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On Friday, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) joined a bipartisan group of Members in sending a letter to House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole and Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro requesting additional funding for the Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP).

Demand for disaster programs, including EFRP, have increased substantially in recent years due to large disaster events, particularly in Georgia. Congressman Allen has consistently heard from growers in the 12th District about the importance of EFRP funding, which currently has less than $1 million available for allocation to states and counties. The current backlog of requests exceeds $255 million. 

In the letter, Congressman Allen and his colleagues write: "Hurricane Helene struck the eastern United States on September 26, 2024, causing severe damage across multiple states. While the impacts in the Southeast were especially visible, forestland owners across the country have since faced mounting recovery needs from hurricanes, wildfires, floods, tornadoes, and other qualifying disaster events. EFRP is the only federal program designed to help private forest owners clear debris, prepare sites, and replant after disasters of this scale."

The Members continue: "In several states, only a small share of obligated funding has been disbursed, and others have received no outlays at all, despite documented damage and approved agreements. These figures underscore the widespread demand for forest restoration support following recent disasters, far beyond any one state or storm... With EFRP serving as the primary federal mechanism for forest debris removal and reforestation, the exhaustion of funding places forest owners nationwide at risk."

The Members conclude: "We respectfully ask the Committee to examine options to ensure additional funding for landowners relying on EFRP to complete disaster recovery efforts, both for Hurricane Helene and for other federally recognized natural disasters."

To read the full letter to Chairman Cole and Ranking Member DeLauro, CLICK HERE