Watershed Protection and Forest Recovery Act of 2024

HR 7294 establishes the "Emergency Forest Watershed Program" to enable rapid response after natural disasters threatening National Forest System lands. It authorizes sponsors (state/local governments, tribes, or water districts) to receive federal funding for emergency measures like erosion control and flood mitigation within 2 years of a disaster, with no matching funds required. The bill waives sponsor liability for normal operations but holds them responsible for willful negligence, and streamlines environmental reviews for these urgent projects. This directly affects National Forest lands and downstream communities by accelerating recovery efforts after events like wildfires or floods.