118 HR 8656 IH: Modernizing Wildfire Safety and Prevention Act of 2024
U.S. House of Representatives
2024-06-07
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
I
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8656
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.
1.

Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Modernizing Wildfire Safety and Prevention Act of 2024”.
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).
3.

Definition of Report
In this Act, the term Report means the Report of the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission, dated September 2023.
I

Workforce Development
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.
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.
II

Wildland Firefighter Support
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.
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.
III

Wildfire Smoke and Public Health
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.
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.
IV

Fire Mitigation and Technology
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”.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”.