Requires the Chief of the Forest Service to make the eight Forest Service First Generation Modular Airborne FireFighting System (MAFFS I) units available, without compensation, to units of the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve that have C-130H aircraft configured to contain such an MAFFS I unit and adequate pilot and crew member training in its use to fight wildfires.
Directs the Chief to make the nine Forest Service Second Generation Modular Airborne FireFighting System (MAFFS II) units immediately available, without compensation, to specified units of the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve in Wyoming, North Carolina, Colorado, and California.
Prohibits the Chief from procuring air tankers to fight wildfires from a foreign government without certifying that MAFFS air tanker support available from units of the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve is being fully utilized or is insufficient to address wildfires on National Forest System land.
[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5965 Introduced in House (IH)]
112th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5965
To require the Chief of the Forest Service to make the Forest Service
First and Second Generation Modular Airborne FireFighting System
(MAFFS) units available to units of the Air National Guard and Air
Force Reserve that have the aircraft capability and pilot and crew
member training adequate for utilizing such firefighting systems to
help alleviate the shortage of air tankers to fight wildfires.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 19, 2012
Mr. Gallegly introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Chief of the Forest Service to make the Forest Service
First and Second Generation Modular Airborne FireFighting System
(MAFFS) units available to units of the Air National Guard and Air
Force Reserve that have the aircraft capability and pilot and crew
member training adequate for utilizing such firefighting systems to
help alleviate the shortage of air tankers to fight wildfires.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. AVAILABILITY OF FOREST SERVICE FIRST AND SECOND GENERATION
MODULAR AIRBORNE FIREFIGHTING SYSTEMS (MAFFS) FOR AIR
NATIONAL GUARD AND AIR FORCE RESERVE.
(a) First Generation MAFFS Units.--In order to help alleviate the
shortage of air tankers to fight wildfires, the Chief of the Forest
Service shall make the eight Forest Service First Generation Modular
Airborne FireFighting System (MAFFS I) units available, without
compensation, to units of the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve
that have C-130H aircraft configured to contain such a MAFFS unit and
adequate pilot and crew member training in the use of such a MAFFS
unit.
(b) Second Generation MAFFS Units.--
(1) Requirement to make units available.--In order to help
alleviate the shortage of air tankers to fight wildfires, the
Chief of the Forest Service shall make the nine Forest Service
Second Generation Modular Airborne FireFighting System (MAFFS
II) units immediately available, without compensation, to units
of the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve as follows:
(A) Up to two MAFFS II units will be located at the
Air National Guard unit in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
(B) Up to two MAFFS II units will be located at the
Air National Guard unit in Charlotte, North Carolina.
(C) Up to two MAFFS II units will be located at the
Air Force Reserve unit in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
(D) A minimum of three MAFFS II units will be
located at the Channel Islands Air National Guard Base,
California.
(2) Configuration.--The MAFFS II units to be made available
under subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (1) are
intended for use in MAFFS-configured C-130H aircraft. The MAFFS
II units to be made available under subparagraph (D) of such
paragraph are intended for use in MAFFS-configured C-130J
aircraft.
(c) Priority for Domestic Sources of Air Tanker Support.--The Chief
of the Forest Service may not procure air tankers to fight wildfires
from a foreign government unless the Chief of the Forest Service
certifies to Congress that MAFFS air tanker support available from
units of the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve--
(1) is being fully utilized; or
(2) is not sufficient to address wildfires on National
Forest System land.
(d) Implementation Report.--Not later than 30 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Chief of the Forest Service shall
submit to the Committees on Agriculture and Natural Resources of the
House of Representatives and the Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition,
and Forestry, and Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report
describing--
(1) how the Forest Service intends to make the MAFFS II
units immediately available under subsection (b); and
(2) the process and proposed timeline to make the MAFFS I
units available under subsection (a).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry.
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