shouldn't have to fight the IRS while fighting to replant their forests," said Rep. Moran. "We are giving Texas forest landowners the financial certainty and support needed to replant and restore forests. Across East Texas, timber represents decades of strategic investment-and now our rural communities have the tools to reinvest quickly and rebuild for the next generation."

"From South Georgia to the coast, our communities are seeing firsthand the devastating impacts of wildfires burning thousands of acres and threatening homes," said Rep. Carter. "The Save America's Family Forests Act ensures landowners can recover faster and keep their forests productive. I'm proud to introduce this commonsense, bipartisan solution to support Georgia's forestry community."

What this bill does:

This legislation allows landowners to fully and immediately expense reforestation costs following a federally declared natural disaster by removing the $10,000 cap and eliminating long recovery periods-improving access to capital needed to quickly replant and restore forests.

East Texas Impact:

The Piney Woods covers approximately 23,500 square miles across East Texas. Within that, approximately 12.1 million acres (about 54% of the region) are productive forestlands, spread across 43 counties.

In 2024, the Texas forest sector directly contributed $27.36 billion in industry output and employed over 73,000 people. When including indirect and induced effects, the total contribution reached $54.19 billion and supported more than 187,500 jobs.

Stakeholder Quotes:

Texas Forestry Association: "Texas forest landowners face real challenges recovering from natural disasters, and outdated tax policy should not stand in the way of replanting and rebuilding. The Save America's Family Forests Act gives them the tools to reinvest quickly, keep their land productive, and support rural jobs. This legislation also helps fulfill President Trump's executive order to boost domestic timber production by ensuring we can keep our working forests healthy and resilient to grow more of the resources America depends on."

Forest Landowners Association: "Family forest landowners play a vital role in keeping America's working forests healthy, resilient, and productive, but recovering from natural disasters can create significant financial challenges. The Save America's Family Forests Act provides a commonsense solution by allowing landowners to reinvest more quickly in reforestation when it matters most. By building on proven expensing policies, this legislation will help ensure our forests remain a strong foundation for rural economies, domestic timber production, and long-term environmental stewardship."

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