Western Wildfire Support Act of 2023

Subjects: Public Lands and Natural Resources, Accounting and auditing, Advanced technology and technological innovations, Advisory bodies, Appropriations, Atmospheric science and weather, Aviation and airports, Budget process, Community life and organization, Computers and information technology, Congressional oversight, Department of Agriculture, Department of the Interior, Disaster relief and insurance, Ecology, Emergency planning and evacuation, Executive agency funding and structure, Fires, First responders and emergency personnel, Forests, forestry, trees, Government information and archives, Government studies and investigations, Land use and conservation, Military education and training, Military operations and strategy, Motor vehicles, Parks, recreation areas, trails, Research and development, Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations, Transportation safety and security, Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats

Summary:  <p><strong>Western Wildfire Support Act of 2023</strong></p> <p>This bill establishes activities to address wildfires.</p> <p>The bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of the Interior to establish spatial fire management plans before the end of FY2026.</p> <p>The bill establishes </p> <ul> <li>accounts in the Treasury for addressing wildfires,</li> <li>a program to train and certify citizens who wish to be able to volunteer to assist USDA or Interior during a wildland fire incident,</li> <li> a program to award grants to eligible states or units of local government to acquire slip-on tank and pump units for a surge capacity of resources for fire suppression, </li> <li>the Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize for the management of wildfire-related invasive species, and </li> <li>the Management of Wildfire-Related Invasive Species Technology Advisory Board.</li> </ul> <p>The bill also </p><ul> <li> requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to reimburse a state or federal agency for the costs of wildfire suppression as a result of a fire caused by DOD activity,</li> <li> requires the Joint Fire Science Program to work with unmanned aircraft test ranges to carry out research and development of unmanned aircraft system fire applications, </li> <li> requires federal and state disaster preparedness programs to include postdisaster assistance, and</li> <li>authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide funding to a state agency to establish and operate a website to provide information relating to postfire recovery funding and resources to a community or an individual impacted by a wildland fire.</li> </ul>

<html><body><pre>[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 482 Introduced in House (IH)]

&lt;DOC&gt;






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 482

  To improve Federal activities relating to wildfires, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 24, 2023

Mr. Neguse (for himself, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Horsford, and Ms. 
   Matsui) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on 
  Agriculture, Armed Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, and 
    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 improve Federal activities relating to wildfires, 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 ``Western Wildfire 
Support Act of 2023''.
    (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--PREPARATION

Sec. 101. Firefighting accounts.
Sec. 102. Reimbursement for wildfires caused by military training.
Sec. 103. Strategic wildland fire management planning.
Sec. 104. Accounts to assist communities in planning and preparing for 
                            wildfires.
Sec. 105. Community support during disaster response.
          TITLE II--WILDFIRE DETECTION AND SUPPRESSION SUPPORT

Sec. 201. Wildfire detection equipment.
Sec. 202. Grant program for slip-on tank units.
Sec. 203. Assistance to States for operation of air tankers.
Sec. 204. Research and development of unmanned aircraft system fire 
                            applications.
Sec. 205. Study on effects of drone incursions on wildfire suppression.
Sec. 206. Study on wildfire detection equipment and integration of 
                            artificial intelligence technologies.
                 TITLE III--POST-FIRE RECOVERY SUPPORT

Sec. 301. Funding for online guides for post-fire assistance.
Sec. 302. Long-Term Burned Area Recovery account.
Sec. 303. Prize for wildfire-related invasive species reduction.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Congressional committees.--The term ``congressional 
        committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 
                and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Natural Resources and the 
                Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
                Representatives.
            (2) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means--
                    (A) public lands (as defined in section 103 of the 
                Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 
                U.S.C. 1702));
                    (B) units of the National Park System;
                    (C) units of the National Wildlife Refuge System;
                    (D) land held in trust by the United States for the 
                benefit of Indian Tribes or members of an Indian Tribe; 
                and
                    (E) land in the National Forest System.
            (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--
                            (i) the national grasslands and land 
                        utilization projects administered under title 
                        III of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act (7 
                        U.S.C. 1010 et seq.); or
                            (ii) National Forest System land east of 
                        the 100th meridian.
            (4) Secretaries.--The term ``Secretaries'' means--
                    (A) the Secretary of the Interior; and
                    (B) the Secretary of Agriculture.
            (5) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned'' 
        means--
                    (A) the Secretary of the Interior, in the case of 
                Federal land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of 
                the Interior; and
                    (B) the Secretary of Agriculture, in the case of 
                Federal land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of 
                Agriculture.

                          TITLE I--PREPARATION

SEC. 101. FIREFIGHTING ACCOUNTS.

    (a) Establishment of Accounts.--There are established in the 
Treasury of the United States the following accounts:
            (1) The Firefighting Operations account for the Department 
        of Agriculture.
            (2) The Firefighting Operations account for the Department 
        of the Interior.
    (b) Budget Activities Within Accounts.--The following activities 
shall be specified for funding within each Firefighting Operations 
account established by subsection (a):
            (1) Ground-based firefighting operations.
            (2) Aircraft use in firefighting operations.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) Ground-based firefighting operations.--
                    (A) Department of agriculture.--There is authorized 
                to be appropriated for fiscal year 2024 and each fiscal 
                year thereafter to the account established by 
                subsection (a)(1) not more than $3,000,000,000 for 
                ground-based firefighting operations.
                    (B) Department of the interior.--There is 
                authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2024 and 
                each fiscal year thereafter to the account established 
                by subsection (a)(2) not more than $1,000,000,000 for 
                ground-based firefighting operations.
            (2) Aircraft use in firefighting operations.--There is 
        authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2024 and each 
        fiscal year thereafter to the accounts established by 
        subsection (a), a total amount of not more than $500,000,000 
        for aircraft use in firefighting operations.
    (d) Presidential Budget Requests.--For fiscal year 2025 and each 
fiscal year thereafter, each Secretary concerned shall submit through 
the budget request of the President and in accordance with subsection 
(c), a request for amounts in the Wildland Fire Management 
appropriation account of the Secretary concerned to carry out the 
activities described in subsection (e).
    (e) Authorized Activities.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretaries shall use amounts provided 
        to the respective accounts established under subsection (a) as 
        follows:
                    (A) The Secretary of Agriculture shall use amounts 
                appropriated under subsection (c)(1)(A) to carry out 
                management activities for active wildfires through the 
                Forest Service, except that none of the amounts may be 
                used for the operation of aircraft.
                    (B) The Secretary of the Interior shall use amounts 
                appropriated under subsection (c)(1)(B) to carry out 
                management activities for active wildfires, except that 
                none of the amounts may be used for the operation of 
                aircraft.
                    (C) The Secretary concerned shall use amounts 
                appropriated under subsection (c)(2) to acquire, by 
                contract or purchase, and use aircraft, including 
                unmanned aerial systems, for operations relating to 
                wildland fires.
            (2) Limitation.--The Secretary concerned shall not use to 
        carry out any activity authorized by paragraph (1)(C) amounts 
        appropriated to accounts of the Secretary concerned other than 
        amounts in the accounts established by subsection (a) specified 
        for activities described in subsection (b)(2).
    (f) Accounting Reports.--
            (1) In general.--Each Secretary concerned shall submit to 
        the congressional committees monthly accounting reports 
        regarding the amounts that have been obligated and expended 
        under this section during the preceding month of the applicable 
        fiscal year.
            (2) Inclusions.--Each report under paragraph (1) shall 
        include a description of, with respect to the period covered by 
        the report--
                    (A) Federal ground-based equipment costs;
                    (B) Federal aircraft use costs;
                    (C) Federal personnel costs;
                    (D) on-incident and off-incident support costs; and
                    (E) funding allocated from the Wildland Fire 
                Management account of the Secretary concerned to pay 
                for administrative costs.
            (3) Requirements.--Each report under paragraph (1) shall be 
        prepared in accordance with applicable national fire plan 
        reporting procedures.

SEC. 102. REIMBURSEMENT FOR WILDFIRES CAUSED BY MILITARY TRAINING.

    (a) Reimbursement Required.--The Secretary of Defense shall, on 
application by a State or Federal agency, reimburse the State or 
Federal agency for the reasonable costs of the State or Federal agency 
for services provided in connection with fire suppression as a result 
of a fire caused by military training or other actions carried out by 
the Armed Forces or employees of the Department of Defense.
    (b) Limitation.--Services reimbursable under subsection (a) shall 
be limited to services proximately related to the fire for which 
reimbursement is sought.
    (c) Application.--Each application from a State or Federal agency 
for reimbursement for costs under subsection (a) shall provide an 
itemized request of the services covered by the application, including 
the costs of the services.
    (d) Funds.--Reimbursements under subsection (a) shall be made from 
amounts authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Defense for 
operation and maintenance.

SEC. 103. STRATEGIC WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT PLANNING.

    (a) In General.--Not later than September 30, 2026, the Secretary 
concerned shall, in accordance with this section, establish a series of 
spatial fire management plans.
    (b) Use of Existing Plans.--To comply with this section, the 
Secretary concerned may use a fire management plan in existence on the 
date of enactment of this Act.
    (c) Updates.--To be valid, a spatial fire management plan 
established under this section shall not be in use for longer than the 
10-year period beginning on the date on which the plan is established.
    (d) Subunit Plans.--The Secretary concerned shall establish a 
spatial fire management plan for each unit of Federal land with more 
than 10 acres of burnable vegetation under the jurisdiction of the 
Secretary concerned.
    (e) Contents.--For each spatial fire management plan established 
under this section, the Secretary concerned shall--
            (1) base the plans on a landscape-scale risk assessment 
        that includes--
                    (A) risks to firefighters;
                    (B) risks to communities;
                    (C) risks to highly valuable resources; and
                    (D) other relevant considerations determined by the 
                Secretary concerned;
            (2) include direction, represented in spatial form, from 
        land management plans and resource management plans;
            (3) in coordination with States, delineate potential 
        wildland fire operational delineations that--
                    (A) identify potential control locations; and
                    (B) specify the places in which firefighters will 
                not be sent because of the presence of unacceptable 
                risk, including areas determined by the Secretary 
                concerned as--
                            (i) exceeding a certain slope;
                            (ii) containing too high of a volume of 
                        hazardous fuels, under certain weather 
                        conditions; or
                            (iii) containing other known hazards;
            (4) include a determination of average severe fire weather 
        for the plan area;
            (5) include prefire planning provisions;
            (6) include a plan for postfire activities that--
                    (A) would better enable a Burned Area Emergency 
                Response Team working on a large fire incident to 
                address emergency stabilization and erosion quickly; 
                and
                    (B) specifies ways in which the Burned Area 
                Emergency Response Team would seek to prevent the 
                proliferation of invasive species in working on the 
                large fire incident; and
            (7) include, at a minimum, any other requirement determined 
        to be necessary by the Secretary concerned.
    (f) Consistency With Management Plans.--The spatial fire management 
plans established under this section shall be consistent with the fire 
management objectives and land management objectives in the applicable 
land management plan or resource management plan.
    (g) Revisions to Land Management Plans and Resource Management 
Plans.--A revision to a land management plan or resource management 
plan shall consider fire ecology and fire management in a manner that 
facilitates the issuance of direction for an incident response.
    (h) Engagement During Land Management Planning.--A supervisory 
employee of the Department of the Interior or the Department of 
Agriculture that is funded through a Firefighting Operations account 
established under section 101 shall participate directly in the 
creation or revision of an applicable land management plan or resource 
management plan to incorporate an assessment, protocol, or plan 
developed under this Act into the planning process.

SEC. 104. ACCOUNTS TO ASSIST COMMUNITIES IN PLANNING AND PREPARING FOR 
              WILDFIRES.

    (a) Establishment of Accounts.--There are established in the 
Treasury of the United States the following accounts:
            (1) The Community-Supported Land-Use Planning Assistance 
        account for the Department of Agriculture.
            (2) The Community-Supported Land-Use Planning Assistance 
        account for the Department of the Interior.
    (b) Budget Activities Within Accounts.--The following activities 
shall be specified for funding within each Community-Supported Land-Use 
Planning Assistance account established by subsection (a):
            (1) The Firewise Program operated by the National Fire 
        Protection Association.
            (2) Community wildfire protection programs.
            (3) The Fire-Adapted Communities Learning Network.
            (4) Vegetation management by communities.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated for fiscal year 2024 and each fiscal year thereafter for 
the accounts established by subsection (a) such sums as are necessary 
to carry out this section, not to exceed $200,000,000.
    (d) Presidential Budget Requests.--For fiscal year 2025 and each 
fiscal year thereafter, each Secretary concerned shall submit through 
the budget request of the President and in accordance with subsection 
(c), a request for amounts in the Wildland Fire Management 
appropriation account of the Secretary concerned to carry out the 
activities described in subsection (b).
    (e) Authorized Activities.--The Secretary concerned shall use 
amounts in the accounts established by subsection (a) as follows:
            (1) With respect to amounts appropriated for the activity 
        described in subsection (b)(1), the Secretary concerned may--
                    (A) cosponsor the Firewise Program; and
                    (B) support the expansion of the Firewise 
                Communities/USA Recognition Program to additional at-
                risk communities.
            (2) With respect to amounts appropriated for the activity 
        described in subsection (b)(2), the Secretary concerned may 
        provide assistance to at-risk communities to establish and 
        revise--
                    (A) a community wildfire protection plan (as 
                defined in section 101 of the Healthy Forests 
                Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511)); or
                    (B) a community evacuation plan.
            (3) With respect to amounts appropriated for the activity 
        described in subsection (b)(3), the Secretary concerned shall 
        establish a small grant program to address local hazard 
        reduction on Federal, State, or private land, subject to the 
        conditions that--
                    (A) a grant provided under the program--
                            (i) may be awarded to an organization in an 
                        at-risk community to address, in a sole 
                        instance, a hazardous fuel in a specific 
                        location, including piling and burning, and 
                        implementing a prescribed fire on private land;
                            (ii) shall not exceed $20,000; and
                            (iii) shall require cost-sharing assistance 
                        in an amount equal to not less than 10 percent 
                        of the amount of the grant;
                    (B) the work identified for funding under the grant 
                shall be accomplished by a team composed of, at a 
                minimum--
                            (i) a private citizen;
                            (ii) a representative of a nonprofit 
                        organization; and
                            (iii) a local fire department, including a 
                        volunteer fire department;
                    (C) to be eligible for a grant under the program, a 
                strategic plan outlining the means by which the 
                applicant will address a hazardous fuel shall be 
                submitted to the Secretary concerned; and
                    (D) on completion of a grant project, the grant 
                recipient shall--
                            (i) submit to the Secretary concerned a 
                        report; and
                            (ii) participate in training another grant 
                        recipient during the following fiscal year.
            (4) With respect to amounts appropriated for the activity 
        described in subsection (b)(4), the Secretary concerned may 
        provide cost-sharing assistance for the establishment and 
        operation of a local program in an at-risk community to assist 
        homeowners in the disposal of brush and slash generated by 
        hazard reduction activities.

SEC. 105. COMMUNITY SUPPORT DURING DISASTER RESPONSE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretaries shall establish a program to train 
and certify a citizen who wishes to be able to volunteer to assist the 
Secretaries during a wildland fire incident.
    (b) Service.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretaries shall establish several 
        categories of service for each manner in which a volunteer 
        certified under this section may provide assistance.
            (2) Direct suppression of wildland fires.--No volunteer 
        certified under this section may engage in an operation to 
        directly suppress a wildland fire.
            (3) Direction.--A volunteer under this section shall--
                    (A) report to a designee of an incident commander 
                prior to providing any assistance on a wildland fire; 
                and
                    (B) operate continuously under the direction of the 
                designee while providing assistance on a wildland fire.
    (c) Certification.--
            (1) Criteria.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretaries shall certify 
                volunteers to provide assistance for each category of 
                service established under subsection (b).
                    (B) Establishment of criteria.--The Secretaries 
                shall establish criteria for a volunteer to be 
                certified for each category of service.
                    (C) Attendance.--Attendance at training conducted 
                under paragraph (2) shall be 1 of the criteria 
                established under subparagraph (B).
                    (D) Assessment.--The Secretaries shall assess the 
                knowledge, skills, or abilities, of a person prior to 
                certifying a person to become a volunteer.
            (2) Training.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretaries shall regularly 
                conduct training for citizens who desire to be 
                certified as volunteers.
                    (B) Content.--The training shall include, at a 
                minimum, a safety component in an effort to minimize 
                inherent threats to volunteers and maximize the safety 
                of a volunteer, to the maximum extent practicable, as a 
                volunteer provides assistance on a wildland fire.
                    (C) Frequency.--The Secretaries shall offer, at a 
                minimum, 1 training session in each State with 
                significant wildfire risk, not less than every 2 years.
            (3) Identification.--
                    (A) In general.--On the certification of a 
                volunteer, the Secretary concerned shall provide to the 
                volunteer a means of identification as a volunteer.
                    (B) Display.--A volunteer certified under this 
                section shall display, continuously while assisting in 
                a wildland fire, the means of identification.

          TITLE II--WILDFIRE DETECTION AND SUPPRESSION SUPPORT

SEC. 201. WILDFIRE DETECTION EQUIPMENT.

    To the extent practicable, the Secretary concerned shall--
            (1) expedite the placement of wildfire detection equipment, 
        such as sensors, cameras, and other relevant equipment, in 
        areas at risk of wildfire;
            (2) expand the use of satellite data to assist wildfire 
        response; and
            (3) expedite any permitting required by the Secretary 
        concerned for the installation, maintenance, or removal of 
        wildfire detection equipment.

SEC. 202. GRANT PROGRAM FOR SLIP-ON TANK UNITS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretaries shall establish a program to award 
to an eligible State or unit of local government each year grants to 
acquire slip-on tank and pump units (referred to in this section as 
``slip-on units'') for a surge capacity of resources for fire 
suppression.
    (b) Eligibility.--
            (1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        this section, a State or unit of local government shall--
                    (A) submit an application at such time, in such 
                manner, and containing such information as the 
                Secretaries may require; and
                    (B) contribute non-Federal funds in accordance with 
                paragraph (2).
            (2) Cost-share requirements.--The non-Federal share of the 
        cost of acquiring slip-on units using a grant under this 
        section shall be not less than 25 percent.
    (c) Use of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--Grants awarded under this section shall be 
        used only for the acquisition of not fewer than 30 slip-on 
        units.
            (2) Restrictions.--A recipient of a grant under this 
        section--
                    (A) shall be responsible for the cost of the 
                maintenance and use of the slip-on units; and
                    (B) may not use grant funds for a cost described in 
                subparagraph (A).
    (d) Requirements for Operation of Slip-On Units.--A recipient of a 
grant under this section shall--
            (1) in maintaining and storing the slip-on units--
                    (A) store and mount a slip-on unit on a vehicle 
                only during--
                            (i) a period of extreme fire danger; or
                            (ii) an active wildland fire;
                    (B) designate a vehicle and personnel to be used 
                with each slip-on unit;
                    (C) make any necessary modification to a designated 
                vehicle to ensure compatibility with the use of the 
                slip-on unit;
                    (D) train designated personnel to use the slip-on 
                unit;
                    (E) ensure designated personnel possess elementary 
                wildland fire management skills, including post-fire-
                front structure-protection tactics; and
                    (F) maintain each slip-on unit in good, usable 
                condition for a period of not fewer than 20 years;
            (2) during a large, active wildland fire--
                    (A) staff each designated vehicle equipped with a 
                slip-on unit with--
                            (i) a person designated under paragraph 
                        (1)(B); and
                            (ii) a trained firefighter, regardless of 
                        whether the trained firefighter is paid, 
                        volunteer, or off-duty but paid;
                    (B) organize each designated vehicle equipped with 
                a slip-on unit into a team with other designated 
                vehicles under the direction of a qualified task force 
                leader; and
                    (C) use each designated vehicle equipped with a 
                slip-on unit primarily for the purpose of following 
                behind the wildland fire front--
                            (i) to prevent homes from igniting; and
                            (ii) to alert fire engines of structures 
                        that have ignited; and
            (3) comply with any other requirements determined to be 
        necessary by the Secretaries, including any minimum 
        requirements for a slip-on unit and any additional required 
        equipment.

SEC. 203. ASSISTANCE TO STATES FOR OPERATION OF AIR TANKERS.

    The Secretary concerned may provide funding to States to enable 
States to operate not more than 50 single-engine air tankers if--
            (1) the single-engine air tanker is government-owned and 
        contractor-operated or government-owned and government-
        operated;
            (2) a State receiving funding for a single-engine air 
        tanker under this section shares the cost with the Secretary of 
        the acquisition and operation of the aircraft; and
            (3) the single-engine air tanker--
                    (A) shall be used for initial attack; and
                    (B) shall not be used for large fire aviation 
                support.

SEC. 204. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM FIRE 
              APPLICATIONS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Covered unmanned aircraft test range.--The term 
        ``covered unmanned aircraft test range'' means a test range 
        that is approved of or designated by the Administrator of the 
        Federal Aviation Administration for the testing of unmanned 
        aircraft systems, as required under section 44803 of title 49, 
        United States Code.
            (2) Unmanned aircraft system.--The term ``unmanned aircraft 
        system'' means an unmanned aircraft and associated elements 
        (including communication links and the components that control 
        the unmanned aircraft) that are required for the operator to 
        operate safely and efficiently in the national airspace system 
        of the Federal Aviation Administration.
    (b) Joint Fire Science Program.--The Secretary of the Interior 
shall, acting through the Joint Fire Science Program, work with covered 
unmanned aircraft test ranges to carry out research and development of 
unmanned aircraft system fire applications.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior such sums as are 
necessary to carry out this section.

SEC. 205. STUDY ON EFFECTS OF DRONE INCURSIONS ON WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Drone.--The term ``drone'' means an unmanned aircraft 
        system owned by a private individual or entity.
            (2) Drone incursion.--The term ``drone incursion'' means 
        the operation of a drone within any airspace for which the 
        Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration has issued 
        a temporary flight restriction because of a wildfire.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of 
        Land Management.
    (b) Study Required.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest 
Service, shall conduct a study on the effects of drone incursions on 
wildfire suppression with respect to land managed by the Department of 
the Interior or the Department of Agriculture.
    (c) Study Contents.--In conducting the study required under 
subsection (b), the Secretary shall--
            (1) determine, for each of the 5 most recent calendar 
        years--
                    (A) the number of occurrences in which a drone 
                incursion interfered with wildfire suppression; and
                    (B) the effect of each occurrence described in 
                subparagraph (A) on--
                            (i) the length of time required to achieve 
                        complete suppression;
                            (ii) the effectiveness of aerial 
                        firefighting responses; and
                            (iii) the amounts expended by the Federal 
                        Government; and
            (2) evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of various 
        actions to prevent drone incursions, including--
                    (A) the use of reasonable force to disable, damage, 
                or destroy a drone;
                    (B) the seizure of a drone, including seizure with 
                a net device; and
                    (C) the dissemination of educational materials 
                relating to the effects of drone incursions on wildfire 
                suppression.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources 
of the House of Representatives a report describing--
            (1) the findings of the study required under subsection 
        (b); and
            (2) any recommendations of the Secretary relating to those 
        findings.

SEC. 206. STUDY ON WILDFIRE DETECTION EQUIPMENT AND INTEGRATION OF 
              ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGIES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretaries shall conduct a study on--
            (1) the effectiveness and limitations on the deployment and 
        application of each wildfire detection equipment technology 
        with respect to detection, confirmation, geolocation, 
        predictability of wildfire spread, suppression resource 
        management, post-fire forensics, and surface rehabilitation;
            (2) how each technology described in paragraph (1), with 
        proper and timely deployment and use, can provide for the most 
        effective and efficient means of dealing with the threat and 
        the reality of wildland fires;
            (3) the integration of artificial intelligence with real-
        time imagery and weather data provided by wildfire detection 
        equipment technology; and
            (4) how the integration of artificial intelligence 
        described in paragraph (3) can enhance the value of each 
        wildfire detection equipment technology, individually and 
        collectively.
    (b) Submission and Public Availability.--Not later than 2 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretaries shall submit 
to the congressional committees and make publicly available the results 
of the study conducted under subsection (a).

                 TITLE III--POST-FIRE RECOVERY SUPPORT

SEC. 301. FUNDING FOR ONLINE GUIDES FOR POST-FIRE ASSISTANCE.

    (a) Use of Services of Other Agencies.--Section 201(a) of the 
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5131(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (7), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(8) post-disaster assistance.''.
    (b) Funding for Online Guides for Assistance.--Section 201 of the 
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5131) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(e) Funding for Online Guides for Assistance.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Administrator of the Federal 
        Emergency Management Agency may enter into a cooperative 
        agreement to provide funding to a State agency established 
        under subsection (c) to establish and operate a website to 
        provide information relating to post-fire recovery funding and 
        resources to a community or an individual impacted by a 
        wildland fire.
            ``(2) Management.--A website created under this subsection 
        shall be--
                    ``(A) managed by the State agency; and
                    ``(B) suitable for the residents of the State of 
                the State agency.
            ``(3) Content.--The Administrator may enter into a 
        cooperative agreement to establish a website under this 
        subsection only to provide 1 or more of the following:
                    ``(A) A list of Federal, State, and local sources 
                of post-fire recovery funding or assistance that may be 
                available to a community after a wildfire.
                    ``(B) A list of Federal, State, and local sources 
                of post-fire recovery funding or assistance that may be 
                available to an individual impacted by a wildfire.
                    ``(C) A technical guide that lists and explains the 
                costs and benefits of alternatives available to a 
                community to mitigate the impacts of wildfire and 
                prepare for potential flooding.
            ``(4) Cooperation.--A State agency that enters into a 
        cooperative agreement under this subsection shall cooperate 
        with the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of 
        Agriculture, and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
        Management Agency in developing a website under this 
        subsection.
            ``(5) Updates.--A State agency that receives funding to 
        establish a website under this subsection shall update the 
        website not less than once every 6 years.''.

SEC. 302. LONG-TERM BURNED AREA RECOVERY ACCOUNT.

    (a) Establishment of Account.--There is established in the Treasury 
of the United States the Long-Term Burned Area Recovery account for the 
Department of Agriculture.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated for fiscal year 2024 and each fiscal year thereafter for 
the account established by subsection (a) such sums as are necessary to 
carry out the activities described in subsection (d), not to exceed 
$100,000,000.
    (c) Presidential Budget Requests.--For fiscal year 2025 and each 
fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit 
through the budget request of the President and in accordance with 
subsection (b), a request for amounts in the Wildland Fire Management 
appropriation account to carry out the activities described in 
subsection (d).
    (d) Authorized Activities.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall use 
amounts in the account established by subsection (a) for rehabilitation 
projects--
            (1) that begin not earlier than 1 year after the date on 
        which the wildfire was contained;
            (2) that are--
                    (A) scheduled to be completed not later than 3 
                years after the date on which the wildfire was 
                contained; and
                    (B) located at sites impacted by wildfire on non-
                Federal or Federal land;
            (3) that restore the functions of an ecosystem or protect 
        life or property; and
            (4) not less than 10 percent of the total costs of which 
        are paid for with non-Federal funds.
    (e) Prioritization of Funding.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall 
prioritize, on a nationwide basis, projects for which funding requests 
are submitted under this section, based on--
            (1) downstream effects on water resources; and
            (2) public safety.

SEC. 303. PRIZE FOR WILDFIRE-RELATED INVASIVE SPECIES REDUCTION.

    Section 7001(d) of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, 
Management, and Recreation Act (16 U.S.C. 742b note; Public Law 116-9) 
is amended--
            (1) by striking ``paragraph (8)(A)'' each place it appears 
        and inserting ``paragraph (9)(A)'';
            (2) by striking ``paragraph (8)(B)'' each place it appears 
        and inserting ``paragraph (9)(B)'';
            (3) by redesignating paragraph (8) as paragraph (9);
            (4) by inserting after paragraph (7) the following:
            ``(8) Theodore roosevelt genius prize for management of 
        wildfire-related invasive species.--
                    ``(A) Definitions.--In this paragraph:
                            ``(i) Board.--The term `Board' means the 
                        Management of Wildfire-Related Invasive Species 
                        Technology Advisory Board established by 
                        subparagraph (C)(i).
                            ``(ii) Prize competition.--The term `prize 
                        competition' means the Theodore Roosevelt 
                        Genius Prize for the management of wildfire-
                        related invasive species established under 
                        subparagraph (B).
                    ``(B) Authority.--Not later than 180 days after the 
                date of enactment of the Western Wildfire Support Act 
                of 2023, the Secretary shall establish under section 24 
                of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 
                1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719) a prize competition, to be known 
                as the `Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize for the 
                management of wildfire-related invasive species'--
                            ``(i) to encourage technological innovation 
                        with the potential to advance the mission of 
                        the National Invasive Species Council with 
                        respect to the management of wildfire-related 
                        invasive species; and
                            ``(ii) to award 1 or more prizes annually 
                        for a technological advancement that manages 
                        wildfire-related invasive species.
                    ``(C) Advisory board.--
                            ``(i) Establishment.--There is established 
                        an advisory board, to be known as the 
                        `Management of Wildfire-Related Invasive 
                        Species Technology Advisory Board'.
                            ``(ii) Composition.--The Board shall be 
                        composed of not fewer than 9 members appointed 
                        by the Secretary, who shall provide expertise 
                        in--
                                    ``(I) invasive species;
                                    ``(II) biology;
                                    ``(III) technology development;
                                    ``(IV) engineering;
                                    ``(V) economics;
                                    ``(VI) business development and 
                                management;
                                    ``(VII) wildfire; and
                                    ``(VIII) any other discipline, as 
                                the Secretary determines to be 
                                necessary to achieve the purposes of 
                                this paragraph.
                            ``(iii) Duties.--Subject to clause (iv), 
                        with respect to the prize competition, the 
                        Board shall--
                                    ``(I) select a topic;
                                    ``(II) issue a problem statement;
                                    ``(III) advise the Secretary 
                                regarding any opportunity for 
                                technological innovation to manage 
                                wildfire-related invasive species; and
                                    ``(IV) advise winners of the prize 
                                competition regarding opportunities to 
                                pilot and implement winning 
                                technologies in relevant fields, 
                                including in partnership with 
                                conservation organizations, Federal or 
                                State agencies, federally recognized 
                                Indian Tribes, private entities, and 
                                research institutions with expertise or 
                                interest relating to the management of 
                                wildfire-related invasive species.
                            ``(iv) Consultation.--In selecting a topic 
                        and issuing a problem statement for the prize 
                        competition, the Board shall consult widely 
                        with Federal and non-Federal stakeholders, 
                        including--
                                    ``(I) 1 or more Federal agencies 
                                with jurisdiction over the management 
                                of invasive species;
                                    ``(II) 1 or more Federal agencies 
                                with jurisdiction over the management 
                                of wildfire;
                                    ``(III) 1 or more State agencies 
                                with jurisdiction over the management 
                                of invasive species;
                                    ``(IV) 1 or more State agencies 
                                with jurisdiction over the management 
                                of wildfire;
                                    ``(V) 1 or more State, regional, or 
                                local wildlife organizations, the 
                                mission of which relates to the 
                                management of invasive species; and
                                    ``(VI) 1 or more wildlife 
                                conservation groups, technology 
                                companies, research institutions, 
                                institutions of higher education, 
                                industry associations, or individual 
                                stakeholders with an interest in the 
                                management of wildfire-related invasive 
                                species.
                            ``(v) Requirements.--The Board shall comply 
                        with all requirements under paragraph (9)(A).
                    ``(D) Administration by the national invasive 
                species council.--The Secretary, acting through the 
                Director of the National Invasive Species Council, 
                shall administer the prize competition.
                    ``(E) Judges.--
                            ``(i) Appointment.--The Secretary shall 
                        appoint not fewer than 3 judges who shall, 
                        except as provided in clause (ii), select the 1 
                        or more annual winners of the prize 
                        competition.
                            ``(ii) Determination by secretary.--The 
                        judges appointed under clause (i) shall not 
                        select any annual winner of the prize 
                        competition if the Secretary makes a 
                        determination that, in any fiscal year, none of 
                        the technological advancements entered into the 
                        prize competition merits an award.
                    ``(F) Report to congress.--Not later than 60 days 
                after the date on which a cash prize is awarded under 
                this paragraph, the Secretary shall submit to the 
                Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate 
                and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
                Representatives a report on the prize competition that 
                includes--
                            ``(i) a statement by the Board that 
                        describes the activities carried out by the 
                        Board relating to the duties described in 
                        subparagraph (C)(iii);
                            ``(ii) a description of the 1 or more 
                        annual winners of the prize competition; and
                            ``(iii) a statement by 1 or more of the 
                        judges appointed under subparagraph (E) that 
                        explains the basis on which the 1 or more 
                        winners of the prize competition was selected.
                    ``(G) Termination of authority.--The Board and all 
                authority provided under this paragraph shall terminate 
                on December 31, 2028.''; and
            (5) in paragraph (9) (as so redesignated)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), in the matter preceding 
                clause (i), by striking ``or (7)(C)(i)'' and inserting 
                ``(7)(C)(i), or (8)(C)(i)''; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (B)--
                            (i) in the matter preceding clause (i), by 
                        striking ``or (7)(D)(i)'' and inserting 
                        ``(7)(D)(i), or (8)(D)(i)''; and
                            (ii) in clause (i)(VII), by striking ``and 
                        (7)(E)'' and inserting ``(7)(E), and (8)(E)''.
                                 &lt;all&gt;
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