S.3395 - Prescribed Burn Approval Act of 2016114th Congress (2015-2016)

Shown Here:
Public Law No: 114-275 (12/14/2016)

[114th Congress Public Law 275]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 130 STAT. 1405]]

Public Law 114-275
114th Congress

                                 An Act


 
To require limitations on prescribed burns. <<NOTE: Dec. 14, 2016 -  [S. 
                                3395]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Prescribed Burn 
Approval Act of 2016.>> 
SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 16 USC 551 note.>>  SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Prescribed Burn Approval Act of 
2016''.
SEC. 2. <<NOTE: 16 USC 551c-1 note.>> DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) National fire danger rating system.--The term ``national 
        fire danger rating system'' means the national system used to 
        provide a measure of fire danger according to a range of low to 
        moderate to high to very high to extreme.
            (2) Prescribed burn.--The term ``prescribed burn'' means a 
        planned fire intentionally ignited.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.
SEC. 3. <<NOTE: 16 USC 551c-1.>> LIMITATIONS ON PRESCRIBED BURNS.

    (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), the Secretary 
shall not authorize a prescribed burn on Forest Service land if, for the 
county or contiguous county in which the land is located, the national 
fire danger rating system indicates an extreme fire danger level.
    (b) <<NOTE: Coordination.>>  Exception.--The Secretary may authorize 
a prescribed burn under a condition described in subsection (a) if the 
Secretary coordinates with the applicable State government and local 
fire officials.

    (c) Report.--At the end of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall 
submit to Congress a report describing--
            (1) the number and locations of prescribed burns during that 
        fiscal year; and

[[Page 130 STAT. 1406]]

            (2) each prescribed burn during that fiscal year that was 
        authorized by the Secretary pursuant to subsection (b).

    Approved December 14, 2016.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 3395:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 162 (2016):
            Nov. 17, considered and passed Senate.
            Dec. 5, considered and passed House.

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