[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8656 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8656
To provide for the implementation of certain recommendations from the
Report of the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 7, 2024
Mr. Harder of California (for himself, Mr. Scott Franklin of Florida,
Mr. Neguse, Mr. Stanton, Mr. Thompson of California, Mr. Garamendi, and
Ms. Hoyle of Oregon) introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the
Committees on Agriculture, Education and the Workforce, Oversight and
Accountability, Armed Services, Energy and Commerce, Science, Space,
and Technology, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Small Business,
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 provide for the implementation of certain recommendations from the
Report of the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission.
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 ``Modernizing Wildfire Safety and
Prevention Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
The table of contents for this Act is the following:
Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of Contents.
Sec. 3. Definition of Report.
TITLE I--WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Sec. 101. Middle Fire Leaders Academy (Report Recommendation 55).
Sec. 102. Wildfire workforce grant program (Report Recommendation 88).
TITLE II--WILDLAND FIREFIGHTER SUPPORT
Sec. 201. Fire Service Retention and Retirement Portability (Report
Recommendation 86).
Sec. 202. Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program (Report
Recommendation 87).
TITLE III--WILDFIRE SMOKE AND PUBLIC HEALTH
Sec. 301. National Smoke Monitoring and Alert System (Report
Recommendation 44).
Sec. 302. Health risk assessment for Wildfire Smoke Exposure (Report
Recommendation 100).
TITLE IV--FIRE MITIGATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Sec. 401. Improvements to wildfire forage loss programs (Report
Recommendation 59).
Sec. 402. Improvements to FEMA Programs (Report Recommendations 66 and
64).
Sec. 403. The Wildland Dynamic Risk Mapping Program (Report
Recommendation 118).
Sec. 404. Improvements to grant programs for community wildfire risk
reduction and postfire recovery efforts
(Report Recommendation 142).
Sec. 405. Joint Office of the Fire Environment Center (Report
Recommendations 104, 105, 106).
Sec. 406. Interagency Data Collaboration Environment (Report
Recommendation 107).
Sec. 407. Requirements related to payment timing for certain programs
addressing wildfire damages (Report
Recommendation 61).
SEC. 3. DEFINITION OF REPORT.
In this Act, the term ``Report'' means the Report of the Wildland
Fire Mitigation and Management Commission, dated September 2023.
TITLE I--WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
SEC. 101. MIDDLE FIRE LEADERS ACADEMY (REPORT RECOMMENDATION 55).
(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
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 2025 through 2034.
SEC. 102. WILDFIRE WORKFORCE GRANT PROGRAM (REPORT RECOMMENDATION 88).
(a) 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 (c).
(b) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this Act,
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.
(c) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under
this Act shall carry out an educational or vocational program that
leads to a degree, certificate, or other recognized credential 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) 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.
(d) 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 a junior or community college or institution of higher
education and the office of the Fire Marshall of a State, that
delivers an approved State Fire Training program within a given
region.
(3) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a junior or community college;
(B) an institution of higher education;
(C) an accredited regional training program;
(D) an accredited local academy; or
(E) 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).
(5) Junior or community college.--The term ``junior or
community college'' has the meaning given such term in section
312 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058).
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2025 through 2034.
TITLE II--WILDLAND FIREFIGHTER SUPPORT
SEC. 201. FIRE SERVICE RETENTION AND RETIREMENT PORTABILITY (REPORT
RECOMMENDATION 86).
(a) Break-in-Service Consideration for Federal Wildland Firefighter
Retirements.--Notwithstanding sections 8336(c) and 8412(d) of title 5,
United States Code, not later than May 1, 2024, the Secretary
concerned, in coordination with the Secretary of Labor, shall
promulgate regulations, as necessary, to ensure that a Federal wildland
firefighter would not forfeit previously made contributions or
eligibility for firefighter retirement when the Federal wildland
firefighter has a voluntary break in service of not more than 2 years.
(b) 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 (as that
term is defined in section 201(d) of the Modernizing Wildfire Safety
and Prevention Act of 2024) 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.''.
(c) 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.
(d) Federal Wildland Firefighter.--In this section, the term
``Federal wildland firefighter'' means a person who is--
(1) in a temporary, seasonal, or permanent position at the
Department of Agriculture or the Department of the Interior or
as a Tribal firefighter who;
(A) 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;
and
(B) primarily engages in or supports wildland fire
management activities, including forestry and rangeland
technicians and positions concerning aviation,
engineering heavy equipment operations, dispatch, or
fire and fuels management; or
(2) a Federal firefighter stationed on military
installations under the Department of Defense who engages in or
supports wildland fire management activities, including
forestry and rangeland technicians and positions concerning
aviation, engineering heavy equipment operations, dispatch, or
fire and fuels management.
SEC. 202. WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT CASUALTY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (REPORT
RECOMMENDATION 87).
(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) critically injured, ill, and deceased firefighters
injury, illness, or death in the line of duty; 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) was 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) was 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 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).
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section, $1,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2025 through 2034.
TITLE III--WILDFIRE SMOKE AND PUBLIC HEALTH
SEC. 301. NATIONAL SMOKE MONITORING AND ALERT SYSTEM (REPORT
RECOMMENDATION 44).
(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 2025 through 2034.
SEC. 302. HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT FOR WILDFIRE SMOKE EXPOSURE (REPORT
RECOMMENDATION 100).
(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 2025 through 2027.
TITLE IV--FIRE MITIGATION AND TECHNOLOGY
SEC. 401. IMPROVEMENTS TO WILDFIRE FORAGE LOSS PROGRAMS (REPORT
RECOMMENDATION 59).
(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. 402. IMPROVEMENTS TO FEMA PROGRAMS (REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS 66 AND
64).
(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'' and inserting ``provide--
``(A) excess funds for management costs as
described in subsection (c); and
``(B) the following percentage rates'';
(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 disaster declared
under during the period of a major disaster declaration 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) Treatment of Multiple Events Stemming From Same Wildfire.--
(1) Major disaster assistance programs.--Section 401 of the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act
(42 U.S.C. 5170) is amended--
``(d) Wildland Fire Major Disaster Declaration.--In the case of an
initial wildland fire major disaster declaration under this section,
the declaration shall include any landslide, mudslide, flood, or other
natural disaster event which stems from the wildland fire occuring
within the 3-year period beginning on the first date of the wildland
fire.''.
(2) Emergency assistance programs.--Section 501 of such Act
(42 U.S.C. 5191) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(d) Wildland Fire Major Disaster Declaration.--In the case of an
initial wildland fire major disaster declaration under this section,
the declaration shall include any landslide, mudslide, flood, or other
natural disaster event which stems from the wildland fire occuring
within the 3-year period beginning on the first date of the wildland
fire.''.
(3) Effective date.--The amendments made by this subsection
shall apply with respect to events occurring after the date of
the enactment of this Act.
(f) Fire Management Assistance Program Policy.--Not later than 1
year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the
Federal Emergency Management Agency shall recommend such regulations or
guidance as are necessary to make eligible assessments and emergency
stabilization to protect public safety, including for the fire
management assistance program under section 420 of the Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5187),
irrespective of the incident period for a declared fire.
(g) 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.
(h) 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 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. 403. THE WILDLAND DYNAMIC RISK MAPPING PROGRAM (REPORT
RECOMMENDATION 118).
(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 National
Aeronautical and Space Agency, United States Geological Survey, United
States Fire Administration, universities, and National Laboratories
to--
(1) develop dynamic risk and hazard maps for the wildland
and built environments in the United States; and
(2) ensure that such dynamic risk maps are updated as
required to reflect each wildfire season--
(A) changes in the natural environment, such as
postflood or fire alterations;
(B) rapidly changing environmental conditions;
(C) measure changes in fuels moisture on the
temporal scale; and
(D) utilize both remote sensing technologies 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 2025 through 2029.
SEC. 404. IMPROVEMENTS TO GRANT PROGRAMS FOR COMMUNITY WILDFIRE RISK
REDUCTION AND POSTFIRE RECOVERY EFFORTS (REPORT
RECOMMENDATION 142).
(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 such Secretary--
(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 the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture,
acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, the Administrator of
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Administrator of the Small
Business Administration, and the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency.
SEC. 405. JOINT OFFICE OF THE FIRE ENVIRONMENT CENTER (REPORT
RECOMMENDATIONS 104, 105, 106).
(a) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--Not later than a 1 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 comprised of the
following branches:
(A) Technology and engineering.--Technology and
Engineering, which shall--
(i) focus on modeling and the building and
testing of technology; and
(ii) may enter into public-private
partnerships.
(B) Data services.--Data Services, which shall--
(i) be responsible for testing artificial
intelligence and machine learning technologies
to support managers, firefighters, and public
health officials on the ground, including
producing decision consequence data, modeling
risk, and suggesting resources based on fire
and smoke conditions at the time and place of
ignition detection; and
(ii) working with State, local, and Tribal
entities on data sharing.
(C) Analysis and prediction.--Analysis and
Prediction.
(D) Education and consultation.--Education and
Consultation, which shall be responsible for incident
management.
(E) Other.--Any other branch determined necessary
or appropriate by the Board.
(b) Functions of Joint Office.--
(1) In general.--
(A) Availability of products and information.--The
Joint Office shall make available any products and
information developed by the Joint Office to--
(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;
and
(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) Prefire mitigation and risk
reduction.--Prefire mitigation and risk
reduction activities for landscapes and
communities, including through assessments and
modeling of--
(I) climate condition;
(II) fuels;
(III) home ignition;
(IV) structure-to-structure spread;
and
(V) values at risk.
(ii) Public health and safety during and
after fire.--Activities that better protect
public health and safety during and after a
fire, including mapping services and data
provision to support evacuation decisions in
communities at risk and air quality monitoring
and forecast data to support health risk
information that helps protect the public from
smoke impacts associated with fire.
(iii) Fire response and management.--Fire
response and management, including--
(I) response preparedness and
initial attack readiness for new fires;
(II) deployment of response
resources; and
(III) firefighter movement
decisions during active fire
management.
(iv) Postfire activities.--Postfire
activities, including--
(I) vegetation recovery;
(II) debris flows and flooding;
(III) watershed protection; and
(IV) ecosystem health.
(C) Coordination of functions.--The Administrator
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
in coordination with each of the agencies specified in
subparagraphs (B) through (J) of subsection (c)(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--
(i) developing timely, manager-focused
models, technologies, assessments, and
forecasts to support fire operational
decisionmaking, and short- and long-term fire
planning; and
(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 postdisaster response to
shepherd the creation of highly dynamic decision
support tools.
(B) Public health information.--The Joint Office
shall ensure that public health information that is
essential to integrate into this common operating
environment is provided to ensure its products
accurately reflect the depth and breadth of the
wildfire issues. Information provided shall include air
quality data and forecasts and information pertaining
to the built environment.
(c) Board of the Joint Office.--
(1) Number and appointment.--The Joint Office shall be
governed by a board, comprised of 12 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, appointed by the Board.
There initial terms can be 1 year each.
(2) Terms.--
(A) In general.--Each member shall be appointed for
a term of 5 years, except as provided in paragraphs (2)
and (3).
(B) Terms of initial appointees.--Of the members
first appointed--
(i) the members appointed under
subparagraphs (I), (J), and (K) of paragraph
(1) shall be appointed for terms of 1 year;
(ii) the members appointed under
subparagraphs (D) and (G) of paragraph (1)
shall be appointed for terms of 2 years;
(iii) the members appointed under
subparagraphs (F) and (H) of paragraph (1)
shall be appointed for terms of 3 years; and
(iv) the members appointed under
subparagraphs (C) and (E) of paragraph (1)
shall be appointed for terms of 4 years.
(C) Vacancies.--Any member appointed to fill a
vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for
which the member's predecessor was appointed shall be
appointed only for the remainder of that term. A member
may serve after the expiration of that member's 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.--
Members of the Board who are career employees of the United
States may not receive additional pay, allowances, or benefits
by reason of their service on the Board.
(4) Travel expenses.--Each member 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.--7 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 1 year.
(7) Meetings.--The Board shall meet at least quarterly and
at a call of a majority of its members.
(d) 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 decisionmaking 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 that title relating to
classification and General Schedule pay rates.
(5) Experts and consultants.--With the approval of the
Joint Office, 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 any Federal department or agency may
detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of that
department or agency to the Joint Office to assist it in
carrying out its duties under this Act.
(e) Contract Authority.--The Joint Office may contract with and
compensate government and private agencies or persons for supplies and
services.
(f) Consultation.--In carrying out its functions under this
section, the Joint Office is encouraged to consult with and share
relevant data with the Environmental Protection Agency, the National
Aeronautical and Space Agency, the United States Geological Survey, and
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
(g) Definitions.--For purposes of this section, the following
definitions shall apply:
(1) Joint office.--The term ``Joint Office'' means the
Joint Office of the Fire Environment Center established under
subsection (a)(1).
(2) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the Board of the Joint
Office established by subsection (c).
(3) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the Joint Office required by subsection (d).
(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 2025 through 2034.
SEC. 406. INTERAGENCY DATA COLLABORATION ENVIRONMENT (REPORT
RECOMMENDATION 107).
(a) Expansion of Information System.--Not later than a 1 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 prescribed fires as well as wildfires that do not impact
structures and infrastructure. The expansion of this system shall be
compatible with, and shared with, existing wildland fire information
collection at the Fire Environment Center established under section
405.
(b) Wildfire Digital Data Center.--
(1) Creation.--The Administrator of the United States Fire
Administration shall create 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 the wildfire
communities research and share data.
(2) Data and modeling collaboration environment.--The
Wildfire Digital Data Center shall provide a data and modeling
collaboration environment for researchers across the wildfire
community to engage with data across agencies and disciplines.
(3) Open access.--The Administrator shall ensure that the
Wildfire Digital Data Center is in compliance with the guidance
on public access policies as specified in the Memorandum from
the Office of Science and Technology Policy of the Executive
Office of the President that was issued on August 25, 2022.
(4) Information to be included in wildfire digital data
center repository.--The Wildfire Digital Data Center shall
include in its repository information on the following areas:
(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) Information to be included on 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--
(A) information on postwildfire 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; and
(C) with respect to wildfire, information on
ecological recovery, assessment science, and State and
Federal emergency declaration processes.
(6) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to affect the ownership of individual agencies over
their data sources.
(c) Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable
Requirement.--
(1) Access requirement for u.s. department of the interior
library along with the national emergency training center
library and national forest service library.--Through the
Wildfire Digital Data Center, the U.S. Department of the
Interior Library along with the National Emergency Training
Center Library and National Forest Service Library shall
provide services to make federally funded wildland and
structural fire research data systems and data products
findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR).
(2) The services required by subparagraph (A) shall be
integrated with the National Emergency Response Information
System of the United States Fire Administration to better
collect data and model the built environment.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2025 through 2034.
SEC. 407. REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO PAYMENT TIMING FOR CERTAIN PROGRAMS
ADDRESSING WILDFIRE DAMAGES (REPORT RECOMMENDATION 61).
(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) by redesignating subsections (i) and (j) as
subsections (j) and (k), respectively; and
(B) 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.''.
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