Strengthen Wood Products Supply Chain Act of 2025
The Strengthen Wood Products Supply Chain Act of 2025 directs faster, more transparent handling of plants that Customs and Border Protection presents to the Interior Department's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (via the Secretary) on suspicion of violating the Lacey Act amendments from 1981. The bill creates specific timelines for detention decisions, requires detailed notices and testing information to be provided to importers, and offers a mechanism for moving detained plants under bond to another location for examination. It also provides importers a right to protest determinations and to seek court action if needed. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary to issue regulations within 180 days to implement these provisions. Overall, the bill aims to increase transparency and speed in the detention process for plants suspected of Lacey Act violations, while giving importers more information and options to transport and challenge detention, with a stated goal of strengthening the wood products supply chain.
Key Points
- 15-day decision rule and detention option: After plants are presented for examination on suspicion of a Lacey Act violation, the Secretary must either release the plants or issue a detention notice within 5 days (excluding weekends and holidays).
- 2Detailed notice of detention: The detention notice must specify reasons for detention, date presented, anticipated detention length, tests to be conducted, information that could accelerate disposition, and an option for transporting the plants under bond to a different examination location.
- 3Testing transparency: If tests are conducted, the Secretary must provide the importer with the test results, enough information to replicate the test, and any related documentation.
- 4Transport under bond to outside custody: Within 10 days of a detention notice, the importer may request transport outside CBP custody for storage if they pay demurrage/storage fees, provide a bond for removal, and comply with specified CFR regulations, provided this does not undermine the Lacey Act.
- 5Final determination and remedies: The Secretary must make a final determination within 30 days of presentation. If no final determination is made, it is treated as an exclusion or redelivery decision under customs laws; importers may protest (with a 30-day response window), and may seek court relief if necessary.