[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9999 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9999

To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of 
 the Forest Service, to enter into cooperative agreements with certain 
   entities to address mountain pine beetle infestations and reduce 
           associated wildfire risk, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 30, 2026

  Ms. Pettersen (for herself and Mr. Neguse) introduced the following 
   bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in 
  addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, 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 authorize the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of 
 the Forest Service, to enter into cooperative agreements with certain 
   entities to address mountain pine beetle infestations and reduce 
           associated wildfire risk, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Mountain Pine Beetle Coordination 
Act''.

SEC. 2. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS TO ADDRESS MOUNTAIN PINE BEETLE 
              INFESTATIONS.

    (a) Cooperative Agreement Authorization.--The Secretary of 
Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, may enter 
into a cooperative agreement with a covered entity to provide for 
activities to support the detection, treatment, and mitigation of 
mountain pine beetle infestations on lands subject to the jurisdiction 
of the Secretary or such covered entity, which may include the 
following:
            (1) Coordinated monitoring and data sharing.
            (2) Joint planning and implementation of projects.
            (3) Processing of and increased processing capacity for 
        beetle-killed or beetle-infested trees.
            (4) Hazard reduction in areas affected by mountain pine 
        beetle infestations.
            (5) Other activities determined necessary by the Secretary 
        and such covered entity to reduce wildfire risks associated 
        with such infestations.
    (b) Technical Assistance.--Upon request of a covered entity party 
to an agreement entered into under subsection (a), the Administrator of 
the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service shall provide to such 
covered entity technical assistance requested with respect to the 
monitoring and management of mountain pine beetle infestations, 
including with respect to--
            (1) detection;
            (2) spread dynamics; and
            (3) mitigation strategies.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Covered entity.--The term ``covered entity'' means each 
        of the following:
                    (A) The chief executive officer of a State.
                    (B) The chief executive officer of a political 
                subdivision of a State.
            (2) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several 
        States, the District of Columbia, each territory or possession 
        of the United States, and each federally recognized Indian 
        Tribe.
                                 <all>