[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10061 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 10061
To address wildfire readiness and recovery, safe communities, and
wildland firefighter safety.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
August 6, 2026
Mr. Neguse (for himself, Mr. Huffman, Ms. Craig, Ms. Salinas, Mr.
Whitesides, and Ms. Pettersen) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the
Committees on Agriculture, Transportation and Infrastructure, Small
Business, Science, Space, and Technology, Energy and Commerce,
Education and Workforce, Veterans' Affairs, and Oversight and
Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To address wildfire readiness and recovery, safe communities, and
wildland firefighter safety.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Wildfire Response
and Readiness Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
DIVISION A--RESILIENT LANDSCAPES
TITLE I--NATIONAL PRESCRIBED FIRE PROGRAM
Sec. 11001. Definitions.
Subtitle A--Uses of Funds
Sec. 11101. Definition of prescribed fire.
Sec. 11102. Prescribed fire funding.
Sec. 11103. Policies and practices.
Sec. 11104. Collaborative prescribed fire program.
Subtitle B--Facilitating Implementation and Outreach
Sec. 11201. Cooperative agreements and contracts.
Sec. 11202. Human resources.
Sec. 11203. Liability of prescribed fire managers.
Sec. 11204. Environmental review.
Sec. 11205. Prescribed fire education program.
Subtitle C--Reporting
Sec. 11301. Annual reports to National Fire Planning and Operations
Database.
Sec. 11302. Annual implementation report.
TITLE II--RESTORATION, RECOVERY, AND REFORESTATION
Subtitle A--Landscape Restoration
Sec. 12101. Collaborative forest landscape restoration program
reauthorization.
Sec. 12102. Joint Chiefs landscape restoration partnership program.
Sec. 12103. Contracts, grants, and agreements to carry out certain
ecosystem restoration activities.
Sec. 12104. Post-Disaster Reforestation and Restoration Program.
Sec. 12105. Emergency forest watershed program.
Sec. 12106. Nursery and seed orchard support.
Sec. 12107. Requirements related to payment timing for certain programs
addressing wildfire damages.
Sec. 12108. Permits and agreements with electrical utilities.
Sec. 12109. Post-fire management and recovery.
Sec. 12110. Long-term burned area rehabilitation account.
Sec. 12111. Prize for wildfire-related invasive species reduction.
Sec. 12112. Protection of inventoried roadless areas.
Subtitle B--10-Year Wildfire Plan
Sec. 12201. Definitions.
Sec. 12202. Implementation of 10-year national wildfire plan.
Sec. 12203. Selection and implementation of landscape-scale forest
restoration projects.
Sec. 12204. Youth and conservation corps assistance with projects under
the plan.
Sec. 12205. Ecosystem restoration grant fund through national fish and
wildlife foundation.
Sec. 12206. Report on 10-year national wildfire plan implementation.
DIVISION B--FIRE-ADAPTED COMMUNITIES
TITLE I--COMMUNITY PROTECTION AND HOME HARDENING
Subtitle A--Grant Programs for Wildfire Resilience
Sec. 21101. Updating list of at-risk communities.
Sec. 21102. Amendment to community wildfire defense grant program to
allow structure hardening.
Sec. 21103. Additional amounts for community wildfire defense grant
program.
Sec. 21104. Improvements to grant programs for community wildfire risk
reduction and postfire recovery efforts.
Sec. 21105. Improvements to FEMA programs.
Sec. 21106. Individual household disaster mitigation program.
Subtitle B--Reports
Sec. 21201. Community protection and resilience report.
Sec. 21202. Community wildfire resilience and insurance coverage study.
Sec. 21203. Shrubland wildfire mitigation study.
Sec. 21204. Emergency authorities report.
Sec. 21205. Wildland fire performance metrics.
TITLE II--EFFECTIVE WILDFIRE RESPONSE AND TECHNOLOGY
Sec. 22001. Monitoring wildfires by satellite.
Sec. 22002. Requirements relating to certain fire suppression cost
share agreements.
Sec. 22003. Wildfire Science and Technology Advisory Board.
Sec. 22004. Improvements to wildfire forage loss programs.
Sec. 22005. Joint Office of the Fire Environment Center.
Sec. 22006. Interagency data collaboration environment.
Sec. 22007. Study on wildfire mitigation across land ownership
boundaries.
Sec. 22008. Quadrennial fire review.
Sec. 22009. The Wildland Dynamic Risk Mapping Program.
Sec. 22010. Report on radio communications.
Sec. 22011. Resilience accelerator demonstration program.
Sec. 22012. Wildfire detection equipment.
Sec. 22013. Research and development of unmanned aircraft system fire
applications.
TITLE III--WILDFIRE SMOKE AND PUBLIC HEALTH
Sec. 23001. National smoke monitoring and alert system.
Sec. 23002. Health risk assessment for wildfire smoke exposure.
DIVISION C--AGENCY MODERNIZATION AND FIREFIGHTER SAFETY
TITLE I--WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Sec. 31001. Middle Fire Leaders Academy.
Sec. 31002. Wildfire workforce grant program.
Sec. 31003. Civilian conservation centers.
Sec. 31004. Pilot program to employ veterans in positions relating to
Federal wildland firefighting activities.
TITLE II--STAFF SAFETY AND SUPPORT
Subtitle A--Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Support
Sec. 32101. Special limitations on pay for wildland firefighters.
Sec. 32102. Rest and recuperation leave for employees engaged in
wildland firefighting.
Sec. 32103. Health provisions.
Sec. 32104. Retirement for firefighters.
Sec. 32105. Pay parity for Federal structural firefighters.
Sec. 32106. Pay adjustments and other matters.
Sec. 32107. Wildland fire management casualty assistance program.
Sec. 32108. Continuing accrual of service for firefighters.
Subtitle B--Federal Workforce Stability
Sec. 32201. Prohibition on reductions in force and involuntary
separations at Department of the Interior
and United States Forest Service.
Sec. 32202. Prohibition on closure of forest service research and
development facilities.
DIVISION A--RESILIENT LANDSCAPES
TITLE I--NATIONAL PRESCRIBED FIRE PROGRAM
SEC. 11001. DEFINITIONS.
In this title:
(1) Congressional committees.--The term ``congressional
committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry,
and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Natural Resources, the
Committee on Agriculture, and the Committee on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
(2) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means--
(A) land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of
the Interior; and
(B) National Forest System land.
(3) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the
meaning given such term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
(4) Landscape-scale prescribed fire plan.--The term
``landscape-scale prescribed fire plan'' means a decision
document prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) that--
(A) covers a unit of the National Forest System, a
Bureau of Land Management district, or a subunit of
such a unit or district;
(B) analyzes the site-specific environmental
consequences of prescribed fire on land described in
subparagraph (A); and
(C) obviates the need for subsequent decisions
pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) with respect to the unit,
district, or subunit described in subparagraph (A).
(5) National forest system.--
(A) In general.--The term ``National Forest
System'' has the meaning given the term in section
11(a) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources
Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1609(a)).
(B) Exclusions.--The term ``National Forest
System'' does not include the national grasslands or
land utilization projects administered under title III
of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act (7 U.S.C. 1010 et
seq.).
(6) Prescribed fire.--The term ``prescribed fire'' means a
fire deliberately ignited to burn wildland fuels in a natural
or modified state--
(A) under specified environmental conditions that
are intended to allow the fire to be confined to a
predetermined area and produce the fireline intensity
and rate of spread required to attain planned resource
management objectives; and
(B) in accordance with applicable law (including
regulations).
(7) Secretaries.--The term ``Secretaries'' means--
(A) the Secretary of the Interior; and
(B) the Secretary of Agriculture.
(8) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned''
means--
(A) the Secretary of the Interior, in the case of
land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the
Interior; and
(B) the Secretary of Agriculture, in the case of
land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of
Agriculture.
Subtitle A--Uses of Funds
SEC. 11101. DEFINITION OF PRESCRIBED FIRE.
In this subtitle, the term ``prescribed fire'' has the meaning
given the term in section 11001, except that in this subtitle the term
does not include a fire that is ignited for the primary purpose of pile
burning.
SEC. 11102. PRESCRIBED FIRE FUNDING.
(a) Funding Flexibility.--
(1) Department of agriculture.--The Secretary of
Agriculture may use not more than 15 percent of funds
appropriated for each fiscal year for hazardous fuels
management in the National Forest System for activities
described in subsection (b).
(2) Department of the interior.--The Secretary of the
Interior may use not more than 15 percent of funds appropriated
for each fiscal year for hazardous fuels management and post-
fire activities in the account for wildland fire management of
the Department of the Interior for activities described in
subsection (b).
(b) Description of Activities.--The activities referred to in
subsection (a) are--
(1) with respect to prescribed fires on Federal land, or on
non-Federal land if the Secretary concerned determines that
such activities would benefit resources on Federal land--
(A) entering into procurement contracts or
cooperative agreements for prescribed fire activities;
(B) issuing grants to a State, Tribal Government,
local government, prescribed fire council, prescribed
burn association, or nonprofit organization for the
implementation of prescribed fires, including--
(i) carrying out necessary environmental
reviews;
(ii) carrying out any site preparation
necessary for implementing prescribed fires;
and
(iii) conducting any required pre-ignition
cultural or environmental surveys; and
(C) conducting outreach to the public, Indian
Tribes and beneficiaries, and adjacent landowners;
(2) implementing prescribed fires on non-Federal land, if
the Secretary concerned determines that the prescribed fire
would benefit Federal land, including--
(A) carrying out necessary environmental reviews;
(B) carrying out any site preparation necessary for
implementing prescribed fires; and
(C) conducting any required pre-ignition cultural
and environmental surveys;
(3) providing to Federal employees and cooperators training
for prescribed fire and basic smoke management practices;
(4) conducting post-prescribed fire activities, such as
monitoring for hazard trees or reignitions and invasive species
management;
(5) providing technical or financial assistance to a State,
Tribal Government, local government, prescribed fire council,
prescribed burn association, or nonprofit organization for the
purpose of providing training for prescribed fire or basic
smoke management practices, consistent with any standards
developed by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group or State
prescribed fire standards; and
(6) providing funding for the applicable Collaborative
Prescribed Fire Program established under section 11104.
(c) Prioritization.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary
concerned shall coordinate with the other Secretary concerned,
State and local government agencies, Indian Tribes, and
applicable nongovernmental organizations to establish
prioritization criteria for expending amounts pursuant to
subsection (a) for activities described in paragraphs (2), (5),
and (6) of subsection (b).
(2) Requirement.--In establishing criteria under paragraph
(1), the Secretary concerned shall give priority to a project
that is--
(A) implemented across a large contiguous area;
(B) cross-boundary in nature;
(C) in an area that is--
(i) within or adjacent to the wildland-
urban interface and identified as a priority
area in a statewide forest action plan or
Community Wildfire Protection Plan; or
(ii) identified as important to the
protection of a Tribal trust resource or the
reserved or treaty rights of an Indian Tribe;
(D) on land that is at high or very high risk of
experiencing a wildfire that would be difficult to
suppress;
(E) in an area that is designated as critical
habitat and in need of ecological restoration or
enhancement that can be achieved with the aid of
prescribed fire; or
(F) supportive of potential operational
delineations or strategic response zones.
SEC. 11103. POLICIES AND PRACTICES.
(a) Increasing Prescribed Fire.--Beginning with the first fiscal
year that begins after the date of enactment of this Act, and for each
of the 9 fiscal years thereafter, the Secretaries shall conduct
prescribed fires on Federal land such that the total acreage of Federal
land on which prescribed fires are conducted is 10 percent greater than
the total acreage of all Federal land on which prescribed fires were
conducted during the preceding fiscal year.
(b) Operational Strategy.--The Secretary concerned shall develop,
in coordination with State, local, and Tribal governments, a prescribed
fire operational strategy for each region of the National Forest System
or the Department of the Interior, as applicable, that describes--
(1) the fire deficit by region; and
(2) staffing and funding needs to address the fire deficit
under paragraph (1).
SEC. 11104. COLLABORATIVE PRESCRIBED FIRE PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary concerned, in coordination with the
other Secretary concerned, shall establish a Collaborative Prescribed
Fire Program (referred to in this section as the ``program'') to select
and fund prescribed fire projects (each of which is referred to in this
section as a ``project'') in accordance with--
(1) the prioritization criteria established under section
11102(c);
(2) the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et
seq.);
(3) the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.);
(4) the applicable land use or land management plan; and
(5) any other applicable law.
(b) Eligibility Criteria.--To be eligible for nomination under
subsection (c), a proposal for a project shall--
(1) be consistent with a landscape restoration strategy--
(A) that is complete or substantially complete;
(B) that identifies and prioritizes prescribed fire
treatments for a 10-year period within a landscape that
is--
(i) not less than 50,000 acres;
(ii) composed primarily of forested Federal
land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary
concerned, but may also include other Federal,
State, Tribal, or private land, if a treatment
on that land would benefit the applicable
Federal land; and
(iii) in need of--
(I) active ecosystem restoration;
or
(II) maintenance activities to
retain previously treated land in a
wildfire-resilient state;
(C) that incorporates the best available science
and scientific application tools to identify project
areas;
(D) that fully maintains, or contributes toward the
restoration of, the structure and composition of old
growth stands according to the pre-fire suppression old
growth conditions characteristic of the forest type--
(i) taking into account the contribution of
the stand to landscape fire adaptation and
watershed health; and
(ii) retaining the large trees contributing
to old growth structure;
(E) under which would be carried out any forest
restoration treatments that reduce hazardous fuels
through the use of fire for ecological restoration and
maintenance and reestablishing natural fire regimes,
where appropriate, which--
(i) may include site preparation, if
necessary to prepare the landscape for
reestablishment of a natural fire regime; and
(ii) shall maximize the retention of large
trees, as appropriate for the forest type, to
the extent that the trees promote fire-
resilient stands; and
(F) under which--
(i) no permanent roads would be
established; and
(ii) funding would be committed to
decommission all temporary roads constructed to
carry out the strategy;
(2) be developed and implemented through a collaborative
process that--
(A) includes multiple interested persons
representing diverse interests; and
(B) is transparent and nonexclusive;
(3) describe plans, as applicable--
(A) to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic
wildfire;
(B) to improve fish and wildlife habitat, including
for endangered, threatened, and sensitive species;
(C) to maintain or improve water quality and
watershed function;
(D) to prevent, remediate, or control invasions of
exotic species;
(E) to maintain, decommission, and rehabilitate
roads and trails;
(F) to report annually on performance, including
setting accomplishment targets for each year;
(G) to take into account any applicable community
wildfire protection plan; and
(H) to mitigate smoke impacts on nearby
communities;
(4) include an analysis of any anticipated cost savings,
including savings resulting from--
(A) a reduced risk of wildfire damages, especially
to high-value resources; and
(B) a decrease in the unit costs of implementing
ecological restoration treatments over time;
(5) include estimates of--
(A) the amount of annual Federal funding necessary
to implement the proposed project; and
(B) the amount of new non-Federal investment for
carrying out the proposed project that would be
leveraged;
(6) describe the collaborative process described in
paragraph (2) through which the proposal was developed,
including a description of--
(A) participation by, or consultation with, State,
local, and Tribal governments; and
(B) any established record of successful
collaborative planning and implementation of prescribed
fire projects on National Forest System land and other
land included in the proposal by the collaborators;
(7) propose to benefit local economies by providing local
employment or training opportunities through contracts, grants,
or agreements for planning, design, implementation, or
monitoring with--
(A) local private, nonprofit, or cooperative
entities;
(B) Youth Conservation Corps crews or related
partnerships with State, local, and nonprofit youth
groups;
(C) existing or proposed small or micro businesses,
clusters, or incubators; or
(D) other entities that will hire or train local
individuals to complete those contracts, grants, or
agreements; and
(8) be subject to any other requirements that the Secretary
concerned determines to be necessary for the efficient and
effective administration of the program.
(c) Nomination Process.--
(1) Submission.--A proposal for a project shall be
submitted to the appropriate Regional Forester, State Director,
or other similar official.
(2) Nomination.--
(A) In general.--An official described in paragraph
(1) may nominate for selection by the Secretary
concerned any proposals received by the official under
that paragraph that meet the eligibility criteria
described in subsection (b).
(B) Concurrence.--In the case of a proposal for a
project that involves activities on the land of both
Secretaries, a nomination under subparagraph (A) shall
include the concurrence of the appropriate official for
the applicable land that is not under the jurisdiction
of the official nominating the proposal.
(3) Other land.--In the case of a proposal for a project
that involves activities on land that is not under the
jurisdiction of either Secretary concerned, a nomination under
subparagraph (A) shall include evidence that the landowner
intends to participate in, and provide appropriate funding to
carry out, the activities.
(d) Selection Process.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary concerned, in consultation
with the other Secretary concerned, shall select for
implementation proposals for projects--
(A) that have been nominated under subsection
(c)(2);
(B) that meet the eligibility criteria described in
subsection (b); and
(C) in accordance with the prioritization criteria
established under section 11102(c).
(2) Criteria.--In selecting proposals under paragraph (1),
the Secretary concerned shall give special consideration to--
(A) the strength of the proposal, including the
landscape restoration strategy described in subsection
(b)(1) of the proposal;
(B) the strength of the ecological case of the
proposal and the proposed ecological restoration
strategies under the proposal;
(C) the strength of the collaborative process
described in subsection (b)(2) through which the
proposal was developed and the likelihood of successful
collaboration throughout implementation;
(D) the extent to which the proposal is likely to
achieve reductions in long-term wildfire risk and
increased protection of high-value resources;
(E) the extent to which an appropriate level of
non-Federal investment would be leveraged in carrying
out the proposed project; and
(F) ensuring geographic diversity of projects
implemented under this section.
(3) Limitation.--The Secretary concerned may select not
more than--
(A) 20 proposals under paragraph (1) to be funded
during any fiscal year; and
(B) the number of proposals under paragraph (1)
that the Secretary concerned determines are likely to
receive adequate funding.
(e) Reporting.--
(1) Project reporting.--A recipient of financial assistance
to carry out a project under the program shall annually submit
to the Secretary concerned a report summarizing, at a minimum,
with respect to the year covered by the report--
(A) the number of acres of land treated with
prescribed fire by the recipient under the program; and
(B) the amount of Federal and non-Federal funds
used by the recipient under the program.
(2) Program report.--Not later than 5 years after the first
fiscal year in which funding is made available to carry out
projects under the program, and every 5 years thereafter, the
Secretary concerned shall submit to the congressional
committees a report describing the program, including an
assessment of whether, and to what extent, the program is
fulfilling the purposes of this section.
(f) Limitations.--
(1) Total funding.--The Secretary concerned shall not
provide more than $20,000,000 in total funding for projects
under the program in any fiscal year.
(2) Project size limitation.--The Secretary concerned shall
not provide more than $1,000,000 for any 1 project under the
program in any fiscal year.
(3) Project sunset.--The Secretary concerned shall not
provide funding for a project under the program for a period of
more than 10 fiscal years.
(4) Project cancellation.--The Secretary concerned shall
cease funding any project under the program that, for 3
consecutive years, fails to meet the annual accomplishment
targets set under subsection (b)(3)(F).
(g) Funding.--Of the amounts made available under section 11102(a),
the Secretary concerned may use to carry out this section not more than
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2036.
Subtitle B--Facilitating Implementation and Outreach
SEC. 11201. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS AND CONTRACTS.
(a) Definition of Eligible Entity.--In this section, the term
``eligible entity'' means--
(1) a State;
(2) an Indian Tribe;
(3) a county or municipal government;
(4) a fire district;
(5) a nongovernmental organization; and
(6) a private entity.
(b) Authorization.--The Secretary concerned may enter into a
cooperative agreement or contract with an eligible entity to authorize
the eligible entity to coordinate, plan, or conduct a prescribed fire
on Federal land in accordance with other applicable laws, regulations,
and land management plans.
(c) Subcontracts.--The Secretary concerned may authorize a State,
an Indian Tribe, or a county that enters into a cooperative agreement
or contract under subsection (b) to enter into a subcontract to conduct
a prescribed fire on Federal land pursuant to that cooperative
agreement or contract, subject to any other terms and conditions that
the Secretary concerned determines to be appropriate.
(d) Long-Term Contracts.--A cooperative agreement or contract with
an eligible entity under subsection (b) may authorize the eligible
entity to conduct a series of prescribed fires on Federal land for a
period of not longer than 10 years.
SEC. 11202. HUMAN RESOURCES.
(a) Prescribed Fire Workforce.--
(1) Increasing workforce retention.--
(A) Hazard pay.--
(i) In general.--Each Federal employee in
any classification series, as identified by the
Secretaries, shall be entitled to be paid the
appropriate differential under section 5545(d)
of title 5, United States Code, as if such
employee was covered by such subsection, when
such employee carries out work directly related
to the ignition, management, and control of a
prescribed fire.
(ii) Regulations.--The Director of the
Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe
regulations to carry out this subparagraph.
(B) Incentive payments for fuels assignments.--The
Secretaries shall submit to the congressional
committees a joint report describing mechanisms to
attract and retain a skilled fuels workforce, including
pay incentives that would account for and offset the
more competitive pay options offered through wildfire
suppression assignments.
(2) Dedicated prescribed fire task forces.--
(A) In general.--The Secretaries shall--
(i) not later than 180 days after the date
of enactment of this Act, establish at least 1
multiparty task force of Federal employees and
non-Federal entities within each Geographic
Area Coordination Center to plan, lead, and
support prescribed fire across ownership
boundaries that are priorities at the
landscape, region, State, or Federal level; and
(ii) support each task force established
under clause (i) by assigning a dedicated
Federal employee--
(I) to aid necessary administrative
functions relating to partnership
agreements; and
(II) to coordinate prescribed fire
across ownership boundaries.
(B) Cooperative agreements.--The Secretaries may
enter into 1 or more cooperative agreements to carry
out this paragraph.
(3) Conversion of seasonal firefighters to permanent
employees.--The Secretaries may noncompetitively convert a
Federal seasonal employee to a Federal permanent employee if--
(A) the listed job duties of the employee include
wildland firefighting;
(B) the employee received a rating of at least
``Fully Successful'' in each of the performance
appraisals of the employee for the 3 most recent
seasons of Federal employment of the employee; and
(C) the job duties and performance standards of the
position into which the permanent employee converts
emphasize implementing prescribed fires.
(4) Employment of formerly incarcerated individuals.--
(A) In general.--The Secretaries, in consultation
with the Attorney General and State departments of
corrections, shall seek to provide career pathways,
training, and wraparound support services, including
through partnerships with the Corps Network, to
individuals described in subparagraph (B) to work as
prescribed fire practitioners.
(B) Individuals described.--An individual referred
to in subparagraph (A) is an individual that--
(i) has been convicted in any court of a
criminal offense, other than arson or a violent
crime (as defined by the Secretaries, in
consultation with the Attorney General and
State departments of corrections), and was
sentenced to a term of imprisonment for that
offense; and
(ii) during the term of imprisonment
described in clause (i), served on a wildland
firefighting crew or received other comparable
training.
(5) Underutilized employees.--The Secretaries shall support
the recruitment, development, and participation of
underutilized employees, as determined by the Secretaries, in
the wildland fire workforce, including by fostering leadership
opportunities, mentorship networks, and training.
(6) Veterans crews.--
(A) In general.--The Secretaries, in consultation
with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall seek--
(i) to provide a career pathway to
individuals described in subparagraph (B) to
work as prescribed fire practitioners; and
(ii) to establish crews composed
predominantly of veterans to conduct prescribed
fires.
(B) Individuals described.--An individual referred
to in subparagraph (A) is an individual who--
(i) served in the active military, naval,
or air service; and
(ii) was discharged or released under
conditions other than dishonorable.
(b) Additional Training Centers.--Subject to the availability of
appropriations, not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of the Interior, in cooperation with the
Secretary of Agriculture (and the Secretary of Defense in the case of a
center located on a military installation), shall--
(1) establish, operate, and facilitate a prescribed fire
training program or center that offers training in prescribed
fire within each Geographic Area Coordination Center region
where such a program or center does not exist on the date of
enactment of this Act; and
(2) support the establishment of an Indigenous-led
prescribed fire and cultural burning training center operated
by an Indian Tribe or partnership of Indian Tribes.
(c) Competencies for Firefighters.--The Secretaries, in
coordination with the Fire Executive Council, shall task the National
Wildfire Coordinating Group with the duty to adjust training
requirements to obtain a certification to serve in a supervisory role
for a prescribed fire and any other positions determined to be
necessary by the Secretaries--
(1) in order to reduce the time required to obtain such a
certification; and
(2) such that significant experience, gained exclusively
during a prescribed fire, is required to obtain such a
certification.
(d) Enhancing Interoperability Between Federal and Non-Federal
Practitioners.--
(1) Qualification databases and dispatch systems.--The
Secretaries shall establish a collaborative process to create
mechanisms for non-Federal-agency fire practitioners to be
included in prescribed fire and wildfire resource ordering and
reimbursement processes.
(2) Partnership agreements.--The Secretaries shall--
(A) develop partnership agreements for prescribed
fire with all relevant State, Federal, Tribal,
university, and nongovernmental entities that choose to
be included in resource ordering and reimbursement
processes under paragraph (1);
(B) create agreements and structures necessary to
include non-Federal-agency and other nontraditional
partners in direct work with Federal agencies to
address prescribed fires; and
(C) treat any prescribed fire practitioner meeting
applicable National Wildfire Coordinating Group
standards as eligible to be included in statewide
participating agreements.
SEC. 11203. LIABILITY OF PRESCRIBED FIRE MANAGERS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered activity.--The term ``covered activity'' means
an activity carried out on Federal land directly related to a
wildland fire, prescribed fire, or prescribed fire with
cultural objectives in the course of executing a Federal
action.
(2) Covered entity.--The term ``covered entity'' means a
non-Federal entity engaged in a covered activity, if that non-
Federal entity is acting--
(A) under the direct supervision of a Federal
employee; and
(B) within the scope of a contract or agreement in
carrying out that covered activity.
(b) Indemnity of Federal and Tribal Employees.--The Secretaries, in
coordination with the Attorney General, shall develop, for employees
involved in covered activities, a voluntary training course
describing--
(1) liability protections afforded to those employees when
acting within the scope of their employment;
(2) the limits on any liability protections under paragraph
(1); and
(3) reimbursements available for qualified employees for
professional liability insurance under section 636 of division
A of Public Law 104-208 (5 U.S.C. prec. 5941 note).
(c) Indemnity of Other Cooperators.--
(1) In general.--Beginning on the date of enactment of this
Act, a covered entity shall be considered to be an employee of
the Federal Government for purposes of chapter 171 of title 28,
United States Code (commonly known as the ``Federal Tort Claims
Act''), while that covered entity is engaged in covered
activities.
(2) Guidance.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretaries, in consultation with
the Attorney General, shall issue guidance on the necessary
provisions and implementation requirements for contracts or
agreements that would extend liability protections to covered
entities under paragraph (1).
(3) Reimbursement.--Beginning in the first fiscal year that
begins after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretaries
shall request, through annual appropriations, funds sufficient
to reimburse the Treasury for any claims paid during the prior
fiscal year pursuant to paragraph (1).
(d) Effect.--Nothing in this section limits or otherwise affects--
(1) the application of any statutory or judicial immunity
to Federal employees;
(2) the application of chapter 171 of title 28, United
States Code (commonly known as the ``Federal Tort Claims
Act''), to Federal employees; or
(3) the application of section 314 of Public Law 101-512
(25 U.S.C. 5321 note).
SEC. 11204. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.
(a) Smoke Management Agencies.--
(1) Policy.--The Secretaries shall ensure that policies,
training, and programs of the Secretaries are consistent with
this subsection--
(A) to facilitate greater use of prescribed fire;
and
(B) to address public health and safety, including
impacts from smoke from wildfires and prescribed fires.
(2) Coordination among federal, tribal, and state air
quality agencies and federal, tribal, and state land management
agencies.--To facilitate the use of prescribed fire on Federal,
State, Tribal, and private land, the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency, in cooperation with Federal
and State land management agencies, shall coordinate with
State, Tribal, and local air quality agencies that regulate
smoke under the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.)--
(A) to the maximum extent practicable, to provide
State, Tribal, and local air quality agencies with
guidance, data, imagery, or modeling to support the
development of exceptional event demonstrations in
accordance with sections 50.14 and 51.930 of title 40,
Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations);
(B) to develop archives and automated tools to
provide State, Tribal, and local air quality agencies
with the data, imagery, and modeling under subparagraph
(A);
(C) to develop decision support tools for State,
Tribal, and local air quality agencies to assist in
determining whether an exceptional event demonstration,
if the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency concurs with such demonstration, would have
regulatory significance;
(D) to provide technical assistance, best
practices, or templates to States, Indian Tribes, and
local governments for use in approving the use of
prescribed fire under a State, Tribal, or local
government smoke management program;
(E)(i) to promote basic smoke management practices
and other best practices to protect the public from
wildland fire smoke;
(ii) to disseminate information about basic smoke
management practices;
(iii) to educate landowners that use prescribed
fire about the importance of--
(I) using basic smoke management practices;
and
(II) including basic smoke management
practices as a component of a prescribed fire
plan; and
(iv) to share with the public, in coordination with
other public health agencies, information about
measures that individuals can take to protect
themselves from wildland fire smoke; and
(F) to develop guidance and tools to streamline the
demonstration of a clear causal relationship between
prescribed fire smoke and a related exceedance of a
national ambient air quality standard.
(3) Exceptional event demonstrations.--
(A) In general.--The appropriate State or Tribal
air quality agency (including any local air quality
agency delegated authority by a State) may develop and
submit to the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency an exceptional event demonstration in
accordance with sections 50.14 and 51.930 of title 40,
Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations),
for a prescribed fire.
(B) Approval.--The Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency shall concur with an
exceptional event demonstration submitted under
subparagraph (A) in accordance with the requirements of
sections 50.14 and 51.930 of title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations (or successor regulations). To meet
requirement that the applicable prescribed fire was not
reasonably controllable or preventable and that the
applicable prescribed fire was a human activity
unlikely to recur, the State or Tribal air quality
agency shall demonstrate in that exceptional event
demonstration that, at a minimum, the applicable
prescribed fire was--
(i) conducted in accordance with a State or
Tribal smoke management program or basic smoke
management practices; and
(ii) consistent with a land or resource
management plan with a stated objective to
establish, restore, or maintain a sustainable
and resilient ecosystem.
(C) Demonstration assistance for federal land.--For
any prescribed fire conducted on Federal land, the
Secretary concerned--
(i) shall assist with the development of an
exceptional event demonstration under
subparagraph (A) on request of a State or
Tribal air quality agency; and
(ii) may develop and submit an exceptional
event demonstration under subparagraph (A) with
the concurrence of the applicable State or
Tribal air quality agency.
(4) Programs and research.--To address the public health
and safety risk of the expanded use of prescribed fire under
this title, the Secretaries, in coordination with the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
shall conduct research to improve or develop--
(A) wildland fire smoke prediction models;
(B) smoke impact display tools for the public and
decisionmakers;
(C) appropriate, cost-effective, and consistent
strategies to mitigate the impacts of smoke from
prescribed fire on nearby communities;
(D) consistent nationally and scientifically
supported messages regarding personal protection
equipment for the public; and
(E) prescribed fire activity tracking and emission
inventory systems for planning and post-treatment
accountability.
(b) Development of Landscape-Scale Federal Prescribed Fire Plans.--
(1) Inclusion of landscape-scale prescribed fire plans.--
The Secretary concerned shall, with respect to units of the
National Forest System or Bureau of Land Management districts
with existing prescribed fire programs--
(A) not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, determine which of those units
or districts have landscape-scale prescribed fire
plans; and
(B) not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act--
(i) determine whether each plan described
in subparagraph (A) requires revision;
(ii) establish a schedule for the revision
of each plan described in subparagraph (A) that
requires revision; and
(iii) develop landscape-scale prescribed
fire plans for any units or districts that do
not have landscape-scale prescribed fire plans.
(2) Environmental compliance.--In carrying out paragraph
(1), the Secretary concerned shall--
(A) comply with--
(i) the National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.);
(ii) the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.);
(iii) division A of subtitle III of title
54, United States Code; and
(iv) any other applicable laws; and
(B) consider the site-specific environmental
consequences of the landscape-scale prescribed fire
decisions under this subsection.
(3) Collaborative development.--In carrying out paragraph
(1), the Secretary concerned shall collaborate with diverse
actors from academia, Forest Service and Bureau of Land
Management research and development programs, nongovernmental
organizations, cultural fire practitioners, and other entities,
as determined appropriate by the Secretary concerned.
(4) Consultation with indian tribes.--The Secretary
concerned shall engage in government-to-government consultation
with Indian Tribes in complying with this subsection.
(5) Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary
concerned shall submit to Congress a report describing the
progress of the Secretary concerned with respect to carrying
out this subsection.
SEC. 11205. PRESCRIBED FIRE EDUCATION PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretaries shall carry out a national
prescribed fire education program focused on fire ecology and
prescribed fire planning and implementation.
(b) Program Elements.--A prescribed fire education program under
subsection (a) may include--
(1) public service advertisements;
(2) the use of social media;
(3) campaign and educational activities and materials;
(4) commercial licensing;
(5) character images and appearances; and
(6) awards and recognition.
Subtitle C--Reporting
SEC. 11301. ANNUAL REPORTS TO NATIONAL FIRE PLANNING AND OPERATIONS
DATABASE.
(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to ensure an accurate
reporting of annual prescribed fire accomplishments in the United
States.
(b) Cost-Share.--Subject to the availability of appropriations, the
Secretary of the Interior may provide financial assistance to States to
pay a portion of the costs associated with annually reporting to the
National Fire Planning and Operations Database (or a successor
database) the prescribed fire accomplishments of the State.
(c) Eligibility for Funds.--If, by December 31 of a calendar year,
a State has not submitted to the National Fire Planning and Operations
Database (or a successor database) a report describing, at a minimum,
the number of acres on which uncharacteristic wildfire risk is
effectively mitigated using prescribed fire in the State, the State
shall not be eligible to receive any amounts made available under this
title for the previous fiscal year.
SEC. 11302. ANNUAL IMPLEMENTATION REPORT.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and
annually thereafter, the Secretaries shall each submit to the
congressional committees a report describing the activities carried out
under this title.
TITLE II--RESTORATION, RECOVERY, AND REFORESTATION
Subtitle A--Landscape Restoration
SEC. 12101. COLLABORATIVE FOREST LANDSCAPE RESTORATION PROGRAM
REAUTHORIZATION.
Section 4003 of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (16
U.S.C. 7303) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(3)--
(A) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``species;''
and inserting ``species or pathogens;'';
(B) in subparagraph (G), by striking ``and'' at the
end;
(C) in subparagraph (H), by adding ``and'' after
the semicolon at the end; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
``(I) address standardized monitoring questions and
indicators;'';
(2) in subsection (c)(3)(A)--
(A) in clause (i), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(B) in clause (ii), by inserting ``and'' at the
end; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(iii) include a Federal Government
staffing plan for providing support to
collaboratives established pursuant to
subsection (b)(2);'';
(3) in subsection (d)--
(A) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in subparagraph (E), by striking
``and'' at the end;
(ii) in subparagraph (F), by striking the
period at the end and inserting a semicolon;
and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(G) proposals that seek to use innovative
implementation mechanisms, including conservation
finance agreements, good neighbor agreements entered
into under section 8206 of the Agricultural Act of 2014
(16 U.S.C. 2113a), and similar implementation
mechanisms;
``(H) proposals that seek to reduce the risk of
uncharacteristic wildfire or increase ecological
restoration activities--
``(i) within areas across land ownerships,
including State, Tribal, and private land; and
``(ii) within the wildland-urban interface
(as defined in section 101 of the Healthy
Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C.
6511)); and
``(I) proposals that seek to enhance watershed
health and drinking water sources.''; and
(B) in paragraph (3)--
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``10''
and inserting ``20''; and
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``2''
and inserting ``4'';
(4) in subsection (e)(3), by inserting ``conflict
resolution or collaborative governance,'' before ``and woody'';
and
(5) in subsection (f)--
(A) in paragraph (4)(B)(ii), by striking
``$4,000,000'' and inserting ``$8,000,000''; and
(B) in paragraph (6), by striking ``2023'' and
inserting ``2034''.
SEC. 12102. JOINT CHIEFS LANDSCAPE RESTORATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.
Section 40808 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (16
U.S.C. 6592d) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(2)--
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``or'' at the
end;
(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at
the end and inserting a semicolon; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(D) to recover from wildfires; or
``(E) to enhance soil, water, and related natural
resources.'';
(2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Agency coordination.--In carrying out the Program,
the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service shall--
``(A) consider corresponding management plans from
the Chief of the Forest Service; and
``(B) collaborate with the Chief of the Forest
Service on forestry science and practice, using the
best available science.'';
(3) in subsection (d)(1)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``and post-
wildfire impacts'' after ``wildfire risk''; and
(B) in subparagraph (F), by inserting ``, as
identified in the corresponding State forest action
plan or similar priority plan (such as a State wildlife
or water plan)'' before the semicolon;
(4) in subsection (f), by striking paragraph (2) and
inserting the following:
``(2) if inconsistent with the prohibitions under the rule
of the Forest Service entitled `Special Areas; Roadless Area
Conservation' (66 Fed. Reg. 3244 (January 12, 2001)), and
subparts C and D of part 294 of title 36, Code of Federal
Regulations, as applicable;''; and
(5) in subsections (g)(2) and (h)(1), by striking ``and
2023'' each place it appears and inserting ``through 2031''.
SEC. 12103. CONTRACTS, GRANTS, AND AGREEMENTS TO CARRY OUT CERTAIN
ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION ACTIVITIES.
(a) Contracts, Grants, and Agreements.--Section 40804 of the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (16 U.S.C. 6592a) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(g) Contracts, Grants, and Agreements.--To carry out the
ecosystem restoration activities described in subsection (b), the
Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest
Service, may enter into contracts, grants, or agreements with State
forestry agencies, local private or nonprofit entities, institutions of
higher education (as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))), Indian Tribes, and multistate
coalitions--
``(1) for the collection and maintenance of native seeds,
including material from managed seed orchards; and
``(2) for the production of seedlings for revegetation.''.
(b) Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program.--Section
4003(b)(7) of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (16 U.S.C.
7303(b)(7)) is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting
``the collection and maintenance of native seeds for
revegetation, the production of seedlings, and'' after ``or
agreements for'';
(2) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) through (D) as
subparagraphs (C) through (E), respectively; and
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:
``(B) institutions of higher education (as defined
in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1001)).''.
SEC. 12104. POST-DISASTER REFORESTATION AND RESTORATION PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered agency.--The term ``covered agency'' means the
National Park Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife
Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of
Reclamation, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
(2) Covered lands.--The term ``covered lands'' means--
(A) any Federal land or interest in land
administered by a covered agency; or
(B) Indian Forest Land or Rangeland.
(3) Indian forest land or rangeland.--The term ``Indian
Forest Land or Rangeland'' means land that--
(A) is held in trust by, or with a restriction
against alienation by, the United States for an Indian
Tribe or a member of an Indian Tribe; and
(B)(i)(I) is Indian forest land (as defined in
section 304 of the National Indian Forest Resources
Management Act (25 U.S.C. 3103)); or
(II) has a cover of grasses, brush, or any similar
vegetation; or
(ii) formerly had a forest cover or vegetative
cover that is capable of restoration.
(4) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' means any
Indian or Alaska Native Tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village,
or community individually identified (including
parenthetically) in the list published most recently as of the
date of enactment of this Act pursuant to section 104 of the
Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C.
5131).
(5) Natural regeneration.--The term ``natural
regeneration'' has the meaning given the term in section
3(e)(4) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources
Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1601(e)(4)).
(6) Reforestation.--The term ``reforestation'' has the
meaning given the term in section 3(e)(4) of the Forest and
Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C.
1601(e)(4)).
(7) Relevant congressional committees.--The term ``relevant
congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committees on Agriculture and Natural
Resources of the House of Representatives; and
(B) the Committees on Agriculture and Energy and
Natural Resources of the Senate.
(8) Restoration.--The term ``restoration'' means assisting
the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged,
or destroyed, including the reestablishment of appropriate
plant species composition and community structure.
(9) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(10) Unplanned disturbance.--The term ``unplanned
disturbance'' means any unplanned disturbance that disrupts
ecosystem structure or composition and may include a wildfire,
an infestation of insects or disease, or a weather event.
(b) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the Secretary, in
coordination with the heads of the covered agencies, shall identify
covered lands requiring reforestation and restoration following
unplanned disturbances that are unlikely to experience natural
regeneration without assistance.
(c) Priority Projects.--In consultation with the heads of covered
agencies, the Secretary--
(1) shall propose a list of priority projects for
reforestation and restoration for each fiscal year;
(2) may carry out priority projects identified in the list
in paragraph (1) through--
(A) competitively awarded grants;
(B) contracts;
(C) contracts established under the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C.
5301 et seq.); and
(D) cooperative agreements, to be awarded in
accordance with applicable requirements established by
the Secretary; and
(3) may support any grant contract or cooperative agreement
that may be necessary to ensure adequate and appropriate seed
and seedling availability to further the objectives of priority
projects.
(d) Outreach.--To fulfill requirements of this section the heads of
covered agencies shall conduct outreach to--
(1) Indian Tribes;
(2) States;
(3) territories;
(4) units of local government;
(5) Alaska Native organizations;
(6) Native Hawaiian organizations;
(7) institutions of higher education;
(8) Federal agencies with jurisdiction over Federal land
adjoining or proximal to priority projects; and
(9) other stakeholders as determined by the Secretary.
(e) Reports and Recommendations.--Not later than 2 years after the
date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the
Secretary shall submit to the relevant congressional committees a
report that includes the following:
(1) An accounting of all covered lands requiring
reforestation and restoration.
(2) A list of priority projects and implementation progress
to address reforestation and restoration objectives identified.
(3) An accounting of grants, contracts, and cooperative
agreements established in furtherance of priority projects.
(4) Outreach efforts by covered agencies to advance
priority projects.
(5) Assessments of, and recommendations relating to seed,
seedling, and implementation gaps to advance priority projects
and opportunities to establish dedicated funding necessary to
address any backlog of reforestation and restoration needs.
(f) Sunset.--The authority provided under this section shall
terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of
this Act.
SEC. 12105. EMERGENCY FOREST WATERSHED PROGRAM.
(a) Funding and Administration.--Section 404(b) of the Agricultural
Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2204(b)) is amended by inserting ``to
carry out section 401'' after ``for a fiscal year''.
(b) Emergency Forest Watershed Program.--Title IV of the
Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2201 et seq.) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 408. EMERGENCY FOREST WATERSHED PROGRAM.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Emergency watershed protection measures.--The term
`emergency watershed protection measures' means measures that--
``(A) are necessary to address runoff retardation,
soil-erosion prevention, and flood mitigation caused by
a natural disaster or any other natural occurrence that
has caused a sudden impairment to natural resources on
National Forest System land, and the damage, if not
treated--
``(i) would significantly impair or
endanger the natural resources on the National
Forest System land; and
``(ii) would pose an immediate risk to
water resources or loss of life or property
downstream of the National Forest System land;
and
``(B) would maintain or restore forest health and
forest-related resources on the National Forest System
land.
``(2) Natural disaster.--The term `natural disaster' has
the meaning given the term in section 407(a).
``(3) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary,
acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.
``(4) Sponsor.--The term `sponsor' means--
``(A) a State or local government;
``(B) an Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of
the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance
Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)); and
``(C) a water district, water conservation
district, water utility, or special district.
``(b) Authorization.--The Secretary, acting through a sponsor, is
authorized to undertake emergency watershed protection measures on
National Forest System land.
``(c) Agreements; Payments.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary may enter into an
agreement with a sponsor and make payments to the sponsor, on
request of the sponsor, to carry out emergency watershed
protection measures.
``(2) Requirements.--
``(A) Project timelines.--
``(i) In general.--Following a natural
disaster or natural occurrence that
necessitates the carrying out of emergency
watershed protection measures, the Secretary
shall execute agreements under paragraph (1) as
expeditiously as possible.
``(ii) Timeline.--A sponsor that has
entered into an agreement under paragraph (1)
shall complete all emergency watershed
protection measures not later than 2 years
after the conclusion of the applicable natural
disaster or natural occurrence, as determined
by the Secretary, that necessitated the
carrying out of those measures.
``(iii) Continued monitoring.--A sponsor
that has entered into an agreement under
paragraph (1) may monitor, maintain, repair, or
replace emergency watershed protection measures
for a period of not more than 3 years following
the conclusion of the natural disaster or
natural occurrence, as determined by the
Secretary, that necessitated the carrying out
of those measures when failure to do so would
result in unacceptable risk to National Forest
System land or downstream water users.
``(B) Payments.--The Secretary, in accordance with
an agreement entered into under paragraph (1)--
``(i) may make partial payments prior to
completion of the applicable project; and
``(ii) shall make final payment for the
project not later than 30 days after the date
on which the project is completed.
``(d) Waived Matching Requirements.--The Secretary shall waive any
matching requirements for payments made under subsection (c)(1).
``(e) Liability.--
``(1) In general.--A sponsor that carries out emergency
watershed protection measures pursuant to an agreement under
subsection (c)(1) shall not--
``(A) be required to indemnify the United States
for any liability resulting from carrying out emergency
watershed protection measures pursuant to that
agreement; or
``(B) except as provided in paragraph (2), be
liable for injury, loss, or damage resulting from
carrying out emergency watershed protection measures
pursuant to that agreement.
``(2) Savings provision.--Nothing in this subsection
precludes liability for damages or costs relating to the
carrying out of emergency watershed protection measures by a
sponsor pursuant to an agreement entered into under subsection
(c)(1) if the sponsor acted with willful or wanton negligence
or reckless conduct in carrying out those measures.
``(f) Assumption of Risk.--A sponsor that carries out emergency
watershed protection measures prior to entering into an agreement under
subsection (c)(1) shall assume the risk of incurring any cost or
liability resulting from carrying out those measures.
``(g) Coordination.--The Chief of the Natural Resources
Conservation Service shall coordinate on the use of funds distributed
under this section and section 403.
``(h) NEPA Compliance.--Emergency watershed protection measures
carried out pursuant to this section shall be deemed emergency response
actions for purposes of section 220.4(b)(1) of title 36, Code of
Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation).''.
SEC. 12106. NURSERY AND SEED ORCHARD SUPPORT.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Eligible recipient.--The term ``eligible recipient''
means--
(A) a State forestry agency;
(B) an Indian Tribe; and
(C) a private nursery that has experience growing
high-quality native trees of appropriate genetic
sources in bareroot or container stocktypes specific
for reforestation, restoration, or conservation,
including native plants and seeds that are of cultural
significance to Indian Tribes.
(2) National forest system.--The term ``National Forest
System'' has the meaning given the term in section 11(a) of the
Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974
(16 U.S.C. 1609(a)).
(3) Nursery.--The term ``nursery'' means a tree or native
plant nursery.
(4) Seed orchard.--The term ``seed orchard'' means a tree
or native plant seed orchard.
(5) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several
States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, and any territory or possession of the United States.
(b) Partnerships, Collaboration, and Other Assistance in Support of
Nurseries and Seed Orchards.--The Secretary of Agriculture, acting
through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall--
(1) partner with Federal and State agencies, Indian Tribes,
institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and
private nurseries to provide training, technical assistance,
and research to nursery and tree establishment programs that
support natural regeneration, reforestation, agroforestry, and
afforestation;
(2) promote information sharing to improve technical
knowledge and practices, and to better understand reforestation
needs, relating to seeds or seedlings, effects of climate
change, tree genetics for resistance to pathogens and drought,
and other issues necessary to address all facets of the
reforestation supply chain;
(3) provide technical and financial assistance to
international nursery and tree establishment programs through
the Forest Service International Programs, the Institute of
Pacific Islands Forestry, and the International Institute of
Tropical Forestry;
(4) collaborate with other relevant Federal departments and
agencies, including the Foreign Agricultural Service of the
Department of Agriculture, the United States Agency for
International Development, the United States Fish and Wildlife
Service, and international organizations, including the Food
and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, to provide
technical and financial assistance related to nurseries and
reforestation;
(5) coordinate the efforts of the Department of
Agriculture--
(A) to address the challenges associated with the
reforestation supply chain, including workforce
development; and
(B) to leverage economic development assistance for
work with private nurseries;
(6) expand reforestation supply chains through science and
research, seed collection and storage, workforce development,
and nursery infrastructure and operations; and
(7) shorten the timeline for approval of permits to collect
seeds on National Forest System lands.
(c) Nursery and Seed Orchard Grant Program.--
(1) Establishment.--Not later than 2 years after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a
program to provide grants to eligible recipients to support
nurseries and seed orchards.
(2) Allowable uses.--A recipient of grant funds under
paragraph (1) may use such funds to carry out a project
comprised of 1 or more of the following:
(A) The development, expansion, enhancement, or
improvement of nursery production capacity or other
infrastructure--
(i) to improve seed collection and storage;
(ii) to increase seedling production,
storage, and distribution; or
(iii) to enhance seedling survival and
properly manage tree genetic resources.
(B) The establishment or expansion of a nursery or
seed orchard, including by acquiring equipment for a
nursery or seed orchard.
(C) The development or implementation of quality
control measures at nurseries or seed orchards.
(D) The promotion of workforce development within
any facet of the reforestation supply chain.
(E) Any other activity determined appropriate by
the Secretary.
(d) Reforestation Trust Fund.--Notwithstanding subsection (d) of
section 303 of Public Law 96-451 (16 U.S.C. 1606a), of amounts in the
Reforestation Trust Fund established by subsection (a) of that section
that are not otherwise obligated, the Secretary may obligate not more
than $5,000,000 for each fiscal year to carry out this section.
SEC. 12107. REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO PAYMENT TIMING FOR CERTAIN PROGRAMS
ADDRESSING WILDFIRE DAMAGES.
(a) Emergency Forest Restoration Program.--Section 407(b) of the
Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2206) is amended--
(1) by striking ``The'' and inserting the following:
``(1) In general.--The''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Payments for emergency measures to address
wildfire.--In the case of an application for a payment by an
owner of nonindustrial private forest land who carries out
emergency measures to restore the land after the land is
damaged by a wildfire, if the Secretary approves such
application, the Secretary shall provide payment to such owner
not later than 90 days after the date on which the application
was submitted to the Secretary.''.
(b) Emergency Watershed Program.--Section 403 of the Agricultural
Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2203) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(c) Payments for Emergency Watershed Protection Measures To
Address Wildfire Damage.--In the case of an application for a payment
for emergency watershed protection measures addressing a sudden
impairment of a watershed caused by a wildfire, if the Secretary
approves such application, the Secretary shall provide such payment not
later than 90 days after the date on which the application was
submitted to the Secretary.''.
(c) Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Programs.--
(1) Direct loan program.--Section 306(a)(1) of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C.
1926(a)(19)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``If the Secretary approves an application for an essential
community facilities loan under this paragraph that is
submitted by an owner of nonindustrial private forest land (as
defined in section 407 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978)
who carries out emergency measures (as defined in such section)
to restore the land after the land is damaged by a wildfire and
the Secretary approves the application, the Secretary shall
provide the loan to the owner within 90 days after date the
application is submitted.''.
(2) Grant program.--Section 306(a)(19) of such Act (7
U.S.C. 1926(a)(19)) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(C) Payments for emergency measures to address
wildfire.--If the Secretary approves an application for
a grant under this paragraph that is submitted by an
owner of nonindustrial private forest land (as defined
in section 407 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978)
who carries out emergency measures (as defined in such
section) to restore the land after the land is damaged
by a wildfire and the Secretary approves the
application, the Secretary shall provide the grant to
the owner within 90 days after date the application is
submitted.''.
(d) Disaster Relief and Mitigation Programs.--The Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121
et seq.) is amended--
(1) in section 203, by adding at the end the following:
``(m) Assistance for Wildfire Mitigation.--If the President
approves an application for financial assistance under this section to
implement predisaster hazard mitigation measures related to the
mitigation of wildfires, the President shall provide such assistance
within 90 days after the date such application is submitted.'';
(2) in section 404, by adding at the end the following:
``(h) Assistance for Wildfire Mitigation.--If the President
approves an application for hazard mitigation assistance under this
section that is related to the mitigation of wildfires, the President
shall provide such assistance within 90 days after the date such
application is submitted.'';
(3) in section 407(e), by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Payments related to wildfire.--Notwithstanding the
requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2), if the President
approves an application for a grant under this section to
remove debris or wreckage resulting from a wildfire, such grant
shall be paid in full no later than the date that is 90 days
after the last day such wildfire occurred.'';
(4) in section 408--
(A) in subsection (f)--
(i) in paragraph (3)(B)(iv), by striking
``(j)'' and inserting ``(k)''; and
(ii) in paragraph (3)(B)(v), by striking
``(i)'' and inserting ``(j)'';
(B) by redesignating subsections (i) and (j) as
subsections (j) and (k), respectively; and
(C) by inserting after subsection (h) the
following:
``(i) Payments related to wildfire.--If the
President approves an application for financial
assistance under this section for necessary
expenses or serious needs related to a
wildfire, the President shall provide such
assistance within 90 days after the last day
such wildfire occurred.''.
(e) Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Program.--The Small
Business Administration Disaster Loan program under section 7(b) of the
Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(b)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating the second paragraph (16) (relating to
statute of limitations) as paragraph (17); and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (17) (as so redesignated),
the following new paragraph:
``(18) Emergency measures to address wildfire.--If the
Administrator approves an application for a loan under this
subsection that is submitted by an owner of nonindustrial
private forest land (as defined in section 407 of the
Agricultural Credit Act of 1978) who carries out emergency
measures (as defined in such section) to restore the land after
the land is damaged by a wildfire, the Administrator shall
ensure that such loan is disbursed not later than 90 days after
date of such approval.''.
SEC. 12108. PERMITS AND AGREEMENTS WITH ELECTRICAL UTILITIES.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered federal lands.--The term ``covered Federal
lands'' means--
(A) National Forest System lands; and
(B) lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
(2) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned''
means--
(A) with respect to National Forest System lands,
the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief
of the Forest Service; and
(B) with respect to lands managed by the Bureau of
Land Management, the Secretary of the Interior, acting
through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management.
(b) In General.--In any special use permit or easement on covered
Federal lands provided to an electrical utility, the Secretary
concerned may provide permission to cut and remove trees or other
vegetation from within the vicinity of distribution lines or
transmission lines without requiring a separate timber sale, if that
cutting and removal is consistent with--
(1) any applicable land and resource management plan; and
(2) other applicable environmental laws (including
regulations).
(c) Use of Proceeds.--A special use permit or easement that
includes permission for cutting and removal described in subsection (b)
shall include a requirement that, if the applicable electrical utility
sells any portion of the material removed under the permit or easement,
the electrical utility shall provide to the Secretary concerned any
proceeds received from the sale, less any transportation costs incurred
in the sale.
(d) Effect.--Nothing in subsection (c) shall require the sale of
any material removed under a permit or easement that includes
permission for cutting and removal described in subsection (b).
SEC. 12109. POST-FIRE MANAGEMENT AND RECOVERY.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned shall establish 1 or
more permanent Burned Area Emergency Response Teams (referred to in
this section as a ``BAER Team'') to coordinate immediate post-wildfire
emergency stabilization and erosion planning efforts.
(b) Requirements.--A BAER Team shall--
(1) survey the landscape affected by a wildfire to
determine burn severity;
(2) identify and remove, as necessary, dead or dying trees
that may pose an immediate hazard to individuals, communities,
or critical infrastructure;
(3) stabilize or remove hazardous materials resulting from
a wildfire that may pose an immediate hazard to individuals,
communities, or the environment;
(4) conduct emergency landscape stabilization and erosion
prevention work, prioritizing efforts that ensure public
safety;
(5) prevent the proliferation and spread of invasive
species;
(6) assist with informing the public of hazards resulting
from a wildfire;
(7) collaborate, as necessary, with activities under
section 12110; and
(8) conduct such other work as the Secretary concerned
determines to be necessary.
(c) Duration.--To the maximum extent practicable, a BAER Team shall
coordinate and respond to immediate post-wildfire emergency
stabilization and erosion planning needs for a period of not more than
1 year after the date of containment of a wildfire.
(d) Funding.--The Secretary concerned may use to carry out this
section funds made available by section 40803(c)(16) of the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (16 U.S.C. 6592(c)(16)).
SEC. 12110. LONG-TERM BURNED AREA REHABILITATION ACCOUNT.
(a) Establishment of Account.--There is established in the Treasury
of the United States the Long-Term Burned Area Rehabilitation account
for the Department of Agriculture.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated for fiscal year 2027 and each fiscal year thereafter
through 2036 for the account established by subsection (a) such sums as
are necessary to carry out the activities described in subsection (d),
not to exceed $100,000,000.
(c) Presidential Budget Requests.--For fiscal year 2028 and each
fiscal year thereafter through 2036, the Secretary of Agriculture shall
submit through the budget request of the President and in accordance
with subsection (b), a request for amounts in the National Forest
System appropriation account to carry out the activities described in
subsection (d).
(d) Authorized Activities.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall use
amounts in the account established by subsection (a) for rehabilitation
projects located at sites impacted by a wildfire or post-wildfire
flooding primarily on Federal land, but may include areas on non-
Federal land, that--
(1) restore the functions of an ecosystem, including--
(A) identifying areas where natural regeneration is
unlikely to occur;
(B) revegetation and reforestation, including
coordinating any necessary site preparation, and
replanting;
(C) watershed restoration;
(D) invasive species mitigation and removal; and
(E) wildlife habitat restoration; or
(2) repair or replace infrastructure or facilities critical
for land management activities.
(e) Duration of Activities.--A rehabilitation project under
subsection (d) shall--
(1) begin not earlier than the date on which the wildfire
was contained; and
(2) be completed not later than 5 years after the date on
which the wildfire was contained.
(f) Agreement Authority.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Agriculture may enter to
agreements with non-Federal entities to carry out activities
described in subsection (d).
(2) Cost share.--The non-Federal share of the costs of
implementing activities under an agreement entered into under
paragraph (1)--
(A) shall be not more than 20 percent; and
(B) may include in-kind contributions.
(3) Savings provision.--Nothing in this subsection--
(A) requires the Secretary of Agriculture to enter
into agreements with non-Federal entities to carry out
activities described in subsection (d); or
(B) limits the effect of the prioritization
requirements under subsection (g).
(g) Prioritization of Funding.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall
prioritize, on a nationwide basis, projects for which funding requests
are submitted under this section based on downstream effects on water
resources.
(h) Reporting.--Beginning in fiscal year 2027, and each fiscal year
thereafter, the Secretary of Agriculture shall annually submit to
Congress a report on the burned area recovery work performed using--
(1) amounts from the account established by subsection (a);
(2) amounts made available under the Act of June 9, 1930
(16 U.S.C. 576 et seq.); and
(3) amounts from the Reforestation Trust Fund established
by section 303(a) of Public Law 96-451 (16 U.S.C. 1606a(a)).
SEC. 12111. PRIZE FOR WILDFIRE-RELATED INVASIVE SPECIES REDUCTION.
Section 7001(d) of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation,
Management, and Recreation Act (16 U.S.C. 742b note; Public Law 116-9)
is amended--
(1) by striking ``paragraph (8)(A)'' each place it appears
and inserting ``paragraph (9)(A)'';
(2) by striking ``paragraph (8)(B)'' each place it appears
and inserting ``paragraph (9)(B)'';
(3) by redesignating paragraph (8) as paragraph (9);
(4) by inserting after paragraph (7) the following:
``(8) Theodore roosevelt genius prize for management of
wildfire-related invasive species.--
``(A) Definitions.--In this paragraph:
``(i) Board.--The term `Board' means the
Management of Wildfire-Related Invasive Species
Technology Advisory Board established by
subparagraph (C)(i).
``(ii) Prize competition.--The term `prize
competition' means the Theodore Roosevelt
Genius Prize for the management of wildfire-
related invasive species established under
subparagraph (B).
``(B) Authority.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of enactment of the Wildfire Response and
Readiness Act, the Secretary shall establish under
section 24 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology
Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719) a prize
competition, to be known as the `Theodore Roosevelt
Genius Prize for the management of wildfire-related
invasive species'--
``(i) to encourage technological innovation
with the potential to advance the mission of
the National Invasive Species Council with
respect to the management of wildfire-related
invasive species; and
``(ii) to award 1 or more prizes annually
for a technological advancement that manages
wildfire-related invasive species.
``(C) Advisory board.--
``(i) Establishment.--There is established
an advisory board, to be known as the
`Management of Wildfire-Related Invasive
Species Technology Advisory Board'.
``(ii) Composition.--The Board shall be
composed of not fewer than 9 members appointed
by the Secretary, who shall provide expertise
in--
``(I) invasive species;
``(II) biology;
``(III) technology development;
``(IV) engineering;
``(V) economics;
``(VI) business development and
management;
``(VII) wildfire; and
``(VIII) any other discipline, as
the Secretary determines to be
necessary to achieve the purposes of
this paragraph.
``(iii) Duties.--Subject to clause (iv),
with respect to the prize competition, the
Board shall--
``(I) select a topic;
``(II) issue a problem statement;
``(III) advise the Secretary
regarding any opportunity for
technological innovation to manage
wildfire-related invasive species; and
``(IV) advise winners of the prize
competition regarding opportunities to
pilot and implement winning
technologies in relevant fields,
including in partnership with
conservation organizations, Federal or
State agencies, federally recognized
Indian Tribes, private entities, and
research institutions with expertise or
interest relating to the management of
wildfire-related invasive species.
``(iv) Consultation.--In selecting a topic
and issuing a problem statement for the prize
competition, the Board shall consult widely
with Federal and non-Federal stakeholders,
including--
``(I) 1 or more Federal agencies
with jurisdiction over the management
of invasive species;
``(II) 1 or more Federal agencies
with jurisdiction over the management
of wildfire;
``(III) 1 or more State agencies
with jurisdiction over the management
of invasive species;
``(IV) 1 or more State agencies
with jurisdiction over the management
of wildfire;
``(V) 1 or more State, regional, or
local wildlife organizations, the
mission of which relates to the
management of invasive species; and
``(VI) 1 or more wildlife
conservation groups, technology
companies, research institutions,
institutions of higher education,
industry associations, or individual
stakeholders with an interest in the
management of wildfire-related invasive
species.
``(v) Requirements.--The Board shall comply
with all requirements under paragraph (9)(A).
``(D) Administration by the national invasive
species council.--The Secretary, acting through the
Executive Director of the National Invasive Species
Council, shall administer the prize competition and
perform the duties described in paragraph (9)(B)(i).
``(E) Judges.--
``(i) Appointment.--The Secretary shall
appoint not fewer than 3 judges who shall,
except as provided in clause (ii), select the 1
or more annual winners of the prize
competition.
``(ii) Determination by secretary.--The
judges appointed under clause (i) shall not
select any annual winner of the prize
competition if the Secretary makes a
determination that, in any fiscal year, none of
the technological advancements entered into the
prize competition merits an award.
``(F) Report to congress.--Not later than 60 days
after the date on which a cash prize is awarded under
this paragraph, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate
and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives a report on the prize competition that
includes--
``(i) a statement by the Board that
describes the activities carried out by the
Board relating to the duties described in
subparagraph (C)(iii);
``(ii) a description of the 1 or more
annual winners of the prize competition; and
``(iii) a statement by 1 or more of the
judges appointed under subparagraph (E) that
explains the basis on which the 1 or more
winners of the prize competition was selected.
``(G) Termination of authority.--The Board and all
authority provided under this paragraph shall terminate
on December 31, 2028.''; and
(5) in paragraph (9) (as so redesignated)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), in the matter preceding
clause (i), by striking ``or (7)(C)(i)'' and inserting
``(7)(C)(i), or (8)(C)(i)''; and
(B) in subparagraph (C)--
(i) in clause (i), by inserting ``and the
amount of the initial cash prize awarded for a
year under paragraph (8)'' after ``subparagraph
(B)(i)(IX)''; and
(ii) by adding at the end the following:
``(iii) Additional wildfire cash prizes.--
If the Secretary determines that funds are
available for an additional cash prize under
the prize competition under paragraph (8) for a
year, the Secretary shall determine the amount
of the additional cash prize.''.
SEC. 12112. PROTECTION OF INVENTORIED ROADLESS AREAS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture may not authorize
road construction, road reconstruction, or logging (including any
cutting or removal of trees) in an inventoried roadless area where such
activities are prohibited by the Roadless Rule.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Inventoried roadless area.--The term ``inventoried
roadless area'' means any area in which road construction, road
reconstruction, or logging is subject to the Roadless Rule.
(2) Roadless rule.--The term ``Roadless Rule'' means part
294 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, as adopted on
January 12, 2001, and modified for Idaho on October 16, 2008,
and for Colorado on July 3, 2012, and December 19, 2016.
Subtitle B--10-Year Wildfire Plan
SEC. 12201. DEFINITIONS.
In this subtitle:
(1) Plan.--The term ``Plan'' means the plan required under
section 12202(a).
(2) Secretaries.--The term ``Secretaries'' means the
Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior.
(3) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned''
means--
(A) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to
National Forest System lands; and
(B) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to
public lands.
SEC. 12202. IMPLEMENTATION OF 10-YEAR NATIONAL WILDFIRE PLAN.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall, in
coordination with the Secretary of the Interior, implement a 10-year
National Wildfire Plan that--
(1) includes--
(A) hazardous fuels and prescribed fire activities
to address wildfire risk;
(B) vegetation, watershed, wildlife and fisheries
habitat management to maintain habitat and improve
ecological conditions, including--
(i) protecting mature and old-growth trees
and forests;
(ii) maintaining habitat in a way that
advances at-risk species recovery conservation;
and
(iii) completing consultations required
under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.);
(C) management of recreation, heritage, and
wilderness programs;
(D) activities under the Joint Fire Science Program
to address wildfire risk;
(E) the activities required under this subtitle;
(F) the activities included in--
(i) the National Cohesive Wildland Fire
Management Strategy (and successor documents);
(ii) the Wildfire Crisis Strategy entitled
``Confronting the Wildfire Crisis: A Strategy
for Protecting Communities and Improving
Resilience in America's Forests'' and dated
January 2022 (and successor documents);
(iii) the Wildfire Crisis Strategy
Implementation Plan entitled ``Wildfire Crisis
Implementation Plan'' and dated January 2022
(and successor documents); and
(iv) the Wildfire Crisis Landscape
Investments plan entitled ``Confronting the
Wildfire Crisis: Initial Landscape Investments
to Protect Communities and Improve Resilience
in America's Forests'' dated April 2022 (and
successor documents); and
(G) such other wildfire-related activities as
determined appropriate by the Secretary of Agriculture
or the Secretary of the Interior, in accordance with
existing law and regulations; and
(2) in accordance with section 12203, prioritizes carrying
out landscape-scale restoration projects.
(b) Coordination.--In carrying out subsection (a), to the maximum
extent practicable, the Secretary of Agriculture, in coordination with
the Secretary of Interior, shall--
(1) utilize cooperative forestry authorities and
agreements, including but not limited to the Cooperative
Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.);
(2) solicit proposals from States, counties, and Tribes to
address water quantity and quality concerns;
(3) solicit proposals from States, counties, and Tribes for
hazardous fuels treatments;
(4) consider the long-term statewide assessments and forest
resource strategies established in section 2A of the
Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2101a);
and
(5) provide priority to collaboratively developed projects.
SEC. 12203. SELECTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF LANDSCAPE-SCALE FOREST
RESTORATION PROJECTS.
(a) In General.--In carrying out the Plan, the Secretary of
Agriculture shall select, in accordance with this section, landscape
scale forest restoration projects--
(1) to implement on National Forest System land; and
(2) if applicable, to implement on land adjoining National
Forest System land, in coordination with other Federal and non-
Federal entities.
(b) Initial Phase.--During the 5-year period beginning on the date
of enactment of this Act, subject to the availability of
appropriations, the Secretary of Agriculture shall select not more than
20 landscape-scale forest restoration projects under subsection (a).
(c) Eligibility Requirements.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), to be eligible
for selection and implementation under subsection (a), a
landscape-scale forest restoration project shall satisfy the
following requirements:
(A) The purposes and needs for the project shall
be--
(i) to restore the ecological integrity and
ecological resilience of terrestrial and
aquatic areas that have departed from reference
conditions within the forest landscape;
(ii) to restore appropriate natural fire
regimes, including by reducing fuel loads in
areas that have departed from reference
conditions, taking into account the current and
projected impacts of climate change; and
(iii) to conduct wildfire risk reduction
activities within the wildland-urban interface
to the extent that the project includes lands
within the wildland-urban interface.
(B) The project shall be developed and supported by
a collaborative group that--
(i) includes multiple interested persons
representing diverse interests;
(ii) is transparent and inclusive; and
(iii) has sufficient expertise, capacity,
and scientific support to effectively plan,
implement, and monitor landscape-level,
ecologically based forest restoration
activities.
(C) The project shall be based on a landscape
assessment that shall--
(i) cover a landscape of--
(I) except as provided in
subclauses (II) and (III), not less
than 100,000 acres;
(II) in such limited cases as the
Secretary of Agriculture determines to
be appropriate, not less than 80,000
acres if--
(aa) the assessment is
completed or substantially
completed as of the date of
enactment of this Act; and
(bb) in the determination
of the Secretary of
Agriculture, assessing a larger
area is not necessary to
restore the integrity,
resilience, and fire regimes of
the landscape; or
(III) not less than 50,000 acres in
the case of a project that is carried
out east of the 100th meridian;
(ii) evaluate ecological integrity and
determine reference conditions for the
landscape;
(iii) identify terrestrial and aquatic
areas within the landscape that have departed
from reference conditions;
(iv) identify criteria to determine
appropriate restoration treatments within
degraded areas of the landscape to achieve
reference conditions, including management
prescriptions and necessary mitigation measures
to protect at-risk species;
(v) be based on the best available
scientific information and data, including,
where applicable, high-resolution imagery,
LiDAR, and similar technologies and
information, and involve direct engagement by
scientists; and
(vi) identify priority restoration
strategies for terrestrial and aquatic areas,
including prescribed fire and wildfires managed
for multiple resource benefits, which shall
focus on--
(I) areas that are the most
departed from reference conditions; and
(II) areas that would benefit the
most from reducing the risk of
uncharacteristic wildfire, especially
with respect to nearby communities,
taking into account other completed,
ongoing, planned fuels-reduction
projects, and the effects of recent
wildfires.
(D) Restoration treatments under the project--
(i) shall emphasize the reintroduction of
characteristic fire, based on forest ecology
and reference conditions, through the use of
prescribed fire, wildfire, or both;
(ii) that involve any proposed mechanical
treatments shall be designed to promote--
(I) the restoration of reference
conditions in areas that lack
ecological integrity, with a focus on
the reduction of surface and ladder
fuels; and
(II) the establishment of
conditions that will facilitate
prescribed fire or managed wildfire;
(iii) shall--
(I) fully maintain or contribute to
the restoration of reference old forest
conditions, taking into account the
current and projected impacts of
climate change; and
(II) protect or increase the number
and distribution of large old trees,
consistent with reference conditions,
excepting any de minimis losses of
large old trees from prescribed fire or
hazardous tree removal; and
(iv) that involve prescribed fire shall
provide advance notification, in accordance
with notification procedures developed by the
Secretary of Agriculture, to the owner or
operator of critical infrastructure, such as a
power line right-of-way, of any prescribed fire
treatments within close proximity to the
infrastructure.
(E) The project shall be consistent with all
applicable environmental laws, including--
(i) the National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.);
(ii) the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); and
(iii) the Forest and Rangeland Renewable
Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1600
et seq.).
(F) The project shall not be carried out in an
inventoried roadless area or comparable roadless area
defined by a State-specific rule.
(G) The project shall require multiparty
monitoring, including opportunities for public
engagement, and an adaptive management approach that--
(i) conditions the future implementation of
the project on the satisfactory completion of--
(I) priority restoration actions;
and
(II) required monitoring after
implementation;
(ii) validates conditions projected to
occur in the environmental analysis for the
project; and
(iii) requires modifications to the project
if monitoring reveals impacts beyond the
anticipated impacts of the project.
(H)(i) No new permanent road may be built as part
of the project.
(ii) Any new temporary roads needed to implement
the project shall be decommissioned not later than 3
years after completion of the project. The project
shall use an efficient approach to landscape-scale
analysis and decisionmaking that is consistent with the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C.
4321 et seq.), which may include--
(I) the preparation of a single
environmental impact statement or environmental
assessment, as applicable, for the entire
project, incorporating the landscape assessment
described in subparagraph (C);
(II) the use of, as applicable--
(aa) multiple records of decision
to implement a single environmental
impact statement; or
(bb) multiple decision notices to
implement a single environmental
assessment;
(III) the preparation of a programmatic
environmental impact statement or environmental
assessment, as applicable, for the entire
project, incorporating the landscape assessment
described in subparagraph (C), followed by
focused, concise, and site-specific--
(aa) environmental assessments; or
(bb) categorical exclusions
consistent with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); or
(IV) the use of the landscape assessment
described in subparagraph (C), through
incorporation by reference and similar
approaches, to support focused, concise, and
site-specific--
(aa) environmental assessments; or
(bb) categorical exclusions
consistent with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
(2) Exception.--If the Secretary of Agriculture determines
that there are an insufficient number of projects that fully
comply with the requirements described in paragraph (1) to
implement based on all available funding, then the Secretary of
Agriculture may, during the 2-year period beginning on the date
of enactment of this Act, select under subsection (a) not more
than a total of 5 landscape-scale forest restoration projects
to implement that do not fully comply with those requirements
if the projects--
(A) fully comply with the requirements described in
subparagraphs (B), (D), (E), (F), (G), (H), and (I) of
that paragraph;
(B) in the determination of the Secretary of
Agriculture, have purposes and needs that are
consistent with the purposes and needs described in
subparagraph (A) of that paragraph; and
(C) are supported by landscape assessments that are
substantially (if not completely) consistent with the
requirements described in subparagraph (C) of that
paragraph, subject to the condition that the applicable
landscape assessments fully comply with the
requirements described in clauses (i) and (v) of that
subparagraph.
(d) Evaluation of Eligible Projects.--
(1) In general.--In determining which landscape-scale
forest restoration projects to select under subsection (a), the
Secretary of Agriculture shall consider--
(A) the criteria described in paragraph (2);
(B) the extent to which the project utilizes the
approaches to project implementation described in
paragraph (3); and
(C) the recommendations of the advisory panel
established under subsection (e).
(2) Criteria.--The criteria referred to in paragraph (1)(A)
are--
(A) the demonstrated need, based on the best
available science, to restore ecological integrity to
degraded or departed areas within the landscape covered
by the project, taking into account the current and
projected impacts of climate change;
(B)(i) the importance of watersheds in the area
covered by the project for downstream waters supply;
and
(ii) the opportunity to improve the ecological
integrity and ecological conditions of those watersheds
and reduce risks to water resources through landscape-
scale forest restoration;
(C)(i) the potential extent of cost sharing for the
development and implementation of the project from
diverse sources, such as State or local governments,
water or electric utilities, carbon credits, or private
entities; and
(ii) the proportion of the non-Federal cost share
that is in the form of cash contributions;
(D) whether the area covered by the project has
high-resolution, remote-sensing data and other
information available that enables a landscape
assessment and a robust analysis and disclosure of the
effects and outcomes of implementing restoration
activities;
(E) whether the project is using, or will use,
innovative approaches to completing resource surveys
that are less costly and less time-consuming than usual
practices while providing the information necessary for
project design and analysis;
(F) whether the project will reduce the number of
miles of permanent roads on National Forest System land
that are not necessary for resource management or
recreational access;
(G) whether the project will assess or quantify the
ecosystem service benefits of forest restoration within
the landscape covered by the project, such as water,
carbon, biodiversity, fire risk reduction, public
health, and community safety;
(H) whether the project has the potential to
support new or existing wood processing infrastructure
that can make economic use of the byproducts of forest
restoration;
(I) whether the project has the potential to
support local employment and investment opportunities,
particularly in economically disadvantaged communities;
(J) the scale of the landscape assessment for the
project, with a preference for projects for which the
landscape assessment covers a larger area; and
(K) whether the project--
(i) strives to restore ecological integrity
and ecological conditions within areas across
land ownerships, including State and private
land; and
(ii) will reduce the risk of
uncharacteristic wildfire, and, to the extent
practicable, restore ecological integrity,
within the wildland-urban interface.
(3) Collaboration.--The Secretary of Agriculture may
coordinate with Federal, State, local, and Tribal agencies with
respect to selection and implementation under subsection (a), a
landscape-scale forest restoration project.
(e) Advisory Panel.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall
establish and maintain an advisory panel composed of not more
than 15 members to evaluate, and provide recommendations on--
(A) each landscape-scale forest restoration project
that the Secretary of Agriculture is reviewing for
potential selection under subsection (a); and
(B) proposals for planning and developing
landscape-scale forest restoration projects.
(2) Representation.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall
ensure that the membership of the advisory panel established
under paragraph (1) is fairly balanced in terms of the points
of view represented and the functions to be performed by the
advisory panel.
(3) Inclusion.--The advisory panel established under
paragraph (1) shall include experts in ecological forest
restoration, fire ecology, fire management, rural economic and
workforce development, strategies for ecological adaptation to
climate change, fish and wildlife ecology, and woody biomass
and small-diameter tree utilization.
SEC. 12204. YOUTH AND CONSERVATION CORPS ASSISTANCE WITH PROJECTS UNDER
THE PLAN.
In carrying out projects under the Plan, the Secretaries shall, to
the maximum extent practicable--
(1) identify appropriate projects to be carried out by, and
enter into cooperative agreements to carry out such projects
with--
(A) qualified youth or conservation corps (as
defined in section 203 of the Public Lands Corps Act of
1993 (16 U.S.C. 1722)); or
(B) nonprofit wilderness and trails stewardship
organizations, including--
(i) the Corps Network;
(ii) the National Wilderness Stewardship
Alliance;
(iii) American Trails; and
(iv) other public lands stewardship
organizations, as appropriate; and
(2) waive any matching funds requirements, including under
section 212(a)(1) of the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 (16
U.S.C. 1729(a)(1)).
SEC. 12205. ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION GRANT FUND THROUGH NATIONAL FISH AND
WILDLIFE FOUNDATION.
(a) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
(1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a
Federal agency, State, the District of Columbia, a territory of
the United States, a unit of local government, an Indian Tribe,
a non-profit organization, or an accredited institution of
higher education.
(2) Eligible projects and activities.--The term ``eligible
projects and activities'' means projects and activities carried
out by an eligible entity on public lands, Tribal lands, or
private land, or any combination thereof, to further the
purposes for which the Fund is established, including planning
and capacity building and projects and activities carried out
in coordination with Federal, State, or Tribal departments or
agencies, or any department or agency of a subdivision of a
State.
(3) Foundation.--The term ``Foundation'' means the National
Fish and Wildlife Foundation established under the National
Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3701
et seq.).
(4) Fund.--The term ``Fund'' means the Community Resilience
and Restoration Fund established under subsection (b).
(5) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' means the
governing body of any Indian or Alaska Native Tribe, band,
nation, pueblo, village, community, component band, or
component reservation individually identified (including
parenthetically) on the list published by the Secretary under
section 104 of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act
of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131).
(6) Restoration and resilience lands.--The term
``restoration and resilience lands'' means fish, wildlife, and
plant habitats, and other important natural areas in the United
States, on public lands, private land (after obtaining proper
consent from the landowner), or land of Indian Tribes,
including grasslands, shrublands, prairies, chapparral lands,
forest lands, deserts, and riparian or wetland areas within or
adjacent to these ecosystems.
(7) Public lands.--The term ``public lands'' means lands
owned or controlled by the United States.
(8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United
States Fish and Wildlife Service.
(9) State.--The term ``State'' means a State of the United
States, the District of Columbia, any Indian Tribe, and any
commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.
(b) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall enter into a cooperative
agreement with the Foundation to establish the Community Resilience and
Restoration Fund at the Foundation to--
(1) improve community safety in the face of climactic
extremes through conservation and protection of restoration and
resilience lands;
(2) to protect, conserve, and restore restoration and
resilience lands in order to help communities respond and adapt
to natural threats, including wildfire, drought, extreme heat,
and other threats posed or exacerbated by the impacts of global
climate;
(3) to build the resilience of restoration and resilience
lands to adapt to, recover from, and withstand natural threats,
including wildfire, drought, extreme heat, and other threats
posed or exacerbated by the impacts of global climate change;
(4) to protect and enhance the biodiversity of wildlife
populations, with special consideration to the recovery and
conservation of at-risk species, across restoration and
resilience lands;
(5) to support the health of restoration and resilience
lands for the benefit of present and future generations;
(6) to foster innovative, nature-based solutions that help
meet the goals of this section; and
(7) to enhance the nation's natural carbon sequestration
capabilities and help communities strengthen natural carbon
sequestration capacity where applicable.
(c) Management of the Fund.--The Foundation shall manage the Fund--
(1) pursuant to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.); and
(2) in such a manner that, to the greatest extent
practicable and consistent with the purposes for which the Fund
is established--
(A) ensures that amounts made available through the
Fund are accessible to historically underserved
communities, including Tribal communities, communities
of color, and rural communities; and
(B) avoids project selection and funding overlap
with those projects and activities that could otherwise
receive funding under--
(i) the National Oceans and Coastal
Security Fund, established under the National
Oceans and Coastal Security Act (16 U.S.C. 7501
et seq.); or
(ii) other coastal management focused
programs.
(d) Competitive Grants.--
(1) In general.--To the extent amounts are available in the
Fund, the Foundation shall award grants to eligible entities
through a competitive grant process in accordance with
procedures established pursuant to the National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act (16 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.)
to carry out eligible projects and activities, including
planning eligible projects and activities.
(2) Proposals.--The Foundation, in coordination with the
Secretary, shall establish requirements for proposals for
competitive grants under this section.
(e) Use of Amounts in the Fund.--
(1) Planning.--Not less than 8 percent of amounts
appropriated annually to the Fund may be used to plan eligible
projects and activities, including capacity building.
(2) Administrative costs.--
(A) Foundation.--Not more than 4 percent of amounts
appropriated annually to the Fund may be used by the
Foundation for administrative expenses of the Fund or
administration of competitive grants offered under the
Fund.
(B) USFWS.--Not more than 4 percent of the amounts
appropriated annually to the Fund may be used by the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service for
administrative expenses.
(3) Priority.--Not less than $10,000,000 of the amounts
appropriated annually to the Fund shall be awarded annually to
support eligible projects and activities for Indian Tribes.
(4) Coordination.--The Secretary and Foundation shall
ensure, to the greatest extent practicable and through
meaningful consultation, that input from Indian Tribes,
including traditional ecological knowledge, is incorporated in
the planning and execution of eligible projects and activities.
(f) Reports.--
(1) Annual reports.--Beginning at the end the first full
fiscal year after the date of enactment of this section, and
not later than 60 days after the end of each fiscal year in
which amounts are deposited into the Fund, the Foundation shall
submit to the Secretary a report on the operation of the Fund
including--
(A) an accounting of expenditures made under the
Fund, including leverage and match as applicable;
(B) an accounting of any grants made under the
Fund, including a list of recipients and a brief
description of each project and its purposes and goals;
and
(C) measures and metrics to track benefits created
by grants administered under the Fund, including
enhanced biodiversity, water quality, natural carbon
sequestration, and resilience.
(2) 5-year reports.--Not later than 90 days after the end
of the fifth full fiscal year after the date of enactment of
this section, and not later than 90 days after the end every
fifth fiscal year thereafter, the Foundation shall submit to
the Secretary a report containing--
(A) a description of any socioeconomic,
biodiversity, community resilience, or climate
resilience or mitigation (including natural carbon
sequestration), impacts generated by projects funded by
grants awarded by the Fund, including measures and
metrics illustrating these impacts;
(B) a description of land health benefits derived
from projects funded by grants awarded by the Fund,
including an accounting of--
(i) lands treated for invasive species;
(ii) lands treated for wildfire threat
reduction, including those treated with
controlled burning or other natural fire-
management techniques; and
(iii) lands restored either from wildfire
or other forms or degradation, including over-
grazing and sedimentation;
(C) key findings for Congress, including any
recommended changes to the authorization or purposes of
the Fund;
(D) best practices for other Federal agencies in
the administration of funds intended for land and
habitat restoration;
(E) information on the use and outcome of funds
specifically set aside for planning and capacity
building pursuant to subsection (e)(1); and
(F) any other information that the Foundation
considers relevant.
(3) Submission of reports to congress.--Not later than 10
days after receiving a report under this section, the Secretary
shall submit the report to the Committee on Natural Resources
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Environment and Public Works of the Senate.
(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is hereby authorized to
be appropriated to the Fund $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027
through 2036 to carry out this section.
SEC. 12206. REPORT ON 10-YEAR NATIONAL WILDFIRE PLAN IMPLEMENTATION.
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act,
and annually thereafter, the Inspector General of the Department of
Agriculture shall submit to Congress a report on the progress made in
the prior year towards completing the goals established under the Plan
that includes--
(1) the amount of funding appropriated to carry out the
Plan pursuant to the provisions of this subtitle with respect
to the prior fiscal year; and
(2) recommendations to improve implementation of the Plan.
DIVISION B--FIRE-ADAPTED COMMUNITIES
TITLE I--COMMUNITY PROTECTION AND HOME HARDENING
Subtitle A--Grant Programs for Wildfire Resilience
SEC. 21101. UPDATING LIST OF AT-RISK COMMUNITIES.
(a) Amendment to HFRA Definition of At-Risk Community.--
Subparagraph (A) of section 101(1) of the Healthy Forests Restoration
Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511(1)(A)) is amended to read as follows:
``(A) that is comprised of a group of homes and
other structures with basic infrastructure and services
(such as utilities and collectively maintained
transportation routes) within or adjacent to Federal
land;''.
(b) Map of At-Risk Communities.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, and every 5 years thereafter, the
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, acting
through the United States Fire Administrator and in coordination with
the Chief of the Forest Service, shall develop and publish a map
depicting at-risk communities (as defined in section 101 of the Healthy
Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511), as amended by this
section), including Tribal at-risk communities.
SEC. 21102. AMENDMENT TO COMMUNITY WILDFIRE DEFENSE GRANT PROGRAM TO
ALLOW STRUCTURE HARDENING.
Section 40803(f) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (16
U.S.C. 6592(f)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) by striking ``(c)(12)'' and inserting ``(c)(12)
and section 21103 of the Wildfire Response and
Readiness Act''; and
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``projects''
and inserting ``projects (including covered
projects)''; and
(2) in paragraph (3), by adding at the end the following
new subparagraph:
``(D) Covered projects defined.--In this
subsection, the term `covered projects' means the
following:
``(i) The construction, modification, or
maintenance of a structure to make the
structure resistant to the intrusion of flames
or embers.
``(ii) The modification of a structure or
an area adjacent to a structure, (including
vegetation and miscellaneous structures, such
as garages, sheds, and fencing) if such
modification is carried out--
``(I) to reduce the exposure of the
structure to direct contact from flame,
radiation, or embers from wildfire; and
``(II) with consideration for the
potential effects on the structure of
nearby combustible features (including
vegetation, vehicles, and miscellaneous
structures, such as garages, sheds, and
fencing).''.
SEC. 21103. ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS FOR COMMUNITY WILDFIRE DEFENSE GRANT
PROGRAM.
In addition to amounts made available to the Secretary of
Agriculture under section 40803(c)(12) of the Infrastructure Investment
and Jobs Act (16 U.S.C. 6592(c)(12)), there is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out section
40803(f) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (16 U.S.C.
6592(f)) $1,000,000,000 for each fiscal year.
SEC. 21104. IMPROVEMENTS TO GRANT PROGRAMS FOR COMMUNITY WILDFIRE RISK
REDUCTION AND POSTFIRE RECOVERY EFFORTS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretaries shall, with respect to the grant
programs for community wildfire risk reduction and postfire recovery
efforts carried out by each of the Secretaries--
(1) increase the accessibility of such grant programs;
(2) reduce the complexity of the application process for
grants under such programs, including--
(A) by reducing the amount of information required
to apply; and
(B) to the maximum extent practicable, enabling
auto-populating fields in the online applications for
such grants;
(3) reduce administrative burden with respect to such grant
programs, including by--
(A) aligning program applications to reduce
separate applications for similar programs; and
(B) developing a common section for applications to
reduce duplicative questions;
(4) review the statutory and administrative barriers that
impede the ability of communities to quickly access funds under
each such grant program;
(5) increase technical assistance provided to applicants,
recipients, and subrecipients; and
(6) increase outreach to potential applicants for such
grant programs, including by--
(A) providing appropriate dedicated staff to assist
individuals and communities in identifying and applying
for grants under such grant programs; and
(B) notifying potential applicants of eligibility
and open application seasons with respect to such grant
programs.
(b) Secretaries Defined.--In this section, the term ``Secretaries''
means--
(1) the Secretary of the Interior;
(2) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief
of the Forest Service;
(3) the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency;
(4) the Administrator of the Small Business Administration;
and
(5) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency.
SEC. 21105. IMPROVEMENTS TO FEMA PROGRAMS.
(a) In General.--Section 324 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5165b) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(2)--
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as
clauses (i) and (ii), respectively, and adjusting the
margins accordingly; and
(B) in the matter preceding clause (i), as so
redesignated, by striking ``provide the following
percentage rates, in addition to the eligible project
costs, to cover direct and indirect costs of
administering the following programs:'' and inserting
``provide--
``(A) excess funds for management costs as
described in subsection (c); and
``(B) the following percentage rates in addition to
the eligible costs, to cover direct and indirect costs
of administering the following programs;'';
(2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and
(3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
``(c) Use of Excess Funds for Management Costs.--
``(1) Definition.--In this subsection, the term `excess
funds for management costs' means the difference between--
``(A) the amount of the applicable specific
management costs authorized under subsection (b)(1) and
subsection (b)(2)(B); and
``(B) as of the date on which the grant award is
closed, the amount of funding for management costs
activities expended by the grantee or subgrantee
receiving the financial assistance for costs described
in subparagraph (A).
``(2) Availability of excess funds for management costs.--
The President may make available to a grantee or subgrantee
receiving financial assistance under section 403, 404, 406,
407, or 502 any excess funds for management costs.
``(3) Use of funds.--Excess funds for management costs made
available to a grantee or subgrantee under paragraph (2) may be
used for--
``(A) activities associated with building capacity
to prepare for, recover from, or mitigate the impacts
of a major disaster or emergency declared under section
401 or 501, respectively; and
``(B) management costs associated with any--
``(i) major disaster;
``(ii) emergency;
``(iii) disaster preparedness measure; or
``(iv) mitigation activity or measure
authorized under section 203, 204, 205, or 404.
``(4) Availability.--Excess funds for management costs made
available to a grantee or subgrantee under paragraph (2) shall
remain available to the grantee or subgrantee until the date
that is 5 years after the date on which the excess funds for
management costs are made available under paragraph (2).''.
(b) Applicability.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall
apply with respect to any grant award in relation to a major disaster
or emergency declared under section 401 or 501, respectively, of the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42
U.S.C. 5170, 5191)--
(1) the declaration of which is made on or after the date
of enactment of this Act; and
(2) that is funded with amounts appropriated on or after
the date of enactment of this Act.
(c) GAO Study.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit
to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the
Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the
House of Representatives a report--
(1) on the actual management costs described in section 324
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5165b) during the period of a major
disaster declaration under section 401 of such Act (42 U.S.C.
5170) to determine whether the amount set aside for those
management costs after the date of enactment of this Act is
appropriate; and
(2) that includes the management costs described in section
324 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5165b) for each major disaster
declared under section 401 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) during
the 5-year period preceding the date of the report, the amount
set aside for those management costs, the use of those
management costs, the length of each disaster, and the reason
for the length of each disaster.
(d) No Additional Funds.--No additional funds are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out the amendments made by subsection (a).
(e) Fire Management Assistance Program Policy.--Section 420(a) of
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42
U.S.C. 5187(a)) is amended--
(1) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``;
and'';
(2) by striking ``local government for the mitigation'' and
inserting the following: ``local government for--
``(1) the mitigation''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) assessments and emergency stabilization to protect
public safety irrespective of the incident period for a
declared fire.''.
(f) Changes to Public Assistance Policy Guide.--Not later than 1
year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the
Federal Emergency Management Agency shall amend the Public Assistance
Program and Policy Guide of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to
include guidance on wildfire-specific recovery challenges, including
debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the resulting
toxicity of drinking water resources.
(g) Mitigation Cost Effectiveness.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency shall conduct a review of the criteria for
evaluating the cost effectiveness of projects intended to
mitigate the impacts of wildfire under sections 203 and 404 of
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance
Act (42 U.S.C. 5133; 5170c), including--
(A) the establishment of precalculated benefits
criterion for common defensible space mitigation
projects for wildfire mitigation;
(B) the use of nature-based infrastructure in
wildfire mitigation;
(C) considerations for vegetation management for
wildfire mitigation;
(D) reducing the negative effects of wildfire smoke
on public health; and
(E) lessening the impact of wildfires on water
infrastructure.
(2) Updated criteria.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency shall issue such guidance as is
necessary to--
(A) update criteria for evaluating the cost
effectiveness of mitigation projects under sections 203
and 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5133; 5170c) based
on the results of the review conducted under paragraph
(1); and
(B) prioritize such projects based on the criteria
updated under subparagraph (A).
SEC. 21106. INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLD DISASTER MITIGATION PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment of Program.--Title II of the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5131 et seq.)
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 207. INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLD DISASTER MITIGATION PROGRAM.
``(a) Establishment.--The President shall establish a program to
provide grants to States and Indian Tribal governments for qualifying
pre-disaster mitigation activities on individual residential households
that are at risk of being damaged by a major disaster.
``(b) Establishment of Eligible Disaster Areas.--In carrying out
the program under this section, the President shall--
``(1) establish eligible disaster areas, in consultation
with States, that the President determines to be at risk of a
natural hazard, including--
``(A) a description of the type, likelihood, and
severity of each potential natural hazard affecting
each such risk area; and
``(B) by taking into account previously declared
major disasters impacting such areas;
``(2) provide technical assistance to the States or Indian
Tribal governments in developing the plan described in
subsection (c) and administering grants provided for individual
households under the program;
``(3) not less frequently than every 5 years, review and
update the eligible disaster areas that the President
determines to be at risk of a natural disaster, including a
description of the type and severity of each potential natural
disaster affecting each such risk area; and
``(4) consult with relevant governmental and
nongovernmental experts in order to ensure that such
determinations are made using current scientific standards and
tools available in establishing, reviewing, and updating the
eligible disaster areas that the President determines to be at
risk of a natural disaster.
``(c) Plan for Eligible Activities.--To be eligible for a grant
under this section, a State or Indian Tribal government shall submit to
the President a plan that includes--
``(1) each disaster risk area established by the President
under subsection (b) in which the State or Indian Tribal
government proposes to provide funds under the program;
``(2) an assessment of the availability and affordability
of homeowner insurance coverage in each such risk area,
including a breakdown of coverage offered by--
``(A) private insurance companies;
``(B) State residual markets; and
``(C) State and Federal insurance programs;
``(3) an analysis of factors that may be adversely
impacting insurance availability and affordability;
``(4) a list of each qualifying mitigation activity that is
eligible for funds in each such risk area;
``(5) the criteria by which a State or Indian Tribal
government will evaluate applicants, which shall include
consideration of the household income of the applicant and
whether the residence is located in a Community Disaster
Resilience Zone; and
``(6) a financial plan that includes maximum amounts
available to a household for each qualifying mitigation
activity.
``(d) Consultation.--In establishing the program under this
section, the President, acting through the Administrator of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency and the Director of the Federal Insurance
Office, shall consult with the chief insurance regulators from the 50
States, the District of Columbia, and the territories of the United
States, insurance industry stakeholders, including insurers,
reinsurers, agents, brokers, and insurance-funded research
organizations, and consumer and environmental stakeholders to determine
what qualifying mitigation activities are likely to incentivize the
availability and purchase of residential property insurance and other
financial risk transfer mechanisms in eligible disaster areas.
``(e) Limitations.--
``(1) High-risk areas.--Funds provided under this section
may only be used in eligible disaster areas that the State or
Indian Tribal government determines are at a high risk of
experiencing a major disaster for the major disaster that
presents such a risk.
``(2) Limitation based on adjusted gross income.--An
individual shall not be eligible to receive a grant under this
section if the adjusted gross income of such individual exceeds
$250,000 ($500,000 in the case of a joint tax return) for the
taxable year ending in the calendar year immediately preceding
the calendar year with respect to which a grant application is
filed.
``(3) Definition of adjusted gross income.--In this
section, the term `adjusted gross income' has the meaning given
such term in section 62(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986.
``(f) Multi-Tiered Mitigation Standards.--
``(1) In general.--The President, acting through the
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, shall
establish mitigation standards for individual households that
carry out each type of qualifying mitigation activity eligible
for funds under the program, which may include a multi-tiered
standard.
``(2) Consideration.--In establishing the mitigation
standards under paragraph (1), the President, acting through
the Administrator--
``(A) shall consider any standards established by--
``(i) the Insurance Institute for Business
and Home Safety;
``(ii) the chief insurance regulators from
the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and
the territories of the United States; and
``(iii) any other standard-issuing entity
determined appropriate; and
``(B) may--
``(i) adopt a standard considered under
subparagraph (A); or
``(ii) establish alternative standards.
``(g) Guidance to Insurance Providers.--To be eligible for a grant
under the program under this section, a State or Indian Tribal
government shall establish, and make available to the public, guidance
to insurance providers and consumers that includes suggested incentives
for households that carry out disaster mitigation activities under the
program, including--
``(1) the mitigation standards established under subsection
(f);
``(2) increased consumer coverage choice; and
``(3) actuarially supported favorable pricing benefits such
as discounts, rebates, or premium credits.
``(h) Maximum Amounts.--A State or Indian Tribal government may not
provide more than an amount of $10,000, not to exceed the actual cost
of mitigation activities, to any individual household under the
program. Such amount shall be increased yearly to reflect any increase
in the Consumer Price Index.
``(i) Definition of Qualifying Mitigation Activity.--In this
section, the term `qualifying mitigation activity' means an activity
relating to a housing unit--
``(1) for property to--
``(A) improve the strength of a roof deck
attachment;
``(B) create a secondary water barrier to prevent
water intrusion or mitigate against potential water
intrusion from wind-driven rain;
``(C) improve the durability, impact resistance
(not less than class 3 or 4 rating), or fire resistance
(not less than class A rating) of a roof covering;
``(D) brace gable-end walls;
``(E) reinforce the connection between a roof and
supporting wall;
``(F) protect openings from penetration by wind-
borne debris;
``(G) protect exterior doors and garages from
natural hazards;
``(H) complete measures contained in the
publication of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
entitled `Wind Retrofit Guide for Residential
Buildings' (P-804);
``(I) elevate the qualified dwelling unit, as well
as utilities, machinery, or equipment, above the base
flood elevation or other applicable minimum elevation
requirement;
``(J) seal walls in the basement of the qualified
dwelling unit using waterproofing compounds; or
``(K) protect propane tanks or other external fuel
sources;
``(2) to install--
``(A) check valves to prevent flood water from
backing up into drains;
``(B) flood vents, breakaway walls or open lattice
for homes located in V zones;
``(C) a stormwater drainage system or improve an
existing system;
``(D) natural or nature-based features for flood
control, including living shorelines;
``(E) roof coverings, sheathing, flashing, roof and
attic vents, eaves, or gutters that conform to
ignition-resistant construction standards;
``(F) wall components for wall assemblies that
conform to ignition-resistant construction standards;
``(G) a wall-to-foundation anchor or connector, or
a shear transfer anchor or connector;
``(H) wood structural panel sheathing for
strengthening cripple walls;
``(I) anchorage of the masonry chimney to the
framing;
``(J) prefabricated lateral resisting systems;
``(K) a standby generator system consisting of a
standby generator and an automatic transfer switch;
``(L) a storm shelter that meets the design and
construction standards established by the International
Code Council and the National Storm Shelter Association
(ICC-500), or a safe room that satisfies the criteria
contained in--
``(i) the publication of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency entitled `Safe
Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes' (P-361); or
``(ii) the publication of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency entitled `Taking
Shelter from the Storm' (P-320);
``(M) a lightning protection system;
``(N) exterior walls, doors, windows, or other
exterior dwelling unit elements that conform to
ignition-resistant construction standards;
``(O) exterior deck or fence components that
conform to ignition-resistant construction standards;
``(P) structure-specific water hydration systems,
including fire mitigation systems such as interior
sprinkler systems;
``(Q) flood openings for fully enclosed areas below
the lowest floor of the dwelling unit;
``(R) lateral bracing for wall elements, foundation
elements, and garage doors or other large openings to
resist seismic loads; or
``(S) automatic shutoff valves for water and gas
lines;
``(3) for services or equipment to--
``(A) create buffers around the qualified dwelling
unit through the removal or reduction of flammable
vegetation, including vertical clearance of tree
branches;
``(B) create buffers around the dwelling unit
through--
``(i) the removal of exterior deck or fence
components or ignition-prone landscape
features; or
``(ii) replacement of the components or
features described in clause (i) with
components or features that conform to
ignition-resistant construction standards;
``(C) perform fire maintenance procedures
identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency
or the United States Forest Service, including fuel
management techniques such as creating fuel and fire
breaks; or
``(D) replace flammable vegetation with less
flammable species;
``(4) for property relating to satisfying the standards
required for receipt of a FORTIFIED designation from the
Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, provided that
the qualified dwelling unit receives such designation following
installation of such property;
``(5) for property relating to satisfying the standards
required for receipt of a Wildfire Prepared Homes designation
from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety,
provided that the qualified dwelling unit receives such
designation following installation of such property; or
``(6) for any other hazard mitigation activity identified
by the President, in consultation with the Administrator of the
Federal Emergency Management Agency and the hazard mitigation
advisory committee established in subsection (k), for
mitigation of a natural hazard.
``(j) Hazard Mitigation Advisory Committee.--The President shall
establish a hazard mitigation advisory committee that shall--
``(1) consist of 50 representatives, including
representatives from--
``(A) the State Insurance Commissioners;
``(B) private insurance companies;
``(C) private reinsurance companies;
``(D) insurance broker companies;
``(E) insurance-funded research organizations;
``(F) consumer advocate organizations;
``(G) State, local, and Tribal firefighting
agencies;
``(H) State-sponsored insurance plans;
``(I) realtor associations;
``(J) home builder associations;
``(K) State, local, and Tribal emergency
responders;
``(L) State and Tribal emergency managers;
``(M) State and Tribal hazard mitigation officers;
``(N) relevant academic experts;
``(O) building code associations;
``(P) agricultural groups; and
``(Q) environmental organizations; and
``(2) advise the President on developments in emerging
hazard mitigation research and testing and recommend additions
to the qualified hazard mitigation activities eligible under
this program, including reviewing the effectiveness of hazard
mitigation systems, products, and designations submitted to the
advisory committee by private or nongovernmental companies or
organizations.
``(k) Rules of Construction.--Nothing in this Act shall--
``(1) require a State or any other entity to base the
assessment of the status of the availability of homeowner
insurance coverage required under subsection (c)(2) on data not
already collected by that entity absent this requirement; and
``(2) be construed to preempt the State regulation of the
business of insurance or require, by the Federal Government or
any State government, any insurance provider to alter the
underwriting, pricing, and distribution of insurance.''.
(b) Tax Treatment of Individual Household Disaster Mitigation
Program.--
(1) In general.--Section 139 of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986 is amended by redesignating subsection (h) as
subsection (i) and by inserting after subsection (g) the
following new subsection:
``(h) Individual Household Disaster Mitigation Program.--Gross
income shall not include amounts received under section 207 of the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.''.
(2) Effective date.--The amendment made by this subsection
shall apply to amounts received after the date of the enactment
of this Act.
Subtitle B--Reports
SEC. 21201. COMMUNITY PROTECTION AND RESILIENCE REPORT.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall publish a report--
(1) on authorities and programs of the Federal Government
that are available to protect communities from wildfires; and
(2) that includes an assessment of the Comptroller General
with respect to impediments to the implementation of such
programs, including gaps in funding.
SEC. 21202. COMMUNITY WILDFIRE RESILIENCE AND INSURANCE COVERAGE STUDY.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall publish a study that
includes--
(1) an assessment of the Comptroller General with respect
to--
(A) the potential for a community protection and
wildfire resilience plan to qualify for a certification
identifying a level of wildfire survivability and
resilience; and
(B) methods that could be used by the Federal
Government to incentivize insurance companies to accept
such a certification; and
(2) an identification of any metrics that could be provided
to insurance companies as assurance that a community has
wildfire resilience measures in place.
SEC. 21203. SHRUBLAND WILDFIRE MITIGATION STUDY.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered ecosystems.--The term ``covered ecosystems''
means shrubland ecosystems, including--
(A) chaparral;
(B) coastal sage scrub;
(C) sagebrush;
(D) shrub-steppe;
(E) xeric shrubland; and
(F) any other dryland shrub ecosystem in which
wildfire management presents a significant challenge,
as determined by the Secretary.
(2) Hazardous fuels management activity.--The term
``hazardous fuels management activity'' means an activity to
manage vegetation to reduce the risk of wildfire.
(3) Relevant congressional committees.--The term ``relevant
Congressional committees'' means--
(A) the committees on Appropriations, Natural
Resources, and Agriculture of the House of
Representatives; and
(B) the committees on Appropriations, Energy and
Natural Resources, and Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry of the Senate.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.
(5) Wildland-urban interface.--The term ``wildland-urban
interface'' has the meaning given such term in section 101 of
the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511).
(b) Study.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall conduct a study to
evaluate the effectiveness of wildfire mitigation methods
available to the Forest Service as a means of reducing the risk
of wildfire in covered ecosystems and the severity of damages
from such wildfire in communities within or adjacent to covered
ecosystems.
(2) Elements.--In carrying out the study under paragraph
(1), the Secretary shall, with respect to covered ecosystems--
(A) evaluate the effectiveness and longevity of--
(i) hazardous fuels management activities,
including fuel modification through the use of
strategic fuel breaks; and
(ii) practices for maintaining the health
of native ecosystems, including--
(I) mitigating the development and
spread of invasive species, including
invasive weeds, grasses, and other
vegetation; or
(II) improving the resprouting of
native shrub species on lands affected
by wildfire;
(B) evaluate the effectiveness of policies and
protocols of the Forest Service with respect to
limiting unintentional ember ignitions attributable to
the public or man-made structures, including electrical
infrastructure;
(C) study the conditions (including weather,
seasonality, and topography) under which each wildfire
mitigation method evaluated under the study is most and
least effective in reducing the risk of wildland fire;
(D) identify administrative, operational, and
budgetary factors that impede the ability of wildland
fire managers and wildland firefighters to implement
wildfire mitigation methods evaluated under the study;
and
(E) evaluate the effectiveness of partnerships
between the Forest Service and non-Federal entities in
reducing the vulnerability of homes, roadways, and
other high-risk structures to ember ignition.
(3) Coordination; consultation.--
(A) Interagency coordination.--In carrying out the
study under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall, to the
extent practicable and to avoid the duplication of
research activities of the Federal Government, act in
coordination with--
(i) entities within the Forest Service with
expertise in wildfire risk reduction and
ecology in covered ecosystems, including the
Shrub Sciences Laboratory and the Maintaining
Resilient Dryland Ecosystems program; and
(ii) the heads of Federal agencies
conducting wildfire mitigation activities or
hazardous fuels management activities in
covered ecosystems, including the Secretary of
the Interior.
(B) Consultation.--In carrying out the study under
paragraph (1), the Secretary may, and is encouraged to,
solicit consultation from non-Federal public and
private entities with relevant expertise in wildfire
mitigation in covered ecosystems, as determined by the
Secretary.
(c) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date on which the
study under subsection (b)(1) is complete, the Secretary shall submit
to the relevant Congressional committees, and make publicly available,
a report that includes--
(1) a summary of the results of the study;
(2) based on the results of the study, identification by
the Secretary of--
(A) best practices for land managers in reducing
the risk of wildfire in covered ecosystems; and
(B) any areas implicated by the study that merit
further research;
(3) a comparison of the polices and protocols of the Forest
Service with respect to reducing the risk of wildfire in
covered ecosystems and the best practices identified under
paragraph (2)(A); and
(4) an evaluation by the Secretary of opportunities to
improve coordination between the Forest Service and non-Federal
entities on activities to improve wildfire resilience in
covered ecosystems and reduce risks of harm from wildfire to
the built environment, particularly in the wildland-urban
interface.
SEC. 21204. EMERGENCY AUTHORITIES REPORT.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Chief of the Forest Service
and the Director of the Bureau of Land Management shall publish a joint
report on the use of emergency authorities. The report shall include--
(1) the number of times each authority has been utilized;
(2) the number of acres affected by the use of each
authority;
(3) for each use of an emergency authority--
(A) the name of the State and management unit in
which the emergency authority was used;
(B) the specific emergency authority used; and
(C) the duration of any public comment period on
each use of a relevant emergency authority; and
(4) in the case of subsection (b)(2), the date that formal
consultation was completed.
(b) Emergency Authority Defined.--For the purposes of this
subsection ``emergency authority'' means:
(1) section 46.150 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations
(as in effect on the date of enactment), with respect to land
under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior;
(2) section 402.05 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations
(as in effect on the date of enactment);
(3) section 800.12 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations
(as in effect on the date of enactment), except that any
reference contained in that regulation to an ``agency
official'' shall be considered to be a reference to a
responsible official;
(4) section 1b.9(v) of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations
(as in effect on the date of enactment);
(5) section 1b.9(w) of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations
(as in effect on the date of enactment);
(6) section 46.150 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations
(as in effect on the date of enactment); and
(7) section 40807 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs
Act (16 U.S.C. 6592c).
(c) Consolidation.--The report referenced in this subsection (a)
may be included in the materials submitted to Congress in support of
the President's budget pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United
States Code.
SEC. 21205. WILDLAND FIRE PERFORMANCE METRICS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report on existing key performance
indicators and potential outcome-based performance measures to reduce
wildfire risk on Federal land.
(b) Inclusions.--The report submitted under subsection (a) shall
identify solutions to track the implementation and effectiveness of
hazardous fuels reduction activities and forest restoration treatments,
including strategies--
(1) to track whether land management activities are
reducing wildfire hazards and ways to quantify and track acres
in maintenance status;
(2) to track place-based and locally led outcomes;
(3) to standardize national-level monitoring measures;
(4) to quantify catastrophic wildfire risk reduction;
(5) to quantify carbon sequestration and climate
resilience;
(6) to quantify forest biodiversity and wildfire
resilience, including as related to--
(A) recreational services;
(B) watershed conditions;
(C) soil health and productivity;
(D) fish and wildlife habitat;
(E) water quantity and quality protection; and
(F) late successional ecosystems.
(7) to identify modeling and data challenges that are
preventing the transition to annual wildfire risk mapping
updates; and
(8) to integrate advanced technologies or a combination of
technologies and analyses that will benefit the quality of
information reported.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry of the Senate;
(C) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House
of Representatives; and
(D) the Committee on Agriculture of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.
TITLE II--EFFECTIVE WILDFIRE RESPONSE AND TECHNOLOGY
SEC. 22001. MONITORING WILDFIRES BY SATELLITE.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a
State forester, emergency manager, or equivalent State
official.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United
States Geological Survey.
(b) Grant Program To Monitor Wildfires by Satellite.--
(1) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall establish a
competitive grant program under which the Secretary shall make
at least 3 grants to eligible entities to monitor wildfires by
satellite (in this section referred to as the ``Program'').
(2) Eligible projects.--Each eligible entity awarded a
grant under the Program shall only use such grant to--
(A) purchase and integrate, through a public-
private partnership, high-resolution multi- and hyper-
spectral full spectrum imaging capability from visible,
near-infrared, shortwave infrared, thermal infrared,
and radar data from the latest-generation of wildfire
monitoring satellites; and
(B) use the data acquired under subparagraph (A),
as well as any analyses relating to such data, to
detect, assess, respond to, and manage wildfires, with
an emphasis on--
(i) monitoring active fire behavior, burned
area, intensity, and severity;
(ii) ensuring the safety and effectiveness
of prescribed fire treatments; and
(iii) guiding post-fire risk assessment and
disaster recovery.
(3) Application.--To be eligible for a grant under the
Program, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an
application at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Secretary may require.
(4) Grant amount.--Each grant awarded under the Program
shall be in an amount the Secretary determines appropriate.
(5) Report.--Not later than the last day of the second
fiscal year beginning after the date of the enactment of this
section, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that
includes--
(A) the number of applications received for a grant
under the Program;
(B) details of each eligible entity that was
awarded a grant under the Program;
(C) the impact of the Program on wildfire
prevention;
(D) any recommendation that the Secretary
determines appropriate to establish the Program as a
long-term grant program; and
(E) any other information on the effectiveness of
the Program that the Secretary determines appropriate.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027
through 2036 to carry out the Program.
SEC. 22002. REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO CERTAIN FIRE SUPPRESSION COST
SHARE AGREEMENTS.
(a) Secretaries Defined.--In this section, the term ``Secretaries''
means--
(1) the Secretary of Agriculture;
(2) the Secretary of the Interior; and
(3) the Secretary of Homeland Security.
(b) Establishment of Standard Operating Procedures.--Not later than
1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretaries
shall--
(1) establish standard operating procedures relating to
payment timelines for fire suppression cost share agreements
established under the Act of May 27, 1955 (42 U.S.C. 1856a)
(commonly known as the ``Reciprocal Fire Protection Act''); and
(2) with respect to each fire suppression cost share
agreement in operation on such date--
(A) review each such agreement; and
(B) modify each agreement as necessary to comply
with the standard operating procedures required under
paragraph (1).
(c) Alignment of Fire Suppression Cost Share Agreements With
Cooperative Fire Protection Agreements.--The standard operating
procedures required under subsection (b)(1) shall include a requirement
that each fire suppression cost share agreement be aligned with each of
the cooperative fire protection agreements applicable to the entity
subject to such fire suppression cost share agreement.
(d) Payments Pursuant to Cost Share Agreements.--With respect to
payments made pursuant to fire suppression cost share agreements, the
standard operating procedures required under subsection (b)(1) shall
require that the Federal paying entity reimburse a local fire
department or a State wildland firefighter agency if such fire
department or agency submits an invoice in accordance with cost
settlement procedures.
(e) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the
Secretaries should carry out reciprocal fire suppression cost share
agreement repayments to local fire suppression organizations as soon as
practicable after fire suppression occurs but not later than 1 year
after fire suppression occurs.
SEC. 22003. WILDFIRE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY BOARD.
(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of the Interior shall establish a
permanent advisory committee to be known as the Wildfire Science and
Technology Advisory Board (in this section referred to as the
``Board'').
(b) Duties.--The Board shall--
(1) coordinate the operationalization within the Federal
Government of wildfire research, including by--
(A) identifying avenues for translating wildfire
research into practical applications;
(B) establishing criteria and frameworks to
prioritize wildfire research projects for
operationalization;
(C) facilitating the transition of prioritized
wildfire research into operational projects;
(D) connecting and supporting entities in wildfire
research and operations;
(E) providing feedback to refine and enhance
wildfire research outputs for practical application;
and
(F) partnering, as the Board determines
appropriate, with private sector and federally funded
research centers to further the work of the Board;
(2) encourage wildfire researchers and Federal agencies
undertaking wildfire operations to include--
(A) relevant disciplines, such as public health,
meteorological science, and predictive modeling; and
(B) consideration of built and natural fire-prone
environments; and
(3) disseminate information, including by--
(A) establishing mechanisms, such as newsletters
and publications, online portals, webinars, and
workshops, to disseminate wildfire research findings,
operational best practices, and resources to relevant
stakeholders and practitioners; and
(B) promoting activities of the Board to ensure
visibility and accessibility to stakeholders.
(c) Membership.--
(1) Number and appointment.--The Board shall be composed of
the following members:
(A) The Secretary of the Interior (or the designee
thereof).
(B) The Secretary of Agriculture (or the designee
thereof).
(C) The Secretary of Commerce (or the designee
thereof).
(D) The Chief of the Forest Service (or the
designee thereof).
(E) The Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs
(or the designee thereof).
(F) The Director of the Bureau of Land Management
(or the designee thereof).
(G) The Administrator of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (or the designee thereof, except that
such designee may not be the member of the Board
serving pursuant to subparagraph (H)).
(H) The United States Fire Administrator (or the
designee thereof).
(I) The Director of the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service (or the designee thereof).
(J) The Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (or the designee thereof).
(K) The Director of the National Park Service (or
the designee thereof).
(L) The Director of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (or the designee thereof).
(M) The Director of the United States Geological
Survey (or the designee thereof).
(N) The Director of the Office of Science and
Technology Policy (or the designee thereof).
(O) The Director of the National Science Foundation
(or designee thereof).
(P) The Administrator of the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (or designee thereof).
(Q) The Director of the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (or designee thereof).
(R) The Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency (or designee thereof).
(S) Not more than 18 non-Federal members, to be
appointed by the Secretary of the Interior, as follows:
(i) At least 1 representative from each of
the following:
(I) State government.
(II) Local government.
(III) Tribal government.
(ii) Representatives of fire departments.
(iii) Representatives of relevant private-
sector entities, such as codes and standards-
setting organizations, prescribed fire
associations, and entities with expertise in
wildfire science and wildfire risk
identification, transfer, and mitigation.
(iv) Wildfire, forest health, or ecological
restoration researchers.
(v) Public health experts.
(vi) Meteorological scientists.
(vii) Predictive modeling experts.
(viii) Such other members as the Secretary
of the Interior deems appropriate.
(2) Terms.--
(A) In general.--Each member of the Board serving
pursuant to paragraph (1)(S) shall be appointed for a
term of 2 years.
(B) Vacancies.--A vacancy on the Board shall be
filled in the manner in which the original appointment
was made.
(3) Pay and expenses.--
(A) Prohibition on compensation.--A member of the
Board shall serve without compensation.
(B) Travel expenses.--Each member of the Board
shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in
lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable
provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5,
United States Code.
(4) Chairperson.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph
(B), the Chairperson shall rotate annually among the
members of the Board serving pursuant to subparagraphs
(A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (1), beginning with the
member serving pursuant to paragraph (1)(A), followed
by the member serving pursuant to paragraph (1)(B).
(B) Exception.--For any term, the members of the
Board may designate a member of the Board to serve as
the Chairperson of the Board in lieu of the official
(or the designee thereof) who would otherwise serve as
the Chairperson pursuant to subparagraph (A).
(5) Staff; temporary and intermittent services.--
(A) Staff.--The Board may appoint personnel as it
considers appropriate.
(B) Pay.--The Chairperson of the Board may fix the
compensation of the personnel appointed under
subparagraph (A) without regard to the provisions of
chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5,
United States Code, relating to classification of
positions and General Schedule pay rates, except that
the rate of pay for such personnel may not exceed the
annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of the
Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title.
(C) Detail of federal employees.--The head of any
Federal department or agency may detail any of the
personnel of that department or agency to the Board. A
detail under the preceding sentence shall be without
reimbursement and without interruption or loss of civil
service status or privilege.
(D) Procurement of temporary and intermittent
services.--The Chairperson of the Board may procure
temporary and intermittent services under section
3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates for
individuals that do not exceed the daily equivalent of
the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of
the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of that
title.
(d) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than the date that is 2 years
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Board shall submit
a report to the relevant congressional committees, which
shall--
(A) detail the activities of the Board;
(B) discuss progress on transitioning wildfire
research into operations within the Federal Government;
(C) discuss barriers to successfully transitioning
wildfire research into operations within the Federal
Government; and
(D) provide recommendations on future wildfire
research priorities and operational needs.
(2) Relevant congressional committees.--In this subsection,
the term ``relevant congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committees on Agriculture; Natural
Resources; Science, Space, and Technology; and
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives; and
(B) the Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Energy
and Natural Resources; Environment and Public Works;
and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the
Senate.
(e) Termination.--Section 1013(a)(2) of title 5, United States
Code, shall not apply to the Board.
(f) Funding.--
(1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated $10,000,000 to carry out this section, to
remain available until expended.
(2) Additional funding.--In addition to the amounts made
available pursuant to paragraph (1), the Federal members of the
Board may, for purposes of carrying out this section, use
amounts whose purpose is not otherwise specified by the
appropriations laws available to the employing agencies of such
members.
SEC. 22004. IMPROVEMENTS TO WILDFIRE FORAGE LOSS PROGRAMS.
(a) Livestock Forage Program.--Section 1501(c)(4)(A)(ii) of the
Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9081(c)(4)(A)(ii)) is amended by
inserting ``(including a prescribed fire, beneficial fire, and wildfire
managed for resource objectives)'' before the period.
(b) Emergency Livestock Assistance Program.--Section 1501(d)(1) of
the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9081(d)(1)) is amended by
striking ``and wildfires'' and inserting ``, wildfires, beneficial
fires, prescribed fires, and wildfires managed for resource
objectives''.
SEC. 22005. JOINT OFFICE OF THE FIRE ENVIRONMENT CENTER.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Artificial intelligence.--The term ``artificial
intelligence'' has the meaning given such term in section 5002
of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020
(15 U.S.C. 9401).
(2) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the Board of the Joint
Office.
(3) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the Joint Office.
(4) Joint office.--The term ``Joint Office'' means the
Joint Office of the Fire Environment Center under subsection
(b)(1).
(5) Machine learning.--The term ``machine learning'' has
the meaning given such term in section 5002 of the National
Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 (15 U.S.C.
9401).
(b) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall establish a joint
office, which shall be known as the ``Joint Office of the Fire
Environment Center''.
(2) Structure.--The Joint Office shall be composed of the
following components:
(A) Technology and Engineering, which shall focus
on modeling and the building and testing of technology
and may enter into public-private partnerships.
(B) Data Services, which shall be responsible for
the following:
(i) Testing artificial intelligence and
machine learning to support managers,
firefighters, and public health officials on
the ground, including by producing decision
consequence data (including information and
metrics used to forecast, evaluate, and measure
outcomes of proposed courses of action),
modeling risk, and suggesting resources based
on fire and smoke conditions at the time and
place of ignition detection.
(ii) Working with State, local, and Tribal
entities with respect to data sharing.
(C) Analysis and Prediction.
(D) Education and Consultation, which shall be
responsible for incident management.
(E) Any other component determined necessary or
appropriate by the Board.
(c) Functions.--
(1) In general.--
(A) Availability of products and information.--The
Joint Office shall make available to the following the
products and information developed by the Joint Office:
(i) Geographic area coordination centers.
(ii) Incident management teams.
(iii) Land managers.
(iv) Air quality and water provider
agencies.
(v) State, local, and Tribal governments.
(vi) Public health agencies.
(B) Services and support.--The Joint Office shall
provide real-time, science-based, and data-rich
scientific and technical analytic services, decision
support, and predictive services, to inform land and
fuels management, community risk reduction, and fire
management and response, including the following:
(i) Pre-fire mitigation and risk reduction
activities for landscapes and communities,
including through assessments and modeling of
the following:
(I) Climate condition.
(II) Fuels.
(III) Home ignition.
(IV) Structure-to-structure spread.
(V) Values-at-risk.
(ii) Activities that better protect public
health and safety during and after a fire,
including the following:
(I) Mapping services and data
provision to support evacuation
decisions in communities at risk.
(II) Air quality monitoring and
data forecasting to support health risk
information that helps protect the
public from smoke impacts associated
with fire.
(iii) Fire response and management,
including the following:
(I) Response preparedness and
initial attack readiness for new fires.
(II) Deployment of response
resources.
(III) Firefighter movement
decisions during active fire
management.
(iv) Post-fire activities, including with
respect to the following:
(I) Vegetation recovery.
(II) Debris flows and flooding.
(III) Watershed protection.
(IV) Ecosystem health.
(C) Coordination.--The Administrator of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in
coordination with each of the agencies specified in
subparagraphs (B) through (J) of subsection (d)(1),
shall operate as a collective entity to produce
accessible products and services for a variety of users
and uses in fire management, including by carrying out
the following:
(i) Developing timely, manager-focused
models, technologies, assessments, and
forecasts, to support fire operational
decision-making and short- and long-term fire
planning.
(ii) Integrating the existing specialties
of the constituent land management, community
preparedness, and public health agencies.
(2) Technological common operating environment.--
(A) In general.--The Joint Office shall develop a
technological common operating environment for
practitioners across the spectrum of risk mitigation,
prescribed fire, response, and post-disaster response,
to guide the development of highly dynamic decision
support tools.
(B) Public health information.--The Joint Office
shall ensure public health information that is
essential to integrate into the common operating
environment under subparagraph (A) is provided to
Federal, State, and local public health agencies ensure
the products of the Joint Office accurately reflect the
depth and breadth of wildfire issues, including with
respect to air quality data, forecasts, and information
pertaining to the built environment.
(d) Board of the Joint Office.--
(1) Number and appointment.--The Joint Office shall be
governed by a board that is composed of 14 members, as follows:
(A) One member who is a career employee of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
appointed by the Administrator of the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration.
(B) One member who is a career employee of the
United States Fire Administration, appointed by the
Administrator of the United States Fire Administration.
(C) One member who is a career employee of the
Federal Emergency Management Agency, appointed by the
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency.
(D) One member who is a career employee of the
National Weather Service, appointed by the Director of
the National Weather Service.
(E) One member who is a career employee of the
Forest Service, appointed by the Chief of the Forest
Service.
(F) One member who is a career employee of the
Department of the Interior, appointed by the Secretary
of the Interior.
(G) One member who is a career employee of the
Bureau of Land Management, appointed by the Director of
the Bureau of Land Management.
(H) One member who is a career employee of the
Bureau of Indian Affairs, appointed by the Director of
the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
(I) One member who is a career employee of the
National Park Service, appointed by the Director of the
National Park Service.
(J) One member who is a career employee of the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service, appointed by
the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife
Service.
(K) Two members who are non-Federal representatives
of the wildfire community (such as representatives of
nongovernmental organizations, State or local fire
agencies with significant wildland fire expertise, or
relevant unions) appointed by the Board.
(L) Two members who are State representations of
the wildfire community, appointed by the Board.
(2) Terms.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided in
subparagraphs (B) and (C), each member of the Board
shall be appointed for a term of five years.
(B) Terms of initial appointees.--For the members
first appointed to the Board, the following apply:
(i) The members appointed under
subparagraphs (I) and (J) of paragraph (1)
shall be appointed for terms of one year.
(ii) The members appointed under
subparagraphs (D) and (G) of such paragraph
shall be appointed for terms of two years.
(iii) The members appointed under
subparagraphs (K) and (L) of such paragraph
shall be appointed for terms of two years,
which may be extended at the discretion of the
Administrator.
(iv) The members appointed under
subparagraphs (F) and (H) of such paragraph
shall be appointed for terms of three years.
(v) The members appointed under
subparagraphs (C) and (E) of such paragraph
shall be appointed for terms of four years.
(C) Vacancies.--A member of the Board appointed to
fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the
term for which such member's predecessor was appointed
shall be appointed only for the remainder of such term.
Such member may serve after the expiration of such term
until a successor has taken office. A vacancy in the
Board shall be filled in the manner in which the
original appointment was made.
(3) Prohibition of compensation of federal employees.--A
member of the Board who is a career employee of the United
States may not receive additional pay, allowances, or benefits
by reason of service on the Board.
(4) Travel expenses.--Each member of the Board shall
receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of
subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions under
subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
(5) Quorum.--Nine members of the Board shall constitute a
quorum.
(6) Chairperson; vice chairperson.--The Chairperson and
Vice Chairperson of the Board shall be elected by the members
of the Board. The term of office of the Chairperson and Vice
Chairperson shall be one year.
(7) Meetings.--The Board shall meet not less frequently
than quarterly and at a call of a majority of the members of
the Board.
(e) Director and Staff of Joint Office; Experts and Consultants.--
(1) Director.--The Joint Office shall have a Director who
shall be appointed by the Board. To the extent or in the
amounts provided in advance in appropriation Acts, the Director
shall be paid at a rate of basic pay not to exceed the rate of
basic pay for level II of the Executive Schedule. The budget
and decision-making authority for the Joint Office is vested in
the Director.
(2) Chief information officer, chief financial officer,
chief technology officer, and chief operating officer.--With
the approval of the Board, the Director may appoint a Chief
Information Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Technology
Officer, and Chief Operating Officer.
(3) Staff.--With the approval of the Board, the Director
may appoint at least 100 personnel and may appoint such
additional personnel as the Director considers appropriate.
(4) Applicability of certain civil service laws.--The
Director and staff of the Joint Office shall be appointed
subject to the provisions of title 5, United States Code,
governing appointments in the competitive service, and shall be
paid in accordance with the provisions of chapter 51 and
subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to
classification and General Schedule pay rates.
(5) Experts and consultants.--With the approval of the
Board, the Director may procure temporary and intermittent
services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code,
but at rates for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent
of the maximum annual rate of basic pay under the General
Schedule.
(6) Staff of federal agencies.--Upon request of the
Director, the head of a Federal department or agency may
detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of such
department or agency, as the case may be, to the Joint Office
to assist in carrying out the duties of the Joint Office.
(f) Contract Authority.--The Joint Office may contract with and
compensate government and private agencies or persons for supplies and
services.
(g) Consultation.--In carrying out the functions under this
section, the Joint Office is encouraged to consult with and share
relevant data with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, the Director of the United States Geological Survey,
and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration to carry out this section $150,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2027 through 2036.
SEC. 22006. INTERAGENCY DATA COLLABORATION ENVIRONMENT.
(a) Expansion of Information System.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the United
States Fire Administration shall expand the National Emergency
Response Information System to include real-time information
and analytics tools relating to the following:
(A) Prescribed fires.
(B) Wildfires that do not impact structures and
infrastructure.
(2) Manner.--The Administrator of the United States Fire
Administration shall carry out the expansion under paragraph
(1) in a manner compatible with, and shared with, existing
wildland fire information collection at the Joint Office of the
Fire Environment Center established under section 22005.
(b) Wildfire Digital Data Center.--
(1) Establishment.--The Administrator of the United States
Fire Administration shall establish a data center to be known
as the ``Wildfire Digital Data Center''. The Wildfire Digital
Data Center shall be a public, government, scientific research
data catalog and repository available to assist in research by
the wildfire community and to share relevant data.
(2) Data and modeling collaboration environment.--The
Wildfire Digital Data Center shall include a data and modeling
collaboration environment for researchers across the wildfire
community to engage with data across agencies and disciplines.
(3) Public access.--The Administrator of the United States
Fire Administration shall ensure the Wildfire Digital Data
Center is in compliance with the guidance on public access
policies as specified in the memorandum entitled ``Ensuring
Free, Immediate, and Equitable Access to Federally Funded
Research'' and issued by the Office of Science and Technology
Policy on August 25, 2022.
(4) Repository.--The repository of the Wildfire Digital
Data Center shall include information on the following:
(A) Outcomes and impacts of wildfire and associated
management actions.
(B) Real-time data on new fire starts.
(C) The effectiveness of wildfire risk mitigation
measures.
(D) Public health research related to wildland fire
and fires in the built environment.
(5) Website.--The Administrator of the United States Fire
Administration shall coordinate with the Secretary of
Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, to
include on the publicly accessible website of the Wildfire
Digital Data Center information relating to the following:
(A) Post-wildfire impacts, and State and Federal
programs and funding opportunities to address such
impacts.
(B) State and Federal best practices relating to
the short- and long-term mitigation of wildfire.
(C) Ecological recovery, assessment science, and
State and Federal emergency declaration processes, with
respect to wildfire.
(6) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this section may be
construed to affect the ownership of data sources by individual
agencies.
(c) Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable
Requirement.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator of the United States
Fire Administration, the Secretary of the Interior, the
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and
the Chief of the Forest Service, through the Wildfire Digital
Data Center, the Department of the Interior Library, the
National Emergency Training Center Library, and the National
Forest Service Library, respectively, shall provide services to
make federally funded wildland and structural fire research
data systems and data products findable, accessible,
interoperable, and reusable (FAIR).
(2) Integration.--The Administrator of the United States
Fire Administration shall integrate the services required under
paragraph (1) with the National Emergency Response Information
System to better collect data and model the built environment.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Administrator of the United States Fire
Administration to carry out this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2027 through 2036.
SEC. 22007. STUDY ON WILDFIRE MITIGATION ACROSS LAND OWNERSHIP
BOUNDARIES.
(a) Study Required.--The Comptroller General of the United States
shall conduct a study on--
(1) the existing Federal programs, rules, and authorities
that enable or inhibit wildfire mitigation from being completed
across land ownership boundaries on Federal and non-Federal
land;
(2) whether changes to any program, rule, or authority
(including changes to existing statutory definitions)
identified pursuant to paragraph (1) would--
(A) allow a covered agency increased capacity or
access to funding to mitigate wildfires or improve
forest health; and
(B) enable better community protection and prevent
the loss of structures due to wildfire; and
(3) the activities carried out pursuant to a covered
authority, including--
(A) how to improve the efficacy of such activities
with respect to mitigating wildfire; and
(B) whether the enactment of such covered authority
has increased capacity or access to funding to mitigate
wildfires for a covered agency.
(b) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit
to the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Agriculture
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of
the Senate a report that contains--
(1) the results of the study required under subsection (a);
and
(2) recommendations to simplify cross-boundary wildfire
mitigation between Federal land management agencies and State,
local, and Tribal governments.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered agency.--The term ``covered agency'' means--
(A) each Federal land management agency (as defined
in section 802 of the Federal Lands Recreation
Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. 6801));
(B) the Natural Resources Conservation Service;
(C) the Environmental Protection Agency;
(D) the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
(E) the United States Fire Administration;
(F) States;
(G) Indian Tribes; and
(H) local governments.
(2) Covered authority.--The term ``covered authority''
means--
(A) the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16
U.S.C. 6501 et seq.);
(B) the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978
(16 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.);
(C) the good neighbor authority under section 8206
of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (16 U.S.C. 2113a);
(D) the Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004 (25
U.S.C. 3101 et seq.);
(E) the collaborative forest landscape restoration
program under section 4003 of the Omnibus Public Land
Management Act of 2009 (16 U.S.C. 7303); and
(F) any other statutory authority that facilitates
cross-boundary wildfire mitigation or forest health
improvement activities, as determined by the
Comptroller General of the United States.
SEC. 22008. QUADRENNIAL FIRE REVIEW.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Relevant committees.--The term ``relevant committees''
means--
(A) the Committees on Natural Resources,
Agriculture, Homeland Security, and Science, Space, and
Technology of the House of Representatives; and
(B) the Committees on Energy and Natural Resources,
Agriculture, Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs, and Commerce, Science, and Transportation of
the Senate.
(2) Secretaries.--The term ``Secretaries'' means the--
(A) Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the
Chief of the Forest Service, or their designee;
(B) the Secretary of the Interior or their
designee; and
(C) the Secretary of Homeland Security or their
designee.
(b) In General.--The Secretaries shall jointly conduct a
quadrennial review of the comprehensive wildfire environment in the
United States for the purpose of--
(1) identifying the greatest challenges for wildland fire
management over the preceding 10-year and 20-year timeframes;
and
(2) developing long-term, strategic actions to address the
challenges identified under paragraph (1).
(c) Contents.--The quadrennial review conducted under subsection
(b) shall include--
(1) a summary of the most significant challenges relating
to wildfire and wildland fire management that are anticipated
during the 10-year and 20-year periods immediately following
the report;
(2) recommendations regarding such Federal legislation and
administrative actions as the Secretaries determine necessary
to address the challenges described in paragraph (1);
(3) an evaluation of any progress made toward any relevant
recommendations suggested by a wildfire report conducted in the
preceding 10 years and carried out by the Government
Accountability Office, a congressionally authorized commission;
or by an agency under the jurisdiction of one of the
Secretaries (including any Inspectors General reports and the
National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy);
(4) a quantitative analysis of changes to built and natural
environments since the most recent quadrennial fire review and
the impact of such changes on pre-fire mitigation, wildfire
incident response, and proactive recovery from wildfire;
(5) an analysis of the intersection between wildfire and
public health, conducted in coordination with the Administrator
of the Environmental Protection Agency and Secretary of Health
and Human Services, acting through the Center for Disease
Control and Prevention; and
(6) projected future scenarios to highlight areas of
consideration for realignment of programs, strategies,
capabilities, and the workforce that will assist the
Secretaries in addressing the challenges described in paragraph
(1).
(d) Collaboration.--The Secretaries may jointly carry out the
report under subsection (b) with any State, Tribal, local, or
nongovernmental entities with experience in wildland fire management,
as determined by the Secretaries.
(e) Frequency.--Not later than 12 months after the date of the
enactment of this section, and every 4 years thereafter, the
Secretaries shall jointly conduct the report under subsection (b) and
submit it to the relevant committees.
(f) Inclusion of Current Assessments.--In carrying out this
section, the Secretaries may, to the extent practicable, rely on
assessments completed or data gathered in the preceding four years.
SEC. 22009. THE WILDLAND DYNAMIC RISK MAPPING PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration shall work jointly with the Administrator of
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Director of the
United States Geological Survey, the Administrator of the United States
Fire Administration, and the National Laboratories (as such term is
defined in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
15801)) and seek to work with institutions of higher education (as such
term is defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001)), to carry out the following:
(1) Develop dynamic risk and hazard maps for the wildland
and built environments in the United States.
(2) Ensure the following:
(A) Such maps are updated each wildfire season to
reflect changes in the natural environment, such as
postflood or fire alterations, and rapidly changing
environmental conditions.
(B) Such maps measure changes in fuels moisture on
the temporal scale.
(C) Such maps utilize remote sensing technology and
on-the-ground monitoring.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration to carry out this section $15,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2027 through 2036.
SEC. 22010. REPORT ON RADIO COMMUNICATIONS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Federal Emergency Management Administrator, acting
through the United States Fire Administrator and in coordination with
the Chief of the Forest Service, shall prepare a report relating to
insufficient radio frequencies, barriers to interoperability of radio
frequencies, and available products and technologies for overcoming
barriers to interoperability for wildfire management.
(b) Cooperation.--In preparing the report under subsection (a), the
Administrator shall cooperate with--
(1) the Secretary of Agriculture;
(2) agencies responsible for the management of Federal
land;
(3) State fire marshals;
(4) State and local emergency response agencies;
(5) Tribal fire departments and emergency managers; and
(6) municipal fire departments, fire protection districts,
and volunteer fire departments in relevant communities.
(c) Compatibility; Additional Frequencies.--The report under
subsection (a) shall include--
(1) a determination on whether the entities described in
subsection (b) have the ability to communicate by way of radio
during a potential fire suppression effort for a community
conflagration;
(2) a determination on whether--
(A) the reserved radio frequencies are sufficient
for wildfire management; or
(B) additional frequencies, listed by type and
location, are recommended to be reserved or obtained;
(3) an analysis of commercially available technology and
products to enable radios from multiple agencies operating on
different radio frequencies to be interoperable; and
(4) if the Administrator determines under paragraph (1)
that any entities do not have the ability to communicate, a
plan for ensuring such entities would be able to communicate
adequately during a fire suppression effort for a community
conflagration.
SEC. 22011. RESILIENCE ACCELERATOR DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory''
has the meaning given such term in section 2 of the Energy
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
(2) Resilience.--The term ``resilience'' has the meaning
given such term in section 1304A of the Energy Independence and
Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17384a).
(b) In General.--The Secretary of Energy, acting through the
Assistant Secretary of the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security,
and Emergency Response of the Department of Energy, shall carry out a
demonstration program, to be known as the ``Resilience Accelerator
Demonstration Program'' (in this section referred to as the
``Program''), to make awards to National Laboratories for projects that
demonstrate innovative technologies to improve electric grid resilience
with respect to wildfires.
(c) Eligible Projects.--The Secretary of Energy may make an award
under the Program to facilitate a project that demonstrates an
innovative technology to improve electric grid resilience with respect
to wildfires, including--
(1) a project that demonstrates an innovative technology
for monitoring vegetation management; and
(2) a project that demonstrates an innovative technology to
enhance the safety of first responders who respond to electric
grid emergencies.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out the Program $10,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2027 through 2036.
SEC. 22012. WILDFIRE DETECTION EQUIPMENT.
To the extent practicable, the Secretary of Agriculture and the
Secretary of the Interior shall each--
(1) expedite the placement of wildfire detection equipment,
such as sensors, cameras, and other relevant equipment, in
areas at risk of wildfire;
(2) expand the use of satellite data to improve wildfire
detection and response;
(3) use unmanned aerial vehicles to assess wildland fires
in their incipient stages to determine the appropriate initial
response actions;
(4) review procurement requirements for wildfire detection
equipment within the context of modern and innovative
technology; and
(5) annually provide a forum for companies engaging in the
development and testing of emergent wildland fire technology to
engage with wildland fire managers.
SEC. 22013. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM FIRE
APPLICATIONS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Secretaries.--The term ``Secretaries'' means the
Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior.
(2) Unmanned aircraft system.--The term ``unmanned aircraft
system'' means an unmanned aircraft and associated elements
(including, if applicable, communication links and the
components that control the unmanned aircraft) that are
required for the operator to operate safely and efficiently.
(b) Research.--The Secretaries shall, acting through the Joint Fire
Science Program, work with universities and other research institutions
to carry out research and development on the wildfire response
applications of unmanned aircraft systems.
(c) Testing.--The Secretaries may coordinate with the Administrator
of the Federal Aviation Administration to test an unmanned aircraft
system developed under this section at an unmanned aircraft test range
in accordance with section 44803 of title 49, United States Code.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretaries such sums as are necessary to carry out
this section.
TITLE III--WILDFIRE SMOKE AND PUBLIC HEALTH
SEC. 23001. NATIONAL SMOKE MONITORING AND ALERT SYSTEM.
(a) Establishment.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, acting through the Director of the National
Weather Service, and in conjunction with the Secretary of Agriculture
acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, the Secretary of the
Interior, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and
the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shall
establish a nationally consistent smoke monitoring and alert system to
provide consistent, real-time information and forecasts on air quality
impacts from wildfire smoke, including wildfire smoke in the built
environment.
(b) Increase in Smoke Sensors.--In carrying out subsection (a), to
ensure adequate and accessible data, the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency shall increase the availability and use
of air monitoring devices for wildfire smoke, including, to distinguish
wildfire smoke from other forms of air pollution, increasing the
availability and use of--
(1) speciation monitors; and
(2) nonregulatory air monitors.
(c) Use of Satellites.--In carrying out subsection (a), the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall explore the
use of satellites.
(d) Public County-Resolution Smoke Alert System for Public Health
and Roadways Safety.--In carrying out subsection (a), not later than 1
year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, acting through the
Director of the National Weather Service and in coordination with the
Secretary of Agriculture acting through the Chief of the Forest
Service, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency, and the Director of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention shall establish a public county-
resolution smoke alert system for public health and roadways safety
which shall be based on levels of particulate matter. The system
established under this subsection shall be in addition to the National
Weather Service Dense Smoke Advisories, which are based on visibility.
(e) Collection and Dissemination of Air Quality and Smoke Alert
Information.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Director of the
National Weather Service shall collect all air quality forecasts,
including through AirNow, public notifications, and alerts for smoke
issued by Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial air agencies
and disseminate them through weather forecast office networks to enable
the Wireless Emergency Alerts System to be extended to support smoke
communications to protect public health.
(f) Forest Service Personnel and Smoke Monitoring Equipment.--In
carrying out subsection (a), not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through
the Chief of the Forest Service, in coordination with the Secretary of
the Interior, shall expand the personnel and smoke monitoring equipment
of the Forest Service to increase the capacity of the Forest Service to
assess wildfire smoke, including wildfire smoke in the built
environment, and carry out prescribed fires.
(g) Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program
Personnel and Smoke Monitoring Equipment.--In carrying out subsection
(a), not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior shall
expand the personnel (including air resource advisors) of, and smoke
monitoring equipment available to, the Interagency Wildland Fire Air
Quality Response Program established under section 1114(f) of the John
D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (43 U.S.C.
1748b-1(f)).
(h) Expansion of Emergency Response Capacity.--
(1) In general.--In carrying out subsection (a), the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall
expand the emergency response capacity, including personnel and
equipment, of the Environmental Protection Agency--
(A) to measure air pollution from wildfires that
involve combustion of hazardous materials; and
(B) to communicate information during smoke events
resulting from wildfires.
(2) Definition.--In this subsection, the term ``hazardous
materials'' means explosive, flammable, combustible, corrosive,
oxidizing, toxic, infectious, or radioactive materials that,
when involved in an accident and released in sufficient
quantities, put some portion of the general public in immediate
danger from exposure, contact, inhalation, or ingestion.
(i) Improvements to Existing Systems.--In carrying out subsection
(a), in order to maintain the Environmental Protection Agency AirNow
framework and technology as a state-of-the-art, real-time resource for
providing robust and actionable information to protect public health
from wildfire smoke, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency shall, as the Administrator determines appropriate, improve and
modernize such AirNow framework and technology, including by making
improvements to and otherwise modernizing AirNow.gov, AirNow-Tech, the
AirNow Environmental Protection Agency and Forest Service Fire and
Smoke Map, AirNow Forecast Submittal System, and the AirNow mobile app.
(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $32,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2027 through 2036.
SEC. 23002. HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT FOR WILDFIRE SMOKE EXPOSURE.
(a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health, in consultation with the Administrator
of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Director of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, the Administrator of the United States
Fire Administration, the Chief of the Forest Service, and the Director
of the Office of Wildland Fire, shall complete a human health risk
assessment for worker exposure to wildfire smoke to estimate the nature
and probability of adverse health effects in workers who may be exposed
to hazards from wildfire smoke, including wildfire smoke in the built
environment.
(b) Requirements for Assessment.--The human health risk assessment
required under subsection (a) shall address the following:
(1) The health problems for workers that may be caused by
exposure to wildfire smoke, including wildfire smoke in the
built environment.
(2) The probability that workers will experience health
problems when exposed to different concentrations of wildfire
smoke, including wildfire smoke in the built environment.
(3) The chemicals that workers are exposed to from wildfire
smoke, including wildfire smoke in the built environment, as
well as the overall level and duration of such exposure.
(4) The differences in worker susceptibility to health
effects from exposure to wildfire smoke, including wildfire
smoke in the built environment.
(5) The effectiveness of mitigating both acute and
cumulative exposures to wildfire smoke, including wildfire
smoke in the built environment, in decreasing adverse health
effects from such wildfire smoke.
(c) Best Practices.--Not later than 6 months after completing the
human health risk assessment under subsection (a), the Director of the
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health shall develop and
publish best practices to mitigate worker exposure to wildfire smoke,
including wildfire smoke in the built environment. Such best practices
shall be informed by the human health assessment completed under
subsection (a).
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Director of the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health to carry out this section $1,000,000 for each of
fiscal years 2027 through 2036.
DIVISION C--AGENCY MODERNIZATION AND FIREFIGHTER SAFETY
TITLE I--WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
SEC. 31001. MIDDLE FIRE LEADERS ACADEMY.
(a) Middle Fire Leaders Academy.--Not later than a 1 year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Chief of the Forest Service, in
coordination with National Wildfire Coordinating Group, shall create a
Middle Fire Leaders Academy which shall be open to Federal and non-
Federal wildland fire response workforce employees. The Middle Fire
Leaders Academy shall provide--
(1) rapid training and certification for emerging wildfire
and beneficial fire leaders; and
(2) additional and expanded training of sufficient quality
to enable managers and decision makers responsible for
addressing wildfire incidents and prescribed burns to make
informed decisions regarding the beneficial application and
management of fire, including managing local fire regimes and
other forms of beneficial fire use.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2027 through 2036.
SEC. 31002. WILDFIRE WORKFORCE GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Accredited local academy.--The term ``accredited local
academy'' means a partnership, between a local fire suppression
organization and the office of the Fire Marshall of a State,
that delivers a State Fire Training program.
(2) Accredited regional training program.--The term
``accredited regional training program'' means a partnership,
between an institution of higher education and the office of
the Fire Marshall of a State, or the State Wildland
Firefighting Agency or in combination of Federal Land
Management Agencies, that delivers an approved State Fire
Training program within a given region.
(3) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) an institution of higher education;
(B) an accredited regional training program;
(C) an accredited local academy; or
(D) a nonprofit entity with experience
administering education and training programs for fire
service personnel.
(4) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such
term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1002).
(b) Grants Authorized.--Not later than 6 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall award grants,
on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to carry out a program
described in subsection (d).
(c) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this
section, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an
application in such manner, at such time, and containing such
information as the Secretary may require.
(d) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under
this section shall carry out an educational or vocational program that
leads to a degree, certificate, or recognized postsecondary credential
(as defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act (29 U.S.C. 3102)) in wildfire emergency management, including--
(1) agricultural landscape planning relating to wildfire
resilience;
(2) natural resource management relating to wildfire
resilience;
(3) emergency management;
(4) emergency medical technician services;
(5) paramedic services;
(6) fire science;
(7) firefighting;
(8) community planning relating to wildfire resilience;
(9) short- and long-term post fire recovery safety and
operations training for structural firefighters assigned to
wildfire incidents; or
(10) any other program that trains individuals in the
wildfire mitigation, response, or recovery workforce.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2027 through 2036.
SEC. 31003. CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CENTERS.
Public Law 91-378 (16 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) is amended by adding at
the end the following:
``TITLE III--CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CENTERS
``SEC. 301. DEFINITIONS.
``In this title:
``(1) Civilian conservation center.--The term `Civilian
Conservation Center' means any residential workforce
development or training facility for underserved youth operated
by the Department of the Interior or the Department of
Agriculture.
``(2) Covered graduate.--The term `covered graduate' means
an individual who successfully completed a training program at
a Civilian Conservation Center.
``(3) Covered student.--The term `covered student' means an
individual who is enrolled in a training program at a Civilian
Conservation Center.
``(4) Secretaries.--The term `Secretaries' means--
``(A) the Secretary of Agriculture; and
``(B) the Secretary of the Interior.
``SEC. 302. CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CENTERS WILDFIRE AND CONSERVATION
TRAINING PROGRAM.
``(a) Specialized Training Programs.--The Secretaries, in
coordination with the Secretary of Labor, shall offer at Civilian
Conservation Centers specialized training programs focused on--
``(1) forestry and rangeland management;
``(2) wildland firefighting; or
``(3) any other topic relating to the mission of the Forest
Service or the Department of the Interior or the public
interest.
``(b) Prioritization.--The Secretaries shall prioritize offering
specialized training programs under subsection (a) at facilities
described in section 147(d) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act (29 U.S.C. 3197(d)).
``SEC. 303. WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PILOT.
``(a) In General.--
``(1) Experiment, research, or demonstration pilots.--The
Secretary of Agriculture, in coordination with the Secretary of
Labor, may carry out experimental, research, or demonstration
pilots to provide career and technical education curricula and
course offerings to advance the missions of the Department of
Agriculture at Civilian Conservation Centers operated by the
Department of Agriculture, including facilities described in
section 147(d) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
(29 U.S.C. 3197(d)).
``(2) Curricula and courses.--Curricula and courses
described in paragraph (1) include--
``(A) incident management and emergency response
logistics;
``(B) disaster response;
``(C) forest products measurement;
``(D) timber sale administration and preparation;
``(E) heavy equipment operation;
``(F) equipment and mechanical services;
``(G) industrial electrical;
``(H) machining;
``(I) mill operations;
``(J) forest restoration;
``(K) habitat and water quality monitoring;
``(L) watershed and habitat enhancement;
``(M) range management;
``(N) recreation access improvement;
``(O) volunteers and visitors enhancement; and
``(P) historic preservation.
``(b) Requirements.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary
of Agriculture shall--
``(1) identify workforce needs in public land agencies,
forest, conservation, and recreation industries, and rural
communities, after consulting with State governments and
agencies, Federal emergency management and public land
agencies, local communities, institutions of higher education,
and Indian Tribes;
``(2) develop marketing, recruitment, and retention
materials for the curricula and courses offerings provided
under subsection (a);
``(3) provide specialized staff necessary to teach
curricula and courses offerings provided under subsection (a),
to the extent practicable; and
``(4) improve Civilian Conservation Center facilities and
modernize equipment used for the purposes of career and
technical education.
``SEC. 304. WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING WORKFORCE ENHANCEMENT.
``(a) Recruitment Goals and Investments.--
``(1) Recruitment goal.--The Secretaries--
``(A) shall each set goals of--
``(i) hiring 300 covered graduates annually
to contribute to wildland firefighting or other
critical workforce needs within the respective
Department of each of the Secretaries;
``(ii) a certain percentage of covered
graduates annually attaining employment within
the wildland firefighting, natural resources,
forestry, or a related field; and
``(iii) a certain percentage of covered
graduates annually attaining employment; and
``(B) may make investments to support the
recruitment, training, hiring, and retention of covered
graduates.
``(2) Signing bonus.--The Secretaries may provide for a
signing bonus to enable the successful employment and
transition of covered graduates, including for the purpose of
securing housing in rural and remote communities.
``(b) Direct Hire Authority.--For fiscal year 2027, and each fiscal
year thereafter through 2036, the Secretaries may appoint, without
regard to the provisions of subchapter I of chapter 33 of title 5,
United States Code, other than sections 3303 and 3328 of that title, a
covered graduate directly to a position for which the covered graduate
meets Office of Personnel Management qualification standards.
``(c) Pathways to Employment.--The Secretaries shall ensure that
appropriate career pathways are developed for covered graduates of
relevant Civilian Conservation Center training programs.
``(d) Disadvantaged Youth Employment.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, the Secretaries may employ covered students at
regular rates of pay for necessary hours of work.
``(e) Use of Covered Students for Contracts, Agreements, and
Grants.--To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary of
Agriculture shall encourage the use of covered students to fulfill
obligations under contracts, agreements, and grants relevant to the
training administered by the Forest Service at a unit of the National
Forest System where a Civilian Conservation Center is located.
``SEC. 305. WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING HOUSING PILOT PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--The Secretaries shall establish a pilot program
to employ covered students to improve and expand the housing stock
owned by the Federal Government for the purpose of housing wildland
firefighters, volunteers, partner crewmembers, interns, and other
agency employees.
``(b) Requirements.--In carrying out the pilot program under
subsection (a), the Secretaries shall--
``(1) identify properties currently owned by the Federal
Government that would be appropriate housing for wildland
firefighters, volunteers, partner crewmembers, interns, and
other agency employees;
``(2) identify areas where the construction of new housing
described in paragraph (1) would be appropriate and
sustainable; and
``(3) submit to Congress a prioritized list of projects for
renovation with a plan for how the Secretaries will employ
covered students to repair, renovate, and remediate the
properties identified under paragraph (1).
``SEC. 306. REPORT.
``Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this title,
the Secretaries shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture,
Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture
of the House of Representatives a report--
``(1) describing underutilized capacity at Civilian
Conservation Centers, based on an assessment conducted by the
Secretaries; and
``(2) identifying the investments, improvements, and
efficiencies necessary to utilize the full capacity of Civilian
Conservation Centers.''.
SEC. 31004. PILOT PROGRAM TO EMPLOY VETERANS IN POSITIONS RELATING TO
FEDERAL WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING ACTIVITIES.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means the following:
(A) The Committee on Agriculture of the House of
Representatives.
(B) The Committee on Natural Resources of the House
of Representatives.
(C) The Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House
of Representatives.
(D) The Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry of the Senate.
(E) The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
of the Senate.
(F) The Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the
Senate.
(2) Employee.--The term ``employee'' has the meaning given
such term in section 2105 of title 5, United States Code.
(3) Wildland firefighting activities.--The term ``wildland
firefighting activities'' means any temporary, seasonal, or
permanent position at the Department of Agriculture or the
Department of the Interior, and Tribal Firefighters, that
maintains group, emergency incident management, or fire
qualifications, as established annually by the Standards for
Wildland Fire Position Qualifications published by the National
Wildfire Coordinating Group, that primarily engages in or
supports wildland fire management, including forestry and
rangeland technicians and positions concerning aviation,
engineering heavy equipment operations, dispatch, or fire and
fuels management.
(b) Establishment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in
coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the
Interior, shall jointly establish a pilot program to employ veterans in
wildland firefighting activities.
(c) Duties.--The duties of such Secretaries with respect to such
pilot program are as follows:
(1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall be responsible
for administering such pilot program.
(2) The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the
Interior shall be responsible for--
(A) identifying vacant positions in the Department
of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior,
respectively, that are appropriate for veterans
selected for participation in such pilot program; and
(B) to the extent practicable, employing such
veterans in such positions.
(d) Application of Civil Service Laws.--A veteran employed under
the pilot program under subsection (b) shall be treated as an employee
of the Department of Agriculture or the Department of the Interior, as
the case may be.
(e) Best Practices.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
establish guidelines that include best practices for departments and
agencies of the Federal Government that carry out programs to employ
veterans who are transitioning from service in the Armed Forces. Such
guidelines shall include--
(1) lessons learned under the Warrior Training Advancement
Course of the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
(2) methods to realize cost savings based on such lessons.
(f) Reports.--
(1) Initial report.--Not later than 60 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of the
Interior, shall jointly submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report on the pilot program under subsection (b),
including--
(A) a description of how such pilot program will be
carried out in a manner to reduce the unemployment of
veterans; and
(B) any recommendations for legislative actions to
improve such pilot program.
(2) Implementation.--Not later than 1 year after the date
on which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs commences such pilot
program, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of
Agriculture, and the Secretary of the Interior, shall jointly
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on
the implementation of such pilot program.
(3) Final report.--Not later than 30 days after the date on
which such pilot program concludes, the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of the
Interior, shall jointly submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report that includes--
(A) an identification of--
(i) the number of veterans who applied to
participate in such pilot program;
(ii) the number of such veterans employed
pursuant to such pilot program; and
(iii) the number of veterans described in
clause (ii) who transitioned to full-time
positions with the Federal Government after
participating in such pilot program; and
(B) any other information the Secretaries determine
appropriate with respect to measuring the effectiveness
of such pilot program.
(g) Termination Date.--The authority to carry out the pilot program
under subsection (b) shall terminate on the date that is 2 years after
the date on which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs commences such
pilot program.
TITLE II--STAFF SAFETY AND SUPPORT
Subtitle A--Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Support
SEC. 32101. SPECIAL LIMITATIONS ON PAY FOR WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS.
(a) In General.--Title 5, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by inserting after section 5547 the following:
``Sec. 5547a. Special limitations on premium pay for employees engaged
in wildland firefighting
``(a) In this section--
``(1) the term `covered employee' means an employee of the
Forest Service or the Department of the Interior who--
``(A) qualifies as a wildland firefighter based on
the definitions of `firefighter' and `wildland
firefighter' in section 5332a(a); or
``(B) is certified by the applicable agency to
perform wildland fire incident related duties during
the period such employee is assigned to a qualifying
incident;
``(2) the term `covered services' means services performed
by an employee that are determined by the Secretary of the
Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture, as applicable, to
primarily involve emergency wildfire suppression activities,
including any periods of duty when the employee is sleeping or
resting during an extended period of deployment to engage in
those activities;
``(3) the term `emergency wildland fire suppression
activities' means initial-response and extended-response
activities that directly relate to suppression of a wildfire,
including activities associated with a severity incident but
excluding activities associated with a prescribed fire incident
(as those terms are defined section 5545c); and
``(4) the term `premium pay' means the premium pay paid
under the provisions of law cited in section 5547(a), except as
otherwise provided in subsection (h).
``(b) Any premium pay earned by a covered employee for covered
services shall be disregarded in calculating the aggregate of such
employee's basic pay and premium pay for purposes of applying a
limitation under section 5547.
``(c) Any premium pay that is disregarded under subsection (b)
shall be disregarded in calculating such employee's aggregate pay for
purposes of applying the limitation in section 5307.
``(d) Pay that is disregarded under subsection (b) may not be paid
to the extent it would cause the aggregate of the employee's basic pay,
premium pay, and hazard pay under section 5545(d) payable in the
applicable calendar year to exceed the rate of basic pay payable for a
position at level II of the Executive Schedule under section 5313, as
in effect at the end of such calendar year. Any premium pay that is
subject to a biweekly limitation under section 5547(c) must be paid
first before other premium pay in applying the level II limitation.
``(e) Application of the limit in subsection (d) or subsection (h)
to a covered employee may be waived at the sole and exclusive
discretion of the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of
Agriculture, as applicable. Before authorizing such a waiver for
employees of their respective agencies, each Secretary, after
consulting with the other Secretary, shall prescribe criteria that will
be applied in making a determination to grant a waiver.
``(f) Any additional pay resulting from application of this section
may not be used in computing a lump-sum payment for accumulated and
accrued annual leave under section 5551 or section 5552.
``(g) The Departments of the Interior and Agriculture shall
maintain records that document uses of the authority provided by this
section.
``(h)(1) For prevailing rate employees described in section
5342(a)(2)(A) who meet the requirements in subsection (a)(l) to qualify
as a covered employee, premium pay may not be paid to the extent it
would cause the aggregate of the employee's basic pay and premium pay
in the applicable calendar year to exceed the rate of basic pay payable
for a position at level II of the Executive Schedule under section
5313, as in effect at the end of such calendar year.
``(2) For the purposes of this subsection, the term `basic pay'
means wages, environmental differential pay, and night shift
differential pay, and the term `premium pay' means overtime pay, Sunday
premium pay, and holiday premium pay.''; and
(2) in section 5541(2)(xi), by inserting ``, section
5547a(h),'' after ``section 5544''.
(b) Calendar Year 2026.--For the purpose of applying section 5547
and section 1701 of division B of Public Law 117-43 (5 U.S.C. 5547
note) in calendar year 2026, incident standby premium pay shall be
included in premium pay that is subject to the limits established in
those sections.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall
take effect on the first day of the first pay period that has a payment
date in January 2027. Subsection (b) shall be effective on the first
day of the first applicable pay period beginning on or after October 1,
2026.
(d) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 55 of
title 5, United States Code, is further amended by inserting after the
item for section 5547 the following new item:
``5547a. Special limitations on premium pay for employees engaged in
wildland firefighting.''.
SEC. 32102. REST AND RECUPERATION LEAVE FOR EMPLOYEES ENGAGED IN
WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING.
(a) In General.--Title 5, United States Code, is amended by
inserting after section 6329d the following:
``Sec. 6329e. Rest and recuperation leave for employees engaged in
wildland firefighting
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Applicable secretary.--The term `applicable
Secretary' means the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary
of the Interior.
``(2) Covered employee.--The term `covered employee' means
an employee of the Forest Service or the Department of the
Interior who--
``(A) qualifies as a `wildland firefighter' based
on the definitions of `firefighter' and `wildland
firefighter' in section 5332a(a) (applying the
definition of `employee' in section 6301(2) in lieu of
the definition of `employee' in section 5331(a)); or
``(B) is certified by the applicable agency to
perform wildland fire incident related duties during
the period such employee is assigned to a qualifying
incident.
``(3) Qualifying incident.--The term `qualifying incident'
has the meaning given that term in section 5545c(a)(5).
``(b) Rest and Recuperation.--A covered employee may receive paid
rest and recuperation leave following the completion of service under a
qualifying incident, subject to policies established at the sole and
exclusive discretion of the Secretary of the Agriculture or the
Secretary of the Interior, as applicable. Each Secretary shall
prescribe such policies after consulting with the other Secretary.
``(c) Application.--Rest and recuperation leave granted under this
section shall be used during scheduled hours within the covered
employee's tour of duty established for leave-charging purposes and
shall be paid in the same manner as annual leave. Rest and recuperation
leave must be used immediately after a qualifying incident and may not
be set aside for later use. A covered employee may not receive any
payment for unused rest and recuperation leave.
``(d) Intermittent Work Schedules.--A covered employee with an
intermittent work schedule shall be excused from duty during the same
period of time that other covered employees in the same circumstances
are entitled to rest and recuperation leave and shall receive a payment
as if the covered employee with an intermittent work schedule were
entitled to rest and recuperation leave under subsections (b) and
(c).''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall be
effective on the first day of the first applicable pay period beginning
on or after October 1, 2026.
(c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for subchapter II of
chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 6329d the following new item:
``6329e. Rest and recuperation leave for employees engaged in wildland
firefighting.''.
SEC. 32103. HEALTH PROVISIONS.
(a) Database; Recommendations.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretaries shall--
(1) establish and maintain a publicly accessible,
searchable database on a website, to be called the ``Federal
Wildland Firefighter Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease
Database'', to track chronic disease caused by on-the-job
environmental exposure over the lifetimes of current and former
Federal wildland firefighters;
(2) update such database not less than on a yearly basis;
and
(3) develop and adhere to recommendations on mitigation
strategies to minimize exposure to environmental hazards for
Federal wildland firefighters.
(b) Mental Health.--
(1) Mental health program.--Not later than January 1, 2027,
the Secretaries shall establish and carry out a program for
Federal wildland firefighters for mental health awareness and
support. Such program shall include the following:
(A) A mental health awareness campaign.
(B) A mental health education and training program
that includes an on-boarding curriculum.
(C) An extensive peer-to-peer mental health support
network for Federal wildland firefighters and their
immediate family.
(D) Expansion of the Critical Incident Stress
Management Program, to develop and retain a larger pool
of qualified mental health professionals who are
familiar with the experiences of the emergency response
workforce. The Program shall monitor and track mental
health in the profession to better understand the scope
of the issue and provide ongoing assistance and
professional long-term care to patients.
(E) Establish and carry out a new and distinct
mental health support service specific to Federal
wildland firefighters and their immediate family, with
culturally relevant and trauma informed mental health
professionals who are readily available, and not
subject to any limit on the number of sessions or
service provided.
(2) Mental health leave.--Each Federal wildland firefighter
shall be entitled to 7 consecutive days of leave, without loss
or reduction in pay, during any calendar year. Leave provided
under this paragraph shall not--
(A) accumulate for use in succeeding years; and
(B) be considered to be annual or vacation leave
for purposes of section 5551 or 5552 of title 5, United
States Code, or for any other purpose.
(c) Coordination.--In carrying out subsections (a) and (b), the
Secretaries may enter into partnerships or cooperative agreements with
other Federal agencies, universities, or non-profit institutions.
(d) OWCP.--The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs within the
Department of Labor shall--
(1) recognize post-traumatic stress disorder and
psychological stress-related injuries or illnesses correlated
to fire protection, suppression, and incident support
activities, and ensure long-term coverage for the duration of
the illnesses; and
(2) expand the Special Claims Unit to ensure adequate unit
staffing levels are sufficient to expedite the claims process
and shorten response times to wildland firefighter and incident
support personnel injured or effected on the job in order to
alleviate the psychological and financial burdens placed on the
patient and their families.
SEC. 32104. RETIREMENT FOR FIREFIGHTERS.
(a) Deposit Service.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
any service performed by an individual as a Federal wildland
firefighter on or after January 1, 1989, for which retirement
deductions under chapter 84 of title 5, United States Code, have not
been made shall be creditable under such chapter, but only if such
firefighter--
(1) submits a written election to the Director; and
(2) the deposit requirements of section 8411(f) of such
title had been met with respect to such service.
(b) Disability Annuity.--Beginning on the date of enactment of this
Act, any Federal wildland firefighter who suffers from a disease
described in section 8143b(b)(2) of title 5, United States Code, due to
environmental job-related exposure, including smoke inhalation,
silicate inhalation, and firefighting toxic exposure, shall be
considered to be disabled for purposes of section 8451 of such title.
Such section 8451 shall be applied to any such firefighter by
substituting ``12 months'' for ``18 months''.
(c) Including Overtime as Basic Pay.--Section 8331(3) of title 5,
United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (H), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in subparagraph (I), by inserting ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (I) the following:
``(J) with respect to a Federal wildland
firefighter (as that term is defined in section
5332a(a)), overtime pay received on or after the date
of enactment of this subparagraph;''; and
(4) in the undesignated matter following subparagraph (J)
(as added by paragraph (3)), by striking ``subparagraphs (B)
through (I) of this paragraph'' and inserting ``subparagraphs
(B) through (J) of this paragraph,''.
(d) Separate Normal-Cost Percentage.--Section 8423(a)(1)(B)(i) of
title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting after
``firefighters,'' the following: ``Federal wildland firefighter (as
that term is defined in section 5332a(a)),''.
SEC. 32105. PAY PARITY FOR FEDERAL STRUCTURAL FIREFIGHTERS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this Act, any pay, benefits, and bonuses provided to any Federal
structural firefighter shall be comparable with the pay, benefits, and
bonuses provided for Federal wildland firefighters under this subtitle,
the amendments made by this subtitle, and section 5332a of title 5,
United States Code. Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit a report to Congress
on whether pay for such Federal structural firefighters is competitive
with Federal wildland firefighters.
(b) Federal Structural Firefighter Defined.--In this section, the
term ``Federal structural firefighter''--
(1) has the meaning given the term ``firefighter'' in
section 8401 of chapter 84 of title 5, United States Code; and
(2) does not include any Federal wildland firefighter.
SEC. 32106. PAY ADJUSTMENTS AND OTHER MATTERS.
(a) Annual Adjustments.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, beginning in the first pay period beginning on or after the date
that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and
annually thereafter, the basic rate of pay for each Federal wildland
firefighter occupying a position within such pay scale shall be
increased by not less than the percentage equal to the percent change
in the Consumer Price Index (all items--United States city average),
published monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, for December of
the preceding year over such Consumer Price Index for the December of
the year prior to the preceding year, adjusted to the nearest one-tenth
of 1 percent.
(b) Compensation Comparable to Non-Federal Firefighters.--Not later
than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Secretaries shall submit a report to Congress on whether pay, benefits,
and bonuses provided to Federal wildland firefighters are comparable to
the pay, benefits, and bonuses provided for non-Federal firefighters in
the State or locality where Federal wildland firefighters are based.
(c) Hazardous Duty Pay.--Each Federal wildland firefighter carrying
out work completed during prescribed fire, parachuting, tree climbing
over 20 feet, hazard tree removal, and other hazardous work as
identified by the Secretaries, shall be entitled to be paid the
appropriate differential under section 5545(d) of title 5, United
States Code, as if such employee was covered by such section. The
Director may prescribe regulations to carry out this subsection.
(d) Other Matters.--
(1) Recruitment and retention bonus.--In order to promote
the recruitment and retention of Federal wildland firefighters,
the Director, in coordination with the Secretaries, shall
establish a program under which a recruitment or retention
bonus of not less than $1,000 may be paid to a Federal wildland
firefighter in an amount as determined appropriate by the
Director and the Secretaries. The minimum amount of such bonus
in the previous sentence shall be increased each year by the
Consumer Price Index in the manner prescribed under subsection
(a). Any bonus under this subsection--
(A) shall be paid to any primary or secondary
Federal wildland firefighter upon the date that such
firefighter successfully completes a work capacity
test; and
(B) may not be paid to any such firefighter more
than once per calendar year.
(2) Housing allowance.--The Secretaries shall provide a
housing allowance to any Federal wildland firefighter deployed
to a location more than 50 miles from their primary residence.
Such allowance shall be in an amount determined appropriate by
the Secretaries and adjusted based on the cost of housing in
the area of deployment.
(3) Career transition.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretaries shall
establish, maintain, coordinate, and operate a
voluntary tuition assistance program for Federal
wildland firefighters occupying a permanent position
that encompass a broad range of educational experiences
(either in-person or through distance-learning),
including academic skills development, vocational
programs, career and technical programs, and programs
leading to the award of undergraduate and graduate
degrees.
(B) Amount.--The program under subparagraph (A)
shall provide, not more than once during each calendar
year, a payment of not less than $4,000 to each Federal
wildland firefighter who elects to participate in the
program.
(C) Review.--The Secretaries shall conduct an
annual review of whether the amount provided under
subparagraph (B) is adequate, in consideration of
inflation and other effects.
SEC. 32107. WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT CASUALTY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
(a) Development of Program.--Not later than 6 months after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall
develop a Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program
(referred to in this section as the ``Program'') to provide assistance
to the next-of-kin of--
(1) firefighters who, while in the line of duty, suffer
illness or are critically injured or killed; and
(2) wildland fire support personnel critically injured or
killed in the line of duty.
(b) Aspects of Program.--The Program shall address the following:
(1) The initial and any subsequent notifications to the
next-of-kin of a firefighter or wildland fire support personnel
who--
(A) is killed in the line of duty; or
(B) requires hospitalization or treatment at a
medical facility due to a line-of-duty injury or
illness.
(2) The reimbursement of next-of-kin for expenses
associated with travel to visit a firefighter or wildland fire
support personnel who--
(A) is killed in the line of duty; or
(B) requires hospitalization or treatment at a
medical facility due to a line-of-duty injury or
illness.
(3) The qualifications, assignment, training, duties,
supervision, and accountability for the performance of casualty
assistance responsibilities.
(4) The relief or transfer of casualty assistance officers,
including notification to survivors of critical injury or
illness in the line of duty and next-of-kin of the reassignment
of such officers to other duties.
(5) Centralized, short-term and long-term case management
procedures for casualty assistance, including rapid access by
survivors of firefighters or wildland fire support personnel
and casualty assistance officers to expert case managers and
counselors.
(6) The provision, through a computer accessible website
and other means and at no cost to survivors and next-of-kin of
firefighters or wildland fire support personnel, of
personalized, integrated information on the benefits and
financial assistance available to such survivors from the
Federal Government.
(7) The provision of information to survivors and next-of-
kin of firefighters or wildland fire support personnel on
mechanisms for registering complaints about, or requests for,
additional assistance related to casualty assistance.
(8) Liaison with the Department of the Interior, the
Department of Justice, and the Social Security Administration
to ensure prompt and accurate resolution of issues relating to
benefits administered by those agencies for survivors of
firefighters or wildland fire support personnel.
(9) Data collection, in consultation with the United States
Fire Administration and the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health, regarding the incidence and quality of
casualty assistance provided to survivors of firefighters or
wildland fire support personnel.
(c) Line of Duty Death Benefits.--The Program shall not affect
existing authorities for Line of Duty Death benefits for Federal
firefighters and wildland fire support personnel.
(d) Next-of-Kin Defined.--In this section, the term ``next-of-kin''
means person or persons in the highest category of priority as
determined by the following list (categories appear in descending order
of priority):
(1) Surviving legal spouse.
(2) Children (whether by current or prior marriage) age 18
years or older in descending precedence by age.
(3) Father or mother, unless by court order custody has
been vested in another (adoptive parent takes precedence over
natural parent).
(4) Siblings (whole or half) age 18 years or older in
descending precedence by age.
(5) Grandfather or grandmother.
(6) Any other relative (precedence to be determined in
accordance with the civil law of descent of the deceased former
member's State of domicile at time of death).
SEC. 32108. CONTINUING ACCRUAL OF SERVICE FOR FIREFIGHTERS.
(a) Federal Employees' Retirement System.--Section 8401(14) of
title 5, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
``(14) the term `firefighter' means--
``(A) an employee, the duties of whose position--
``(i) are primarily to perform work
directly connected with the control and
extinguishment of non-wildland fires; and
``(ii) are sufficiently rigorous that
employment opportunities should be limited to
young and physically vigorous individuals, as
determined by the Director considering the
recommendations of the employing agency;
``(B) an employee, the duties of whose position--
``(i) are primarily to perform work
directly connected with the control and
extinguishment of wildland fires; and
``(ii) are sufficiently rigorous that
employment opportunities should be limited to
young and physically vigorous individuals, as
determined by the Director considering the
recommendations of the employing agency;
``(C) an employee who--
``(i) is transferred directly to a
supervisory or administrative position after
performing duties described in subparagraph (A)
for at least 3 years; and
``(ii) while serving in such supervisory or
administrative position, has no break in
service; or
``(D) an employee who--
``(i) occupies a supervisory or
administrative position after performing duties
described in subparagraph (B) for not less than
3 years; and
``(ii) has not more than 24 months in total
time of breaks in service;''.
(b) Service Before Date of Enactment.--
(1) In general.--Subject to the requirements under
paragraph (2), service performed before the date of enactment
of this Act by an individual who, on the date of enactment of
this Act, is an employee (as defined in section 8401(11) of
title 5, United States Code) shall, for the purposes of chapter
84 of title 5, United States Code, be treated as service
performed by a firefighter if--
(A) such service was performed during the period
beginning on October 1, 2003, and ending on the day
before the date of enactment of this Act;
(B) at the time of performing such service--
(i) the individual did not meet the
requirements to be a firefighter under section
8401(14) of title 5, United States Code,
because of a break in service; and
(ii) would have met the requirements to be
a firefighter under section 8401(14)(D) of
title 5, United States Code, as amended by this
Act; and
(C) appropriate deductions and withholdings under
sections 8422 and 8423 of title 5, United States Code,
were made during such service.
(2) Credit for service.--To receive credit for eligible
service under paragraph (1), the applicable individual shall--
(A) before the date on which the individual
separates from service in the agency in which the
individual holds a position on the date of enactment of
this Act, submit a written election to the agency
employing the individual;
(B) if the individual is not employed by the agency
that employed the individual when the service described
in paragraph (1) was performed, submit a written
election to such agency; and
(C) remit to the agency that employed the
individual when such service was performed the
additional amount that would have been deducted during
the period of prior service under section 8422 of title
5, United States Code, from the pay of the individual
if the amendments made by subsection (a) had been in
effect during the prior service, plus any applicable
interest computed under section 8334= of title 5,
United States Code.
(3) Government contributions.--If an individual remits
payment under paragraph (2)(C) with respect to service
described in paragraph (1), the agency that employed the
individual when such service was performed shall remit to the
Office of Personnel Management (for deposit in the Treasury of
the United States to the credit of the Civil Service Retirement
and Disability Fund) the total additional amount of Federal
contributions that would have been paid under section 8423 of
title 5, United States Code, if the amendments made by
subsection (a) had been in effect during the prior service,
plus any applicable interest computed in accordance with
section 8334e of title 5, United States Code.
(4) Notification and assistance requirements.--The Director
of the Office of Personnel Management shall--
(A) take such action as may be necessary and
appropriate to inform individuals entitled to have any
service credited under this subsection, or to have any
annuity computed under this subsection, of the
entitlement to the credit or computation; and
(B) upon request, assist any individual described
in subparagraph (A) in obtaining such information in
the possession of the Secretary of Agriculture or the
Secretary of the Interior, as applicable, as may be
necessary to verify the entitlement of the individual
to have any service credited, or to have any annuity
computed, pursuant to this subsection.
(5) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to permit or require the making of any contribution
to the Thrift Savings Fund that would not otherwise have been
permitted or required but for the enactment of this section.
(c) Retention of Enhanced Retirement Benefits During Period of Non-
Federal Service.--Section 104(e)(2) of the Indian Self-Determination
and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5323(e)) is amended by adding
at the end the following: ``Any Federal wildland firefighter who
retains coverage, rights, and benefits under such chapter 83 or 84
pursuant to this paragraph shall retain enhanced retirement benefits
under either such chapter.''.
(d) Job-Sharing.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a
Federal wildland firefighter or wildland fire support personnel may
occupy a position in the civil service (as that term is defined in
section 2101 of title 5, United States Code) and a position with a
Tribal Government under a job-share agreement even if the position with
a Tribal Government is classified at a level higher than the civil
service position, including any level that is above that of the highest
level applicable to the General Schedule.
Subtitle B--Federal Workforce Stability
SEC. 32201. PROHIBITION ON REDUCTIONS IN FORCE AND INVOLUNTARY
SEPARATIONS AT DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND UNITED
STATES FOREST SERVICE.
(a) Prohibition.--During the period beginning on the date of the
enactment of this Act and ending on September 30, 2030, without prior
notification and approval of the chairs and ranking members of the
Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the
Senate, no Federal funds may be obligated or expended to--
(1) initiate, implement, or otherwise carry out a reduction
in force within the Department of the Interior or the United
States Forest Service; or
(2) carry out an involuntary separation of any employee in
the competitive service, any career employee in the excepted
service, or any career appointee in the Senior Executive
Service at the Department of Interior or the United States
Forest Service except for cause on charges of misconduct,
delinquency, or performance.
(b) Definitions.--In subsection (a), the terms ``competitive
service'', ``excepted service'', and ``career appointee'' have the
meaning given those terms in sections 2102, 2103, and 3132(a),
respectively, of title 5, United States Code.
SEC. 32202. PROHIBITION ON CLOSURE OF FOREST SERVICE RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT FACILITIES.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of
Agriculture may not close any research and development facility of the
Forest Service, including by independent action of the Secretary or any
level of agency reorganization, without prior notification and approval
of the chairs and ranking members of the Committees on Appropriations
in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
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