[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9702 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9702
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Wildfire
Science and Technology Advisory Board.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 19, 2024
Mr. Neguse (for himself and Mr. Harder of California) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural
Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology, 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 direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Wildfire
Science and Technology Advisory Board.
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 ``Wildfire Coordination Act''.
SEC. 2. WILDFIRE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY BOARD.
(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of the Interior shall establish a
permanent advisory committee to be known as the Wildfire Science and
Technology Advisory Board (in this section referred to as the
``Board'').
(b) Duties.--The Board shall--
(1) coordinate the operationalization within the Federal
Government of wildfire research, including by--
(A) identifying avenues for translating wildfire
research into practical applications;
(B) establishing criteria and frameworks to
prioritize wildfire research projects for
operationalization;
(C) facilitating the transition of prioritized
wildfire research into operational projects;
(D) connecting and supporting entities in wildfire
research and operations;
(E) providing feedback to refine and enhance
wildfire research outputs for practical application;
and
(F) partnering, as the Board determines
appropriate, with private sector and federally-funded
research centers to further the work of the Board;
(2) encourage wildfire researchers and Federal agencies
undertaking wildfire operations to include--
(A) relevant disciplines, such as public health,
meteorological science, and predictive modeling; and
(B) consideration of built and natural fire-prone
environments; and
(3) disseminate information, including by--
(A) establishing mechanisms, such as newsletters
and publications, online portals, webinars, and
workshops, to disseminate wildfire research findings,
operational best practices, and resources to relevant
stakeholders and practitioners; and
(B) promoting activities of the Board to ensure
visibility and accessibility to stakeholders.
(c) Membership.--
(1) Number and appointment.--The Board shall be composed of
the following members:
(A) The Secretary of the Interior (or the designee
thereof).
(B) The Secretary of Agriculture (or the designee
thereof).
(C) The Secretary of Commerce (or the designee
thereof).
(D) The Chief of the Forest Service (or the
designee thereof).
(E) The Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs
(or the designee thereof).
(F) The Director of the Bureau of Land Management
(or the designee thereof).
(G) The Administrator of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (or the designee thereof, except that
such designee may not be the member of the Board
serving pursuant to subparagraph (H)).
(H) The United States Fire Administrator (or the
designee thereof).
(I) The Director of the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service (or the designee thereof).
(J) The Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (or the designee thereof).
(K) The Director of the National Park Service (or
the designee thereof).
(L) The Director of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (or the designee thereof).
(M) The Director of the U.S. Geological Survey (or
the designee thereof).
(N) The Director of the Office of Science and
Technology Policy (or the designee thereof).
(O) The Director of the National Science Foundation
(or designee thereof).
(P) The Administrator of the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (or designee thereof).
(Q) The Director of the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (or designee thereof).
(R) The Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency (or designee thereof).
(S) Not more than 18 members, to be appointed by
the Secretary of the Interior, as follows:
(i) At least 2 representatives of State,
local, or Tribal governments.
(ii) Representatives of relevant private-
sector entities, such as codes and standards-
setting organizations, prescribed fire
associations, and entities with expertise in
wildfire science and wildfire risk
identification, transfer, and mitigation.
(iii) Wildfire, forest health, or
ecological restoration researchers.
(iv) Public health experts.
(v) Meteorological scientists.
(vi) Predictive modeling experts.
(vii) Such other members as the Secretary
of the Interior deems appropriate.
(2) Terms.--
(A) In general.--Each member of the Board serving
pursuant to subparagraph (M) or (N) of paragraph (1)
shall be appointed for a term of 2 years.
(B) Vacancies.--A vacancy on the Board shall be
filled in the manner in which the original appointment
was made.
(3) Pay and expenses.--
(A) Prohibition on compensation.--A member of the
Board shall serve without compensation.
(B) Travel expenses.--Each member of the Board
shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in
lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable
provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5,
United States Code.
(4) Chairperson.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph
(B), the Chairperson shall rotate annually among the
members of the Board serving pursuant to subparagraphs
(A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (1), beginning with the
member serving pursuant to paragraph (1)(A), followed
by the member serving pursuant to paragraph (1)(B).
(B) Exception.--For any term, the members of the
Board may designate a member of the Board to serve as
the Chairperson of the Board in lieu of the official
(or the designee thereof) who would otherwise serve as
the Chairperson pursuant to subparagraph (A).
(5) Staff; temporary and intermittent services.--
(A) Staff.--The Board may appoint personnel as it
considers appropriate.
(B) Pay.--The Chairperson of the Board may fix the
compensation of the personnel appointed under
subparagraph (A) without regard to the provisions of
chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5,
United States Code, relating to classification of
positions and General Schedule pay rates, except that
the rate of pay for such personnel may not exceed the
annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of the
Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title.
(C) Detail of federal employees.--The head of any
Federal department or agency may detail any of the
personnel of that department or agency to the Board. A
detail under the preceding sentence shall be without
reimbursement and without interruption or loss of civil
service status or privilege.
(D) Procurement of temporary and intermittent
services.--The Chairperson of the Board may procure
temporary and intermittent services under section
3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates for
individuals that do not exceed the daily equivalent of
the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of
the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of that
title.
(d) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than the date that is 2 years
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Board shall submit
a report to the relevant congressional committees, which
shall--
(A) detail the activities of the Board;
(B) discuss progress on transitioning wildfire
research into operations within the Federal government;
(C) discuss barriers to successfully transitioning
wildfire research into operations within the Federal
government; and
(D) provide recommendations on future wildfire
research priorities and operational needs.
(2) Relevant congressional committees.--In this subsection,
the term ``relevant congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committees on Agriculture; Natural
Resources; Science, Space, and Technology; and
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives; and
(B) the Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Energy
and Natural Resources; Environment and Public Works;
and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the
Senate.
(e) Termination.--Section 1013(a)(2) of title 5, United States
Code, shall not apply to the Board.
(f) Funding.--
(1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated $10,000,000 to carry out this section, to
remain available until expended.
(2) Additional funding.--In addition to the amounts made
available pursuant to paragraph (1), the Federal members of the
Board may, for purposes of carrying out this section, use
amounts whose purpose is not otherwise specified by the
appropriations laws available to the employing agencies of such
members.
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