Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture unexpectedly changed the terms for states to receive federal dollars, effectively cutting off their funding as the West heads into peak wildfire season; WA communities are waiting on $49 million to help with wildfire response and forest management; Cantwell: “When are the dollars going to be out the door?”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, quizzed United States Forest Service (USFS) Chief Tom Schultz on the Trump administration’s abrupt change to the Department of Agriculture’s “terms and conditions” for federal funding that has for years have gone to help states fight wildfires and manage forests. These new terms effectively blocked states, particularly Democratic states, from receiving desperately needed federal support ahead of an active wildfire season.
“I’m very concerned, because we don’t seem to be prepared on the front lines here. Because of the new restrictions on the Department of Agriculture’s grants and contracts, the State of Washington cannot release $49 million in funding to help fight fires and manage our forests,” Sen. Cantwell said. “How can we get your commitment to reverse that and get this money out the door?”
Schultz responded: “We’ve been working extensively with the states on this issue […] in terms of firefighting capacity, that is not being impacted. When it comes to local grant money–”
Sen. Cantwell cut him off: “Well, wait. The dollars aren’t out the door. So, when are the dollars going to be out the door? That’s what I want to know, because paperwork isn’t what we need right now. These are funds that flow every year normally, but now aren’t flowing.”
Schultz: “There is litigation by some states on some of these issues. So some of this is in the courts. The states can sign these agreements tomorrow, if they choose to sign them.”
Sen. Cantwell: “What are you still working on?
Chief Schultz: “We’re explaining the rationale behind the terms and conditions.”
Sen. Cantwell: “Okay, I was just telling you – I don’t like the terms and conditions because the money isn’t flowing in a fire year that is growing in intensity. I’m just saying I need a commitment that you’re going to resolve those.”
Wildfire-prone states rely on the U.S. Forest Service for regularly allocated federal funds that help them fight and prevent fires, especially in rural areas with fewer municipal resources. In December, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued changes to the terms and conditions for allocating that federal funding and entering into management agreements with states. One change to the terms and conditions requires states to follow Trump Administration Executive Orders, including the Executive Order on diversity, immigration, and gender identity – contract terms that in some cases directly conflict with state laws.
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As a result, the state of Washington cannot release $49 million in federal funding as communities across the state prepare for a wildfire season that will impact the entire state of Washington. Funding includes $28.6 million in Community Wildfire Defense Grants (CWDG) which are funds are set aside for wildfire prevention in and near communities that are in wildfire prone areas. Prevention activities include wildfire fuel reduction, education for individual homeowners to help reduce fire risk on their property, and hiring personnel to complete this critical work. CWDG grants being held up include:
- $4.21 million for Okanogan County Electric Cooperative;
- $9.72 million for Columbia Land Trust;
- $9.25 million for Spokane Conservation District;
- $5.5 million for Spokane Valley Fire Department.
Additional missing funds include:
- $4.4 million in Volunteer Fire Assistance and State Fire assistance funds, which provide training and equipment to local, volunteer firefighters that serve in 84% of the fire departments in Washington state.
- $3.4 million in Washington State Department of Natural Resources Forest Resilience Division Grants. This includes over $1.6 million for hazardous fuels reduction work for communities that are in the Wildland-Urban Interface in Northwest, Southwest, Eastern, and Central Washington, and communities on the Olympic Peninsula.
- $6 million in Good Neighbor Authority funds that allow states to do Forest Service management work on their lands. Currently, there is 80 million board feet of timber which is worth $42 million dollars that cannot be delivered to local wood product markets.
The National Interagency Fire Center’s updated outlook maps for summer 2026 predict an elevated fire risk in most of Washington state in June and July. In August, the outlook for elevated wildfire risk encompasses all of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.
Video of Sen. Cantwell’s exchange with Schultz is HERE; a transcript is HERE.
In January, Sen. Cantwell led the charge to prevent massive budget cuts pursued by the Trump administration that would have eliminated funding for volunteer wildland firefighters, training, and equipment that private, local, and state landowners use to reduce wildland fire risk.
In July, Sen. Cantwell grilled Schultz about why the Trump Administration was withholding an estimated $20 million from DNR for the 2025 firefighting season and future fire seasons. Those funds came from the FY25 State, Private, and Tribal Forestry program – yet another program that President Trump’s budget would have eliminated.
In March 2025 – following reports of widespread firings across the USFS and the USDA – Sen. Cantwell sent a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and Schultz requesting immediate reinstatement, as well as more details about the fired Washington state personnel certified for wildland firefighting.
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