Wildfire Prevention Act of 2017

To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to improve mitigation assistance. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Wildfire Prevention Act of 2017 2. Mitigation assistance (a) In general Section 420 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5187 (1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and (2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following: (d) Hazard mitigation assistance Whether or not a major disaster is declared, the President may provide hazard mitigation assistance in accordance with section 404 in any area affected by a fire for which assistance was provided under this section. . (b) Conforming amendments The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5121 (1) in section 404(a) ( 42 U.S.C. 5170c(a) (A) by inserting before the first period , or any area affected by a fire for which assistance was provided under section 420 (B) in the third sentence by inserting or event under section 420 major disaster (2) in section 322(e)(1) ( 42 U.S.C. 5165(e)(1) or event under section 420 major disaster 3. Additional activities Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5170c (f) Use of assistance Recipients of hazard mitigation assistance provided under this section and section 203 may use the assistance to conduct the following activities to help reduce the risk of future damage, hardship, loss, or suffering in any area affected by a wildfire, including— (1) reseeding ground cover with quick-growing or native species; (2) mulching with straw or chipped wood; (3) constructing straw, rock, or log dams in small tributaries to prevent flooding; (4) placing logs and other erosion barriers to catch sediment on hill slopes; (5) installing debris traps to modify road and trail drainage mechanisms; (6) modifying or removing culverts to allow drainage to flow freely; (7) adding drainage dips and constructing emergency spillways to keep roads and bridges from washing out during floods; (8) planting grass to prevent the spread of noxious weeds; (9) installing warning signs; (10) establishing defensible space measures; and (11) reducing hazardous fuels. . 4. Reporting requirement Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, and the Appropriations Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report containing a summary of any projects carried out, and any funding provided to those projects, under subsection (d) of section 420 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5187

Summary: Wildfire Prevention Act of 2017 This bill amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President to provide hazard mitigation assistance in any area affected by a fire for which fire management assistance was provided under such Act, regardless of whether a major disaster is declared. Recipients of hazard mitigation assistance may use such assistance to conduct the following activities to help reduce the risk of future damage, hardship, loss, or suffering in any area affected by a wildfire: reseeding ground cover with quick-growing or native species; mulching with straw or chipped wood; constructing straw, rock, or log dams in small tributaries to prevent flooding; placing logs and other erosion barriers to catch sediment on hill slopes; installing debris traps to modify road and trail drainage mechanisms; modifying or removing culverts to allow drainage to flow freely; adding drainage dips and constructing emergency spillways to keep roads and bridges from washing out during floods; planting grass to prevent the spread of noxious weeds; installing warning signs; establishing defensible space measures; and reducing hazardous fuels. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) shall submit to specified congressional committees a report containing a summary of any projects carried out, and any funding provided to those projects, under this bill.