[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5040 Engrossed in House (EH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5040

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
 To direct the Director of the Bureau of Land Management to study the 
  effects of drone incursions on wildfire suppression, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Aerial Incursion Repercussion Safety 
Act of 2020'' or the ``AIR Safety Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. STUDY ON EFFECTS OF DRONE INCURSIONS ON WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION.

    (a) Study Required.--The Director of the Bureau of Land Management, 
in consultation with the Chief of the Forest Service, the Administrator 
of the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Association of 
State Foresters, shall conduct a study on the effects of drone 
incursions on the suppression of wildfires with respect to lands 
managed by the Department of the Interior or the Department of 
Agriculture.
    (b) Study Contents.--In conducting the study required under 
subsection (a), the Director shall--
            (1) determine, for each of the five most recently completed 
        calendar years, the number of occurrences in which a drone 
        incursion interfered with wildfire suppression and the effect 
        of each such occurrence on--
                    (A) the length of time required to achieve complete 
                suppression;
                    (B) the effectiveness of aerial firefighting 
                responses; and
                    (C) the amounts expended by the Federal Government; 
                and
            (2) evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of various 
        actions to prevent drone incursions, including--
                    (A) temporary flight restrictions of the Federal 
                Aviation Administration; and
                    (B) the dissemination of education materials 
                relating to the effects of drone incursions on wildfire 
                suppression.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit to the Committee on 
Natural Resources and the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate a report on the findings of the study 
required under subsection (a) and any recommendations of the Director 
relating to such findings.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Drone.--The term ``drone'' means an unmanned aircraft 
        system, as defined in section 44801 of title 49, United States 
        Code, owned by a private individual or entity.
            (2) Drone incursion.--The term ``drone incursion'' means 
        the operation of a drone within any airspace for which the 
        Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration has issued 
        a temporary flight restriction because of a wildfire.
            (3) Wildfire suppression.--The term ``wildfire 
        suppression'' has the meaning given such term in section 
        46320(d) of title 49, United States Code.

            Passed the House of Representatives December 10, 2020.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.
116th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 5040

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

 To direct the Director of the Bureau of Land Management to study the 
  effects of drone incursions on wildfire suppression, and for other 
                               purposes.