S. 975

One Hundred Tenth Congress

of the

United States of America

AT THE FIRST SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday,

the fourth day of January, two thousand and seven

An Act

Granting the consent and approval of Congress to an interstate forest fire protection

compact.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of

the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. CONSENT OF CONGRESS.

(a) IN GENERAL.—The consent and approval of Congress is

given to an interstate forest fire protection compact, as set out

in subsection (b).

(b) COMPACT.—The compact reads substantially as follows:

‘‘THE GREAT PLAINS WILDLAND FIRE PROTECTION

AGREEMENT

‘‘THIS AGREEMENT is entered into by and between the State,

Provincial and Territorial wildland fire protection agencies signatory hereto, hereinafter referred to as ‘Members’.

‘‘FOR, AND IN CONSIDERATION OF the following terms

and conditions, the Members agree:

‘‘ARTICLE I

‘‘The purpose of this compact is to promote effective prevention

and control of forest fires in the Great Plains region of the United

States by the maintenance of adequate forest fire fighting services

by the member states, and by providing for reciprocal aid in fighting

forest fires among the compacting states of the region, including

South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, and any adjoining

sate of a current member state.

‘‘ARTICLE II

‘‘This compact is operative immediately as to those states

ratifying it if any two or more of the member states have ratified

it.

‘‘ARTICLE III

‘‘In each state, the state forester or officer holding the equivalent position who is responsible for forest fire control may act

as compact administrator for that state and may consult with

like officials of the other member states and may implement

cooperation between the states in forest fire prevention and control.

The compact administrators of the member states may organize
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to coordinate the services of the member states and provide administrative integration in carrying out the purposes of this compact.

Each member state may formulate and put in effect a forest fire

plan for that state.

‘‘ARTICLE IV

‘‘If the state forest fire control agency of a member state

requests aid from the state forest fire control agency of any other

member state in combating, controlling, or preventing forest fires,

the state forest fire control agency of that state may render all

possible aid to the requesting agency, consonant with the maintenance of protection at home.

‘‘ARTICLE V

‘‘If the forces of any member state are rendering outside aid

pursuant to the request of another member state under this compact, the employees of the state shall, under the direction of the

officers of the state to which they are rendering aid, have the

same powers (except the power of arrest), duties, rights, privileges,

and immunities as comparable employees of the state to which

they are rendering aid.

‘‘No member state or its officers or employees rendering outside

aid pursuant to this compact is liable on account of any act or

omission on the part of such forces while so engaged, or on account

of the maintenance or use of any equipment or supplies in connection with rendering the outside aid.

‘‘All liability, except as otherwise provided in this compact,

that may arise either under the laws of the requesting state or

under the laws of the aiding state or under the laws of a third

state on account of or in connection with a request for aid, shall

be assumed and borne by the requesting state.

‘‘Any member state rendering outside and pursuant to this

compact shall be reimbursed by the member state receiving the

aid for any loss or damage to, or expense incurred in the operation

of any equipment answering a request for aid, and for the cost

of all materials, transportation, wages, salaries, and maintenance

of employees and equipment incurred in connection with such

request. However, nothing in this compact prevents any assisting

member state from assuming such loss, damage, expense, or other

cost or from loaning such equipment or from donating such services

to the receiving member state without charge or cost.

‘‘Each member state shall assure that workers compensation

benefits in conformity with the minimum legal requirements of

the state are available to all employees and contract firefighters

sent to a requesting state pursuant to this compact.

‘‘For the purposes of this compact the term, employee, includes

any volunteer or auxiliary legally included within the forest fire

fighting forces of the aiding state under the laws of the aiding

state.

‘‘The compact administrators may formulate procedures for

claims and reimbursement under the provisions of this article,

in accordance with the laws of the member states.
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‘‘ARTICLE VI

‘‘Ratification of this compact does not affect any existing statute

so as to authorize or permit curtailment or diminution of the forest

fighting forces, equipment, services, or facilities of any member

state.

‘‘Nothing in this compact authorizes or permits any member

state to curtail or diminish its forest fire fighting forces, equipment,

services, or facilities. Each member state shall maintain adequate

forest fighting forces and equipment to meet demands for forest

fire protection within its borders in the same manner and to the

same extent as if this compact were not operative.

‘‘Nothing in this compact limits or restricts the powers of any

state ratifying the compact to provide for the prevention, control,

and extinguishment of forest fires, or to prohibit the enactment

or enforcement of state laws, rules, or regulations intended to

aid in the prevention, control, and extinguishment in the state.

‘‘Nothing in this compact affects any existing or future cooperative relationship or arrangement between the United States Forest

Service and a member state or states.

‘‘ARTICLE VII

‘‘Representatives of the United States Forest Service may

attend meetings of the compact administrators.

‘‘ARTICLE VIII

‘‘The provisions of Articles IV and V of this compact that

relate to reciprocal aid in combating, controlling, or preventing

forest fires are operative as between any state party to this compact

and any other state which is party to this compact and any other

state that is party to a regional forest fire protection compact

in another region if the Legislature of the other state has given

its assent to the mutual aid provisions of this compact.

‘‘ARTICLE IX

‘‘This compact shall continue in force and remain binding on

each state ratifying it until the Legislature or the Governor of

the state takes action to withdraw from the compact. Such action

is not effective until six months after notice of the withdrawal
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has been sent by the chief executive of the state desiring to withdraw to the chief executives of all states then parties to the compact.’’.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.