H.R. 375 · Passed House · Environmental Protection

Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025

What it does

Requires the Department of the Interior to partner with the Department of Agriculture and Hawaii to control Rapid Ohia Death, a fungal disease killing ohia trees.
Requires the U.S. Geological Survey and the Forest Service Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry to keep researching the disease's vectors and transmission.
Requires the Fish and Wildlife Service to work with USDA, Hawaii, and local stakeholders to manage ungulates in control areas, with private landowners' consent.
Requires the Forest Service to fund efforts to stop the fungus and restore Hawaii's native forests, and to provide staff and infrastructure funding to the institute.

Official summary

Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025 This bill establishes requirements to research and control Rapid Ohia Death, which is the disease caused by the fungal pathogen known as Ceratocystis fimbriata that affects the tree of the species Metrosideros polymorpha . Specifically, the Department of the Interior must partner with the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Hawaii to control and address Rapid Ohia Death. In addition, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Forest Service Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry must continue to research Rapid Ohia Death vectors and transmission. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must continue to partner with USDA, Hawaii, and local stakeholders to manage ungulates (e.g., certain mammals such as deer) in Rapid Ohia Death control areas on federal, state, and private land, with the consent of private landowners. Finally, the Forest Service must provide (1) financial assistance to prevent the spread of the fungus and to restore the native forests of Hawaii, and (2) staff and necessary infrastructure funding to the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry to research the fungus.

Latest action

Jan 24, 2025: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry