This bill establishes forest management requirements for federal lands, particularly with respect to reducing wildfires.
For example, the bill establishes annual goals to increase (1) the number of acres of Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land that are mechanically thinned (i.e., a management process related to the removal of trees and vegetation); and (2) the number of acres of Forest Service and BLM land treated by prescribed fire. By FY2029, the goals must be to increase the number of acres of each by at least 40% compared to the average number of acres of each in FY2019-FY2023.
The bill also directs the Forest Service and the BLM to (1) implement standardized procedures for tracking data relating to hazardous fuels reduction activities they carry out, and (2) develop a strategy to identify opportunities to use livestock grazing as a wildfire risk reduction tool on federal land. Additionally, the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior must establish a deployment and test bed pilot program for wildfire prevention, detection, communication, and mitigation technologies.
The bill mandates use of existing authorities for expedited environmental review for certain forest land at high risk from wildfire, insects, or disease.
Finally, the bill provides local governments and Indian tribes the right to intervene in lawsuits concerning certain projects on federal land that (1) reduce risks posed by wildfire, insects, or disease; or (2) generate revenue from harvesting timber.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 140 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 140
To address the forest health crisis on the National Forest System and
public lands, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 16, 2025
Mr. Barrasso (for himself, Mr. Daines, Ms. Lummis, Mr. Sheehy, and Mr.
Risch) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred
to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To address the forest health crisis on the National Forest System and
public lands, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Wildfire
Prevention Act of 2025''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
TITLE I--ACCOMPLISHMENTS OVER RHETORIC
Sec. 101. Accelerating treatments on Federal land.
Sec. 102. Annual reports.
Sec. 103. Transparency in hazardous fuels reduction activity reporting.
Sec. 104. Regional forest carbon accounting.
Sec. 105. Wildland fire performance metrics.
TITLE II--FOREST MANAGEMENT
Sec. 201. Vegetation management, facility inspection, and operation and
maintenance relating to electric
transmission and distribution facility
rights-of-way.
Sec. 202. Timber sales on National Forest System land.
Sec. 203. Categorical exclusion for high-priority hazard trees.
Sec. 204. Intervenor status.
Sec. 205. Utilizing grazing for wildfire risk reduction.
TITLE III--CULTURAL CHANGE IN AGENCIES
Sec. 301. Mandatory use of existing authorities.
Sec. 302. Public-private wildfire technology deployment and testbed
partnership.
Sec. 303. Repeal of FLAME reports.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means--
(A) land of the National Forest System; and
(B) public lands (as defined in section 103 of the
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43
U.S.C. 1702)), the surface of which is administered by
the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the
Director of the Bureau of Land Management.
(2) Hazardous fuels reduction activity.--
(A) In general.--The term ``hazardous fuels
reduction activity'' means any vegetation management
activity to reduce the risk of wildfire, including
mechanical treatments and prescribed burning.
(B) Exclusion.--The term ``hazardous fuels
reduction activity'' does not include the awarding of a
contract to conduct any activity described in
subparagraph (A).
(3) National forest system.--
(A) In general.--The term ``National Forest
System'' has the meaning given the term in section
11(a) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources
Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1609(a)).
(B) Exclusion.--The term ``National Forest System''
does not include any forest reserve not created from
the public domain.
(4) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned''
means--
(A) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through
the Chief of the Forest Service, with respect to
Federal land described in paragraph (1)(A); and
(B) the Secretary of the Interior, acting through
the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, with
respect to Federal land described in paragraph (1)(B).
(5) Wildland-urban interface.--The term ``wildland-urban
interface'' has the meaning given the term in section 101 of
the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511).
TITLE I--ACCOMPLISHMENTS OVER RHETORIC
SEC. 101. ACCELERATING TREATMENTS ON FEDERAL LAND.
(a) Baseline Treatments for Fuels Reduction and Forest Health.--For
Federal land, the Secretary concerned shall determine--
(1) for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023--
(A) the number of acres mechanically thinned, for
acres commercially thinned and for acres pre-
commercially thinned; and
(B) the number of acres treated by prescribed fire;
and
(2) the average of the numbers described in subparagraphs
(A) and (B) of paragraph (1) over the period of fiscal years
2019 through 2023.
(b) Annual Goals.--
(1) In general.--For Federal land for fiscal year 2025 and
each fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary concerned shall
establish annual--
(A) mechanical thinning goals for acres
commercially thinned and for acres pre-commercially
thinned; and
(B) prescribed fire goals.
(2) Requirements.--
(A) Fiscal years 2025 and 2026.--For each of fiscal
years 2025 and 2026, the goals established under
subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1) shall be not
less than the number of acres described in subsection
(a)(2).
(B) Fiscal years 2027 and 2028.--For each of fiscal
years 2027 and 2028, the goals established under
subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1) shall be not
less than 20 percent more than the number of acres
described in subsection (a)(2).
(C) Fiscal year 2029 and subsequent fiscal years.--
For fiscal year 2029 and each fiscal year thereafter,
the goals established under subparagraphs (A) and (B)
of paragraph (1) shall be not less than 40 percent more
than the number of acres described in subsection
(a)(2).
(c) Regional Allotments.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary concerned
shall assign annual acreage allotments for mechanical thinning and
prescribed fire on Federal land, categorized by National Forest System
region or by State, as appropriate.
(d) Publication.--The Secretary concerned shall make publicly
available the data described in subsections (a), (b), and (c),
including by publishing that data on the website of the Forest Service
and the website of the Bureau of Land Management.
(e) Savings Provision.--Nothing in this section shall be construed
to supersede or conflict with any other provision of law, including--
(1) section 40803(b) of the Infrastructure Investment and
Jobs Act (16 U.S.C. 6592(b)); and
(2) the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.).
(f) Applicability of NEPA.--The establishment of annual goals under
subsection (b)(1) and the assignment of regional allotments under
subsection (c) shall not be subject to the requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
SEC. 102. ANNUAL REPORTS.
Not later than September 30, 2025, and annually thereafter, the
Secretary concerned shall publish on a public website of the Forest
Service and a public website of the Bureau of Land Management the
following information with respect to the Federal land during the
preceding fiscal year:
(1) The number of acres treated pursuant to section
40803(b) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (16
U.S.C. 6592(b)).
(2)(A) The number of acres mechanically thinned;
(B) the number of acres treated by prescribed fire; and
(C) whether the number of acres described in subparagraphs
(A) and (B) met or exceeded the acres described in section
101(b)(2).
(3) Any limitations or challenges, including litigation or
delays in the preparation of environmental documentation, that
hindered the Secretary concerned from meeting or exceeding the
annual goals established under section 101(b)(1), if
applicable.
(4) The number of acres that have undergone a regeneration
harvest.
(5) The number of acres described in subparagraphs (A) and
(B) of paragraph (2) and paragraph (4) that are in an area
identified as having--
(A) the expectation that, without remediation, at
least 25 percent of standing live basal area greater
than 1 inch in diameter may die over a 15-year time
frame due to insects and diseases, as depicted on the
National Insect and Disease Composite Risk Map; or
(B) a very high or high wildfire hazard potential.
(6) The number of acres described in subparagraphs (A) and
(B) of paragraph (2) and paragraph (4) that use either of the
following streamlined authorities for environmental review:
(A) A categorical exclusion.
(B) An emergency action authority of the Secretary
concerned.
(7) The number of acres described in subparagraphs (A) and
(B) of paragraph (2) and paragraph (4) with respect to which
partners are used to carry out the work through--
(A) a good neighbor agreement under section 8206 of
the Agricultural Act of 2014 (16 U.S.C. 2113a);
(B) a master stewardship agreement;
(C) a contract or agreement entered into under the
Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004 (25 U.S.C. 3115a);
or
(D) a stewardship end-result contract.
SEC. 103. TRANSPARENCY IN HAZARDOUS FUELS REDUCTION ACTIVITY REPORTING.
(a) Inclusion of Hazardous Fuels Reduction Report in Materials
Submitted in Support of the President's Budget.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary concerned shall include in
the materials submitted in support of the President's budget
pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, a
report describing--
(A) for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2030, the
number of acres of Federal land on which the Secretary
concerned carried out hazardous fuels reduction
activities during each of the preceding 6 fiscal years,
as assessed by the Secretary concerned using--
(i) the methodology of the Secretary
concerned in effect on the day before the date
of enactment of this Act; and
(ii) the methodology described in paragraph
(2); and
(B) for fiscal year 2031 and each fiscal year
thereafter, the number of acres of Federal land on
which the Secretary concerned carried out hazardous
fuels reduction activities during each of the preceding
6 fiscal years, as assessed by the Secretary concerned
using the methodology described in paragraph (2).
(2) Requirements.--For purposes of the reports required
under paragraph (1), the Secretary concerned shall--
(A) in determining the number of acres of Federal
land on which the Secretary concerned carried out
hazardous fuels reduction activities during each fiscal
year covered by the report--
(i) record acres of Federal land on which
hazardous fuels reduction activities were
completed during each such fiscal year; and
(ii) record each acre described in clause
(i) once in the report with respect to a fiscal
year, regardless of whether multiple hazardous
fuels reduction activities were carried out on
such acre during such fiscal year; and
(B) with respect to the acres of Federal land
recorded in the report, include information on--
(i) which such acres are located in the
wildland-urban interface;
(ii) the level of wildfire risk (high,
moderate, or low) on the first and last day of
each fiscal year covered by the report;
(iii) the types of hazardous fuels
reduction activities completed for such acres,
delineating between whether such activities
were conducted--
(I) in a wildfire managed for
resource benefits; or
(II) through a planned project;
(iv) the cost per acre of hazardous fuels
reduction activities carried out during each
fiscal year covered by the report;
(v) the region or System unit in which the
acres are located; and
(vi) the effectiveness of the hazardous
fuels reduction activities on reducing the risk
of wildfire.
(3) Transparency.--The Secretary concerned shall make each
report submitted under paragraph (1) publicly available on the
website of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of
the Interior, as applicable.
(b) Accurate Data Collection.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned shall implement
standardized procedures for tracking data relating to hazardous
fuels reduction activities carried out by the Secretary
concerned.
(2) Elements.--The standardized procedures required under
paragraph (1) shall include--
(A) regular, standardized data reviews of the
accuracy and timely input of data used to track
hazardous fuels reduction activities;
(B) verification methods that validate whether such
data accurately correlates to the hazardous fuels
reduction activities carried out by the Secretary
concerned;
(C) an analysis of the short- and long-term
effectiveness of the hazardous fuels reduction
activities on reducing the risk of wildfire; and
(D) for hazardous fuels reduction activities that
occur partially within the wildland-urban interface,
methods to distinguish which acres are located within
the wildland-urban interface and which acres are
located outside the wildland-urban interface.
(3) Report.--Not later than 14 days after implementing the
standardized procedures required under paragraph (1), the
Secretary concerned shall submit to Congress a report that
describes--
(A) such standardized procedures; and
(B) program and policy recommendations to Congress
to address any limitations in tracking data relating to
hazardous fuels reduction activities under this
subsection.
SEC. 104. REGIONAL FOREST CARBON ACCOUNTING.
Not later than September 30, 2025, and every 3 years thereafter,
the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest
Service, shall--
(1) using data from the forest inventory and analysis
program, determine the net forest carbon balance on the land in
the National Forest System of each Forest Service region,
including whether the National Forest System land is--
(A) a carbon source; or
(B) a carbon sink; and
(2) publish the information described in paragraph (1) on
the website of the Forest Service.
SEC. 105. WILDLAND FIRE PERFORMANCE METRICS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned shall submit to the
committees of Congress described in subsection (c) a report on existing
key performance indicators and potential outcome-based performance
measures to reduce wildfire risk on Federal land.
(b) Inclusions.--The report submitted under subsection (a) shall
identify solutions to track the implementation and effectiveness of
hazardous fuels reduction activities and forest restoration treatments,
including strategies--
(1) to track whether land management activities are
reducing wildfire hazards and ways to quantify and track acres
in maintenance status;
(2) to track place-based and locally led outcomes;
(3) to standardize national-level monitoring measures;
(4) to quantify catastrophic wildfire risk reduction;
(5) to identify modeling and data challenges that are
preventing the transition to annual wildfire risk mapping
updates; and
(6) to integrate advanced technologies or a combination of
technologies and analyses that will benefit the quality of
information reported.
(c) Committees of Congress Described.--The committees of Congress
referred to in subsection (a) are--
(1) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the
Senate;
(2) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
of the Senate;
(3) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives; and
(4) the Committee on Agriculture of the House of
Representatives.
TITLE II--FOREST MANAGEMENT
SEC. 201. VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, FACILITY INSPECTION, AND OPERATION AND
MAINTENANCE RELATING TO ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION AND
DISTRIBUTION FACILITY RIGHTS-OF-WAY.
(a) Hazard Trees Within 50 Feet of Electric Power Line.--Section
512(a)(1)(B)(ii) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976
(43 U.S.C. 1772(a)(1)(B)(ii)) is amended by striking ``10'' and
inserting ``50''.
(b) Permits and Agreements With Owners and Operators of Electric
Transmission or Distribution Facilities.--Section 512 of the Federal
Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1772) is amended--
(1) in the section heading, by striking ``managment'' and
inserting ``management'';
(2) by redesignating subsections (j) and (k) as subsections
(k) and (l), respectively; and
(3) by inserting after subsection (i) the following:
``(j) Permits and Agreements With Owners and Operators of Electric
Transmission or Distribution Facilities.--
``(1) In general.--In any special use permit or easement on
National Forest System or Bureau of Land Management land
provided to the owner or operator of an electric transmission
or distribution facility, the Secretary concerned may provide
permission to cut and remove trees or other vegetation from
within the vicinity of the electric transmission or
distribution facility without requiring a separate timber sale,
if that cutting and removal is consistent with--
``(A) the applicable plan;
``(B) the applicable land and resource management
plan or land use plan; and
``(C) other applicable environmental laws
(including regulations).
``(2) Use of proceeds.--A special use permit or easement
that includes permission for cutting and removal described in
paragraph (1) shall include a requirement that, if the owner or
operator of the electric transmission or distribution facility
sells any portion of the material removed under the permit or
easement, the owner or operator shall provide to the Secretary
concerned any proceeds received from the sale, less any
transportation costs incurred in the sale.
``(3) Effect.--Nothing in paragraph (2) shall require the
sale of any material removed under a permit or easement that
includes permission for cutting and removal described in
paragraph (1).''.
SEC. 202. TIMBER SALES ON NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LAND.
Section 14(d) of the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (16
U.S.C. 472a(d)) is amended, in the first sentence, by striking
``$10,000'' and inserting ``$55,000''.
SEC. 203. CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION FOR HIGH-PRIORITY HAZARD TREES.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) High-priority hazard tree.--The term ``high-priority
hazard tree'' means a standing tree that--
(A) presents a visible hazard to people or Federal
property due to conditions such as deterioration of or
damage to the root system, trunk, stem, or limbs of the
tree, or the direction or lean of the tree, as
determined by the Secretary;
(B) is determined by the Secretary to be highly
likely to fail and, if it failed, would be highly
likely to cause injury to people or damage to Federal
property; and
(C) is--
(i) within 300 feet of a National Forest
System road with a maintenance level of 3, 4,
or 5;
(ii) along a National Forest System trail;
or
(iii) in a developed recreation site on
National Forest System land that is operated
and maintained by the Secretary.
(2) High-priority hazard tree activity.--
(A) In general.--The term ``high-priority hazard
tree activity'' means a forest management activity that
mitigates the risks associated with high-priority
hazard trees, which may include pruning, felling, and
disposal of those high-priority hazard trees.
(B) Exclusions.--The term ``high-priority hazard
tree activity'' does not include--
(i) any activity conducted in a wilderness
area or wilderness study area;
(ii) any activity for the construction of a
permanent road or permanent trail;
(iii) any activity conducted on Federal
land on which, by Act of Congress or
Presidential proclamation, the removal of
vegetation is restricted or prohibited;
(iv) any activity conducted in an area in
which activities described in subparagraph (A)
would be inconsistent with the applicable land
and resource management plan; or
(v) any activity conducted in an
inventoried roadless area.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture.
(b) Categorical Exclusion.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop a
categorical exclusion (as defined in 111 of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4336e)) for high-
priority hazard tree activities.
(2) Administration.--In developing and administering the
categorical exclusion under paragraph (1), the Secretary
shall--
(A) comply with the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); and
(B) apply the extraordinary circumstances
procedures under section 220.6 of title 36, Code of
Federal Regulations (or successor regulations), in
determining whether to use the categorical exclusion.
(3) Project size limitation.--A project carried out using
the categorical exclusion developed under paragraph (1) may not
exceed 3,000 acres.
SEC. 204. INTERVENOR STATUS.
(a) In General.--For purposes of a civil action relating to a
qualified project described in subsection (b), a unit of local
government or an Indian Tribe shall be--
(1) entitled to intervene, as of right, in any subsequent
civil action; and
(2) considered to be a full participant in any settlement
negotiation relating to the qualified project if the unit of
local government or Indian Tribe, as applicable, intervenes.
(b) Description of Qualified Project.--A qualified project referred
to in subsection (a) is a project that--
(1) is located on Federal land adjacent, or with sufficient
minimum contacts, as determined by the Secretary concerned, to
the land under the jurisdiction of the unit of local government
or Indian Tribe, as applicable;
(2) has been approved by the Secretary concerned; and
(3)(A) reduces the risk posed by wildfire, insect, or
disease; or
(B) generates revenue from the harvesting of timber.
SEC. 205. UTILIZING GRAZING FOR WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION.
(a) In General.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned shall develop and submit
to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the
Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a
strategy to analyze and identify opportunities to use livestock grazing
as a wildfire risk reduction tool on Federal land, consistent with the
laws applicable to the Secretary concerned.
(b) Inclusions.--The strategy developed under subsection (a) shall
include an analysis of--
(1) opportunities--
(A) to increase the use of any authorities
applicable to livestock grazing, including
modifications to grazing permits or leases to allow
variances;
(B) to use targeted grazing to reduce hazardous
fuels;
(C) to integrate advanced technologies to
dynamically adjust livestock placement;
(D) to increase the use of livestock grazing to
eradicate invasive annual grasses and as a post-fire
restoration and recovery strategy, as appropriate; and
(E) to facilitate and expedite the temporary use of
vacant allotments during extreme weather events or
natural disasters; and
(2) any other opportunities determined to be appropriate by
the Secretary concerned.
(c) Effect on Existing Grazing Programs.--Nothing in this section
affects--
(1) any livestock grazing program carried out by the
Secretary concerned as of the date of enactment of this Act; or
(2) any statutory authority for any program described in
paragraph (1).
TITLE III--CULTURAL CHANGE IN AGENCIES
SEC. 301. MANDATORY USE OF EXISTING AUTHORITIES.
Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act,
with respect to each unit of Federal land that contains land described
in section 102(5), the Secretary concerned shall use not fewer than 1
of the following streamlined authorities for environmental review:
(1) Section 603(a) of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act
of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6591b(a)).
(2) Section 605(a) of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act
of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6591d(a)).
(3) Section 606(b) of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act
of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6591e(b)).
(4) Section 40806(b) of the Infrastructure Investment and
Jobs Act (16 U.S.C. 6592b(b)).
(5) Section 40807 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs
Act (16 U.S.C. 6592c).
(6) Section 207 of the Wildfire Suppression Funding and
Forest Management Activities Act (16 U.S.C. 6591c note; Public
Law 115-141).
SEC. 302. PUBLIC-PRIVATE WILDFIRE TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT AND TESTBED
PARTNERSHIP.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate committees.--The term ``appropriate
committees'' means--
(A) the Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry, Energy and Natural Resources, and Commerce,
Science, and Transportation of the Senate; and
(B) the Committees on Agriculture, Natural
Resources, and Science, Space, and Technology of the
House of Representatives.
(2) Covered agency.--The term ``covered agency'' means--
(A) each Federal land management agency (as defined
in section 802 of the Federal Lands Recreation
Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. 6801));
(B) the Department of Defense;
(C) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration;
(D) the United States Fire Administration;
(E) the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
(F) the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration;
(G) the Bureau of Indian Affairs; and
(H) any other Federal agency involved in wildfire
response.
(3) Covered entity.--The term ``covered entity'' means--
(A) a private entity;
(B) a nonprofit organization; and
(C) an institution of higher education (as defined
in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001)).
(4) Pilot program.--The term ``Pilot Program'' means the
deployment and testbed pilot program established under
subsection (b).
(5) Secretaries.--The term ``Secretaries'' means the
Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior,
acting jointly.
(b) Establishment.--Not later than 60 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretaries, in coordination with the heads
of the covered agencies, shall establish a deployment and testbed pilot
program for new and innovative wildfire prevention, detection,
communication, and mitigation technologies.
(c) Functions.--In carrying out the Pilot Program, the Secretaries
shall--
(1) incorporate the Pilot Program into an existing
interagency coordinating group on wildfires;
(2) in consultation with the heads of covered agencies,
identify key technology priority areas with respect to the
deployment of wildfire prevention, detection, communication,
and mitigation technologies, including--
(A) hazardous fuels reduction activities or
treatments;
(B) dispatch communications;
(C) remote sensing and tracking;
(D) safety equipment; and
(E) common operating pictures or operational
dashboards; and
(3) connect each covered entity selected to participate in
the Pilot Program with the appropriate covered agency to
coordinate real-time and on-the-ground testing of technology
during wildland fire mitigation activities and training.
(d) Applications.--To participate in the Pilot Program, a covered
entity shall submit to the Secretaries an application at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretaries may
require, which shall include a proposal to test technologies specific
to key technology priority areas identified under subsection (c)(2).
(e) Prioritization of Emerging Technologies.--In selecting covered
entities to participate in the Pilot Program, the Secretaries shall
give priority to covered entities developing and applying emerging
technologies that address issues identified by the Secretaries,
including artificial intelligence, quantum sensing, computing and
quantum-hybrid applications, augmented reality, and 5G private networks
and device-to-device communications supporting nomadic mesh networks,
for wildfire mitigation.
(f) Outreach.--The Secretaries, in coordination with the heads of
the covered agencies, shall make publicly available the key technology
priority areas identified under subsection (c)(2) and invite covered
entities to apply to test and demonstrate their technologies to address
those priority areas.
(g) Reports and Recommendations.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of enactment of this Act, and each year thereafter for the
duration of the Pilot Program, the Secretaries shall submit to the
appropriate committees a report that includes the following with
respect to the Pilot Program:
(1) A list of participating covered entities.
(2) A brief description of the technologies tested by such
covered entities.
(3) An estimate of the cost of acquiring the technology
tested in the Pilot Program and applying it at scale.
(4) Outreach efforts by Federal agencies to covered
entities developing wildfire technologies.
(5) Assessments of, and recommendations relating to, new
technologies with potential adoption and application at-scale
in the wildfire prevention, detection, communication, and
mitigation efforts of Federal land management agencies (as
defined in section 802 of the Federal Lands Recreation
Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. 6801)).
(h) Termination.--The Pilot Program shall expire on the date that
is 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 303. REPEAL OF FLAME REPORTS.
Section 502 of the FLAME Act of 2009 (43 U.S.C. 1748a) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (h); and
(2) by redesignating subsection (i) as subsection (h).
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text: CR S228-231)
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held.
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