State governments, Indian Tribes, local governments, aca-
demic or research institutions, and private entities to im-
prove the information and operations of the Center. 
(d) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT, TECHNICAL SERV-
ICES, AND STAFF SUPPORT.— 
(1) USGS SUPPORT.—The Secretary of the In-
terior shall make personnel of the U.S. Geological 
Survey available to the Center for such administra-
tive support, technical services, and development and 
dissemination of data as the Secretary determines 
necessary to carry out this section. 
(2) USFS 
SUPPORT.—The Secretary shall 
make personnel of the Forest Service available to 
the Center for such administrative support, technical 
services, and the development and dissemination of 
information related to fireshed management and the 
Fireshed Registry as the Secretary determines nec-
essary to carry out this section. 
SEC. 103. FIRESHED REGISTRY. 
(a) FIRESHED REGISTRY.—The Secretary, acting 
through the Director of the Fireshed Center appointed 
under section 102, shall maintain a Fireshed Registry on 
a publicly accessible website that provides interactive 
geospatial data on individual firesheds, including informa-
tion on— 
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(1) wildfire exposure delineated by ownership, 
including rights-of-way for utilities and other public 
or private purposes; 
(2) any hazardous fuels management activities 
that have occurred within an individual fireshed in 
the past 10 years; 
(3) wildfire exposure with respect to such 
fireshed delineated by— 
(A) wildfire exposure and corresponding 
risk to communities, including risk to structures 
and life; 
(B) wildfire exposure and corresponding 
risk to municipal watersheds; and 
(C) risk of forest conversion due to wild-
fire; 
(4) the percentage of the fireshed that has 
burned in wildfires in the past 10 years, including, 
to the extent practicable, delineations of acres that 
have burned at a high severity; 
(5) spatial patterns of wildfire exposure, includ-
ing plausible extreme fire events; and 
(6) any hazardous fuels management activities 
planned for the fireshed, including fireshed manage-
ment projects under section 106 of this Act. 
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(b) COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLANS.— 
The Director shall make data from the Fireshed Registry 
available to local communities developing or updating com-
munity wildfire protection plans. 
(c) REQUIREMENT TO MAINTAIN.—As part of the 
website containing the Fireshed Registry, the Director 
shall— 
(1) publish fireshed assessments created under 
section 105; and 
(2) maintain a searchable database to track— 
(A) the status of Federal environmental re-
views, permits, and authorizations for specific 
fireshed management projects conducted under 
section 106, including— 
(i) a comprehensive permitting time-
table; 
(ii) the status of the compliance of 
each lead agency, cooperating agency, and 
participating agency with the permitting 
timetable with respect to such fireshed 
management projects; 
(iii) any modifications of the permit-
ting timetable required under clause (i), in-
cluding an explanation as to why the per-
mitting timetable was modified; and 
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(iv) information about project-related 
public meetings, public hearings, and pub-
lic comment periods, which shall be pre-
sented in English and the predominant 
language of the community or communities 
most affected by the project, as that infor-
mation becomes available; 
(B) the projected cost of such fireshed 
management projects; and 
(C) in the case of fireshed management 
projects completed pursuant to section 106, the 
effectiveness of such projects in reducing the 
wildfire exposure within an applicable fireshed, 
including wildfire exposure described in sub-
paragraphs (A) through (C) of subsection 
(a)(3). 
SEC. 104. SHARED STEWARDSHIP. 
(a) JOINT AGREEMENTS.—Not later than 90 days 
after receiving a written request from a Governor of a 
State or an Indian Tribe, the Secretary concerned shall 
enter into a shared stewardship agreement (or similar 
agreement) with such Governor or Indian Tribe to joint-
ly— 
(1) promote the reduction of wildfire exposure, 
based on the criteria in section 101(a)(1)(B), in 
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fireshed management areas across jurisdictional 
boundaries; and 
(2) conduct fireshed assessments under section 
105. 
(b) ADDITIONAL FIRESHED MANAGEMENT AREAS.— 
With respect to a shared stewardship agreement (or simi-
lar agreement) with a Governor of a State or an Indian 
Tribe entered into under subsection (a), the Secretary con-
cerned, if requested by such Governor or Indian Tribe, 
may— 
(1) designate additional fireshed management 
areas under such agreement; and 
(2) update such agreement to address new wild-
fire threats. 
SEC. 105. FIRESHED ASSESSMENTS. 
(a) FIRESHED ASSESSMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date on which the Secretary concerned enters 
into an agreement with a Governor of a State or an 
Indian Tribe under section 104, the Secretary con-
cerned and such Governor or Indian Tribe shall, 
with respect to the fireshed management areas des-
ignated in such State, jointly conduct a fireshed as-
sessment that— 
(A) identifies— 
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(i) using the best available data, wild-
fire exposure risks within each such 
fireshed management area, including sce-
nario planning and wildfire hazard map-
ping and models; and 
(ii) each at-risk community within 
each fireshed management area; 
(B) identifies potential fireshed manage-
ment projects to be carried out in such fireshed 
management areas, giving priority— 
(i) primarily, to projects with the pur-
pose of reducing— 
(I) wildfire exposure and cor-
responding risk to communities, in-
cluding risk to structures and life; 
(II) wildfire exposure and cor-
responding risk to municipal water-
sheds; 
(III) risk of forest conversion due 
to wildfire; or 
(IV) any combination of purposes 
described in subclauses (I) through 
(III); and 
(ii) secondarily, to projects with the 
purpose of protecting— 
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(I) critical infrastructure, includ-
ing utility infrastructure; 
(II) wildlife habitats, including 
habitat for species listed under the 
Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 
1531 et seq.); 
(III) the built environment, in-
cluding residential and commercial 
buildings; 
(IV) Tribal resources; or 
(V) any combination of purposes 
described in subclauses (I) through 
(IV); 
(C) includes— 
(i) a strategy for reducing the threat 
of wildfire to at-risk communities in the 
wildland-urban interface on both Federal 
and non-Federal land; 
(ii) a timeline for the implementation 
of fireshed management projects; 
(iii) long-term benchmark goals for 
the completion of fireshed management 
projects in the highest wildfire exposure 
areas so that such projects contribute to 
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the development and maintenance of 
healthy and resilient landscapes; and 
(iv) policies to ensure fireshed man-
agement projects comply with applicable 
forest plans and incorporate the best avail-
able science; 
(D) shall be regularly updated based on 
the best available data, as determined by the 
Secretary concerned; and 
(E) shall be publicly available on a website 
maintained by the Secretary concerned. 
(2) LOCAL
GOVERNMENT
PARTICIPATION.— 
Upon the written request of a local government, the 
Secretary concerned may allow such local govern-
ment to participate in producing the fireshed assess-
ment under paragraph (1) with the Governor of the 
State and for the State in which the local govern-
ment is located. 
(3) INFORMATION IMPROVEMENT.— 
(A) 
MEMORANDUMS
OF
UNDER-
STANDING.—In carrying out a fireshed assess-
ment under this subsection, the Secretary con-
cerned may enter into memorandums of under-
standing with other Federal agencies or depart-
ments, States, Indian Tribes, private entities, 
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or research or educational institutions to im-
prove, with respect to such assessment, the use 
and integration of— 
(i) advanced remote sensing and 
geospatial technologies; 
(ii) statistical modeling and analysis; 
or 
(iii) any other technology or combina-
tion of technologies and analyses that the 
Secretary concerned determines will benefit 
the quality of information of such an as-
sessment. 
(B) BEST AVAILABLE SCIENCE.—In using 
the best available science for the fireshed as-
sessments completed under subsection (a)(1), 
the Secretary concerned and Governor shall, to 
the maximum extent practicable, incorporate— 
(i) traditional ecological knowledge 
from Indian Tribes; 
(ii) data from State forest action 
plans and State wildfire risk assessments; 
(iii) data from the Fireshed Registry 
maintained under section 103; and 
(iv) data from other Federal, State, 
Tribal, and local governments or agencies. 
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(b) APPLICABILITY
OF NEPA.—Fireshed assess-
ments conducted under this section shall not be subject 
to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). 
SEC. 106. EMERGENCY FIRESHED MANAGEMENT. 
(a) FIRESHED MANAGEMENT PROJECTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary concerned, 
acting through a responsible official, shall carry out 
fireshed management projects in fireshed manage-
ment areas designated under section 101 in accord-
ance with this section. 
(2) FIRESHED MANAGEMENT PROJECTS.—The 
responsible official shall carry out the following for-
est and vegetation management activities as fireshed 
management projects under this section: 
(A) Conducting hazardous fuels manage-
ment activities. 
(B) Creating fuel breaks and fire breaks. 
(C) Removing hazard trees, dead trees, 
dying trees, or trees at risk of dying, as deter-
mined by the responsible official. 
(D) Developing, approving, or conducting 
routine maintenance under a vegetation man-
agement, facility inspection, and operation and 
maintenance plan submitted under section 
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512(c)(1) of the Federal Land Policy and Man-
agement Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1772(c)(1)). 
(E) Removing trees to address over-
stocking or crowding in a forest stand, con-
sistent with the appropriate basal area of the 
forest stand as determined by the responsible 
official. 
(F) Using chemical or re-seeding and 
planting treatments to address insects and dis-
ease and control vegetation competition or 
invasive species. 
(G) Any activities recommended by the 
state-specific fireshed assessment carried out 
under section 105. 
(H) Any activities recommended by an ap-
plicable community wildfire protection plan. 
(I) Any combination of activities described 
in this paragraph. 
(3) EMERGENCY FIRESHED MANAGEMENT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—For any fireshed man-
agement area designated under section 101, the 
following shall have the force and effect of law: 
(i) Section 220.4(b) of title 36, Code 
of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the 
date of enactment of this Act), with re-
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spect to lands under the jurisdiction of the 
Secretary. 
(ii) Section 46.150 of title 43, Code of 
Federal Regulations (as in effect on the 
date of enactment of this Act), with re-
spect to lands under the jurisdiction of the 
Secretary of the Interior. 
(iii) Section 402.05 of title 50, Code 
of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the 
date of enactment of this Act). 
(iv) Section 800.12 of title 36, Code 
of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the 
date of enactment of this Act). 
(B) UTILIZATION
OF
EXISTING
STREAM-
LINED
AUTHORITIES
IN
FIRESHED
MANAGE-
MENT AREAS.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—Fireshed manage-
ment projects carried out under this sec-
tion shall be considered authorized projects 
under the following categorical exclusions: 
(I) Section 603(a) of the Healthy 
Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 
U.S.C. 6591b(a)). 
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(II) 
Section 
605(a) 
of 
the 
Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 
2003 (16 U.S.C. 6591d(a)). 
(III) 
Section 
606(b) 
of 
the 
Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 
2003 (16 U.S.C. 6591e(b)). 
(IV) Section 40806(b) of the In-
frastructure Investment and Jobs Act 
(16 U.S.C. 6592b(b)). 
(V) Section 4(c)(4) of the Lake 
Tahoe Restoration Act (Public Law 
106–506; 114 Stat. 2353). 
(VI) Subject to subsection (d) of 
section 40807 of the Infrastructure 
Investment and Jobs Act (16 U.S.C. 
6592c) in the same manner as author-
ized emergency actions (as defined in 
subsection (a) of such section) are 
subject to such subsection. 
(ii) USE
OF
EXPEDITED
AUTHORI-
TIES.—In carrying out fireshed manage-
ment project, the Secretary shall apply a 
categorical exclusion under clause (i)— 
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(I) in a manner consistent with 
the statute establishing such categor-
ical exclusion 
(II) in any area— 
(aa) designated as suitable 
for timber production within the 
applicable forest plan; or 
(bb) where timber harvest 
activities are not prohibited. 
(iii) FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY ACT RE-
QUIREMENTS.—In carrying out this sec-
tion, the Secretary concerned shall ensure 
compliance with the amendments made to 
the National Environmental Policy Act (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) by the Fiscal Respon-
sibility Act of 2023 (Public Law 118–5). 
(iv) USE OF OTHER AUTHORITIES.— 
To the maximum extent practicable, the 
Secretary concerned shall use the authori-
ties provided under this section in com-
bination with other authorities to carry out 
fireshed management projects, including— 
(I) good neighbor agreements en-
tered into under section 8206 of the 
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Agricultural Act of 2014 (16 U.S.C. 
2113a) (as amended by this Act); 
(II) 
stewardship 
contracting 
projects entered into under section 
604 of the Healthy Forests Restora-
tion Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6591c) 
(as amended by this Act); 
(III) self-determination contracts 
and self-governance compact agree-
ments entered into under the Indian 
Self-Determination and Education As-
sistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.); 
and 
(IV) agreements entered into 
under the Tribal Forest Protection 
Act of 2004 (25 U.S.C. 3115a et 
seq.). 
(b) EXPANSION.— 
(1) HFRA AMENDMENTS.—The Healthy For-
ests Restoration Act of 2003 is amended— 
(A) in section 603(c)(1) (16 U.S.C. 
6591b(c)(1)), by striking ‘‘3000 acres’’ and in-
serting ‘‘10,000 acres’’; 
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(B) in section 605(c)(1) (16 U.S.C. 
6591d(c)(1)), by striking ‘‘3,000 acres’’ and in-
serting ‘‘10,000 acres’’; 
(C) 
in 
section 
606(g) 
(16 
U.S.C. 
6591e(g)), by striking ‘‘4,500 acres’’ and in-
serting ‘‘10,000 acres’’; and 
(D) in section 40806(d) of the Infrastruc-
ture Investment and Jobs Act (16 U.S.C. 
6592b(d)(1)), by striking ‘‘3,000 acres’’ and in-
serting ‘‘10,000 acres’’; and 
(2) LAKE TAHOE RESTORATION ACT AMEND-
MENTS.—Section 4(c)(4)(C) of the Lake Tahoe Res-
toration Act (Public Law 106–506; 114 Stat. 2353) 
is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘Lake Tahoe Basin Man-
agement Unit’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘applicable to the area’’ 
before the period at the end. 
SEC. 107. SUNSET. 
The authority under this subtitle shall terminate on 
the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act. 
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Subtitle 
B—Expanding 
Collabo-
rative Tools To Reduce Wildfire 
Risk and Improve Forest Health 
SEC. 111. MODIFICATION OF THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN 
REVENUE 
AND 
PAYMENTS 
UNDER 
GOOD 
NEIGHBOR AGREEMENTS. 
(a) GOOD NEIGHBOR AUTHORITY.—Section 8206 of 
the Agricultural Act of 2014 (16 U.S.C. 2113a) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (a)(6), by striking ‘‘or Indian 
tribe’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting ‘‘, 
Indian tribe,’’ after ‘‘Governor’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2)(C)— 
(i) by striking clause (i) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—Funds received 
from the sale of timber or forest product 
by a Governor, an Indian tribe, or a county 
under a good neighbor agreement shall be 
retained and used by the Governor, Indian 
tribe, or county, as applicable— 
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‘‘(I) to carry out authorized res-
toration services under the good 
neighbor agreement; and 
‘‘(II) if there are funds remain-
ing after carrying out subclause (I), 
to carry out authorized restoration 
services under other good neighbor 
agreements and for the administration 
of a good neighbor authority program 
by a Governor, Indian tribe, or coun-
ty.’’; and 
(ii) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘2024’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2029’’; 
(C) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘, In-
dian tribe,’’ after ‘‘Governor’’; and 
(D) by striking paragraph (4). 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 8206(a) 
of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (16 U.S.C. 2113a(a)) is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)(B), by inserting ‘‘, Indian 
tribe,’’ after ‘‘Governor’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (5), by inserting ‘‘, Indian 
tribe,’’ after ‘‘Governor’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section apply to any project initiated pursuant to a 
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good neighbor agreement (as defined in section 8206(a) 
of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (16 U.S.C. 2113a(a)))— 
(1) before the date of enactment of this Act, if 
the project was initiated after the date of enactment 
of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Public 
Law 115–334; 132 Stat. 4490); or 
(2) on or after the date of enactment of this 
Act. 
SEC. 
112. 
FIXING 
STEWARDSHIP 
END 
RESULT 
CON-
TRACTING. 
Section 604 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act 
of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6591c) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b), by inserting ‘‘, including 
retaining and expanding existing forest products in-
frastructure’’ before the period at the end; 
(2) in subsection (d)(3)(B), by striking ‘‘10 
years’’ and inserting ‘‘20 years’’; and 
(3) in subsection (h), by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(4) SPECIAL RULE FOR LONG-TERM STEWARD-
SHIP CONTRACTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—A long-term agree-
ment or contract entered into with an entity 
under subsection (b) by the Chief or the Direc-
tor shall provide that in the case of the can-
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cellation or termination by the Chief or the Di-
rector of such long-term agreement or contract, 
the Chief or the Director, as applicable, shall 
provide 10 percent of the agreement or contract 
amount to such entity as cancellation or termi-
nation costs. 
‘‘(B) DEFINITION OF LONG-TERM AGREE-
MENT OR CONTRACT.—In this paragraph, the 
term ‘long-term agreement or contract’ means 
an agreement or contract under subsection 
(b)— 
‘‘(i) with a term of more than 5 years; 
and 
‘‘(ii) entered into on or after the date 
of the enactment of this paragraph.’’. 
SEC. 113. INTRA-AGENCY STRIKE TEAMS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary concerned 
shall establish intra-agency strike teams to assist the Sec-
retary concerned with— 
(1) any reviews, including analysis under the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), consultations under the Na-
tional Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 
470 et seq.), and consultations under the Endan-
gered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), 
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(c) SUNSET.—The authority provided under this sec-
tion shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 114. LOCALLY-LED RESTORATION. 
(a) THRESHOLD ADJUSTMENT.—Section 14(d) of the 
National Forest Management Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. 
472a(d)) is amended by— 
(1) 
striking 
‘‘$10,000’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘$55,000’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘Begin-
ning on January 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, 
the amount in the first sentence of this subsection 
shall be adjusted by the Secretary for changes in the 
Consumer Price Index of All Urban Consumers pub-
lished by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the De-
partment of Labor.’’. 
(b) FIRESHED MANAGEMENT PROJECTS.—Begin-
ning on the date that is 30 days after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall solicit bids under sec-
tion 14 of the National Forest Management Act of 1976 
(16 U.S.C. 472a(d)) for fireshed management projects 
under section 106. 
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Subtitle C—Litigation Reform 
SEC. 121. COMMONSENSE LITIGATION REFORM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—A court shall not enjoin a fireshed 
management project if the court determines that the plain-
tiff is unable to demonstrate that the claim of the plaintiff 
is likely to succeed on the merits. 
(b) BALANCING SHORT- AND LONG-TERM EFFECTS 
OF FIRESHED MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES
IN CONSID-
ERING INJUNCTIVE RELIEF.—As part of its weighing the 
equities while considering any request for an injunction 
that applies to any agency action as part of a fireshed 
management project, the court reviewing the agency ac-
tion shall balance the impact to the ecosystem likely af-
fected by the fireshed management project of— 
(1) the short- and long-term effects of under-
taking the agency action; against 
(2) the short- and long-term effects of not un-
dertaking the action. 
(c) LIMITATIONS FOR INJUNCTIVE RELIEF AND RE-
MAND.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, a court shall not vacate or other-
wise limit, delay, stay, or enjoin a fireshed manage-
ment project unless the court determines that— 
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(A) the fireshed management project will 
pose a risk of a proximate and substantial envi-
ronmental harm; and 
(B) there is no other equitable remedy 
available as a matter of law. 
(2) REMAND.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any 
other provision of law, if a court determines 
that a fireshed management project will not 
pose a risk of a proximate and substantial envi-
ronmental harm— 
(i) the court may remand the fireshed 
management project to the applicable 
agency with instruction to correct (includ-
ing specific directions) the errors or defi-
ciencies within 180 days; and 
(ii) an activity under the fireshed 
management project may be carried out so 
long as such activity does not affect the er-
rors or deficiencies described in clause (i). 
(B) REVIEW.—Unless the court finds that 
the applicable agency entirely failed to prepare 
a required environmental assessment or envi-
ronmental impact statement, on remand— 
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(i) the court shall not require such 
agency to prepare a new environmental as-
sessment or environmental impact state-
ment; and 
(ii) such agency may use another for-
mat, including a memorandum or errata 
sheet, to document any new analysis re-
quired. 
(d) LIMITATIONS ON CLAIMS.—Notwithstanding any 
other provision of law, a claim arising under Federal law 
seeking judicial review of a fireshed management project 
shall be barred unless— 
(1) with respect to an agency document noticed 
in the Federal Register, such claim is filed not later 
than 120 days after the date of publication of a no-
tice in the Federal Register of agency intent to carry 
out the fireshed management project, unless a short-
er period is specified in such Federal law; 
(2) in the case of an agency document not de-
scribed in paragraph (1), such claim is filed not 
later than 120 days after the date that is the earlier 
of— 
(A) the date on which such agency docu-
ment is published; and 
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(B) the date on which such agency docu-
ment is noticed; and 
(3) in the case of an authorization or action for 
which there was a public comment period, such 
claim— 
(A) is filed by a party that— 
(i) participated in the administrative 
proceedings regarding such fireshed man-
agement project; and 
(ii) submitted a comment during such 
public comment period and such comment 
was sufficiently detailed to put the applica-
ble agency on notice of the issue upon 
which the party seeks judicial review; and 
(B) is related to such comment. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) AGENCY
DOCUMENT.—The term ‘‘agency 
document’’ means, with respect to a fireshed man-
agement project, a record of decision, categorical ex-
clusion, environmental document, or programmatic 
environmental document. 
(2) NEPA TERMS.—The terms ‘‘categorical ex-
clusion’’, ‘‘environmental document’’, and ‘‘pro-
grammatic environmental document’’ have the mean-
ings given such terms, respectively, in section 111 of 
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the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
U.S.C. 4336e). 
SEC. 122. CONSULTATION ON FOREST PLANS. 
(a) FOREST SERVICE PLANS.—Section 6(d)(2) of the 
Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act 
of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1604(d)(2)) is amended to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(2) NO
ADDITIONAL
CONSULTATION
RE-
QUIRED
UNDER
CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES.—Not-
withstanding any other provision of law, the Sec-
retary shall not be required to reinitiate consultation 
under section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act 
of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1536(a)(2)) or section 402.16 of 
title 50, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor 
regulation), on a land management plan approved, 
amended, or revised under this section when— 
‘‘(A) a new species is listed or critical habi-
tat is designated under the Endangered Species 
Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); or 
‘‘(B) new information reveals effects of the 
land management plan that may affect a spe-
cies listed or critical habitat designated under 
that Act in a manner or to an extent not pre-
viously considered.’’. 
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(b) BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS.—Sec-
tion 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1712) is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘(g) NO ADDITIONAL CONSULTATION REQUIRED 
UNDER
CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES.—Notwithstanding 
any other provision of law, the Secretary shall not be re-
quired to reinitiate consultation under section 7(a)(2) of 
the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 
1536(a)(2)) or section 402.16 of title 50, Code of Federal 
Regulations (or a successor regulation), on a land use plan 
approved, amended, or revised under this section when— 
‘‘(1) a new species is listed or critical habitat 
is designated under the Endangered Species Act of 
1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); or 
‘‘(2) new information reveals effects of the land 
use plan that may affect a species listed or critical 
habitat designated under that Act in a manner or to 
an extent not previously considered.’’. 
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TITLE II—PROTECTING COMMU-
NITIES IN THE WILDLAND- 
URBAN INTERFACE 
SEC. 201. COMMUNITY WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 30 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretaries shall 
jointly establish an interagency program to be known as 
the ‘‘Community Wildfire Risk Reduction Program’’ that 
shall consist of at least one representative from each of 
the following: 
(1) The Office of Wildland Fire of the Depart-
ment of the Interior. 
(2) The National Park Service. 
(3) The Bureau of Land Management. 
(4) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 
(5) The Bureau of Indian Affairs. 
(6) The Forest Service. 
(7) The Federal Emergency Management Agen-
cy. 
(8) The U.S. Fire Administration. 
(9) The National Institute of Standards and 
Technology. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the program estab-
lished under subsection (a) is to support interagency co-
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ordination in reducing the risk of, and the damages result-
ing from, wildfires in communities (including tribal com-
munities) in the wildland-urban interface through— 
(1) advancing research and science in wildfire 
resilience and land management; 
(2) supporting adoption by Indian Tribes and 
local governmental entities of fire-resistant building 
methods, codes, and standards; 
(3) supporting efforts by Indian Tribes or local 
governmental entities to address the effects of 
wildland fire on such communities, including prop-
erty damages, air quality, and water quality; 
(4) encouraging public-private partnerships to 
conduct hazardous fuels management activities in 
the wildland-urban interface; 
(5) providing technical and financial assistance 
to communities through streamlined and unified 
mechanisms, including the portal and grant applica-
tion established under subsection (c). 
(c) PORTAL AND UNIFORM GRANT APPLICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—As part of the program es-
tablished under subsection (a), the Secretaries and 
the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Man-
agement Agency shall establish a portal through 
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which a person may submit a single, uniform appli-
cation for any of the following: 
(A) A community wildfire defense grant 
under section 40803(f) of the Infrastructure In-
vestment and Jobs Act (16 U.S.C. 6592(f)). 
(B) An emergency management perform-
ance grant under section 662 of the Post- 
Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 
2006 (6 U.S.C. 761). 
(C) A grant under section 33 of the Fed-
eral Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 
(15 U.S.C. 2229). 
(D) A grant under section 34 of the Fed-
eral Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 
(15 U.S.C. 2229a). 
(E) Financial or technical assistance or a 
grant under sections 203, 205, 404, 406, or 
420 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5133, 5135, 5170c, 5172, 5187). 
(2) SIMPLIFICATION OF APPLICATION.—In es-
tablishing the portal and application under para-
graph (1), the Secretaries and the Administrator 
shall seek to reduce the complexity and length of the 
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application process for the grants described in para-
graph (1). 
(3) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretaries 
shall provide technical assistance to communities or 
persons seeking to apply for financial assistance 
through the portal using the application established 
under paragraph (1). 
(d) SUNSET.—The program established under this 
section shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 202. COMMUNITY WILDFIRE DEFENSE RESEARCH PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretaries shall, acting 
jointly, expand the Joint Fire Science Program to include 
performance-driven research and development program 
known as the ‘‘Community Wildfire Defense Research 
Program’’ for the purpose of testing and advancing inno-
vative designs to create or improve the wildfire-resistance 
of structures and communities. 
(b) PROGRAM PRIORITIES.—In carrying out the pro-
gram established under subsection (a), the Secretaries 
shall evaluate opportunities to create wildfire-resistant 
structures and communities through— 
(1) different affordable building materials, in-
cluding mass timber; 
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(2) home hardening, including policies to 
incentivize and incorporate defensible space; 
(3) subdivision design and other land use plan-
ning and design; 
(4) landscape architecture; and 
(5) other wildfire-resistant designs, as deter-
mined by the Secretary. 
(c) COMMUNITY WILDFIRE DEFENSE INNOVATION 
PRIZE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the program 
established under subsection (a), the Secretaries 
shall carry out a competition through which a person 
may submit to the Secretaries innovative designs for 
the creation or improvement of an ignition-resistant 
structure or fire-adapted communities. 
(2) PRIZE.—Subject to the availability of ap-
propriations made in advance for such purpose, the 
Secretaries may award a prize under the competition 
described in paragraph (1), based on criteria estab-
lished by the Secretaries and in accordance with 
paragraph (3). 
(3) SCALE.—In awarding a prize under para-
graph (2), the Secretaries shall prioritize for an 
award designs with the most potential to scale to ex-
isting infrastructure. 
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(d) SUNSET.—The program established under sub-
section (a) shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 203. VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, FACILITY INSPEC-
TION, AND OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE 
RELATING TO ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION AND 
DISTRIBUTION FACILITY RIGHTS-OF-WAY. 
(a) HAZARD TREES WITHIN 150 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 in-
serting ‘‘150’’. 
(b) CONSULTATION WITH PRIVATE LANDOWNERS.— 
Section 
512(c)(3)(E) 
of 
such 
Act 
(43 
U.S.C. 
1772(c)(3)(E)) is amended— 
(1) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(2) in clause (ii), by striking the period and in-
serting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(iii) consulting with a private land-
owner with respect to any hazard trees 
identified for removal from land owned by 
the private landowner.’’. 
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(c) REVIEW
AND
APPROVAL
PROCESS.—Section 
512(c)(4)(A)(iv) of such Act (43 U.S.C. 1772(c)(4)(A)) 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(iv) ensures that— 
‘‘(I) a plan submitted without a 
modification under clause (iii) shall be 
automatically approved 120 days after 
review; and 
‘‘(II) with respect to a plan sub-
mitted with a modification under 
clause (iii), if not approved within 120 
days after being submitted, the Sec-
retary concerned shall develop and 
submit a letter to the owner and oper-
ator describing— 
‘‘(aa) a detailed timeline (to 
conclude within 165 days after 
the submission of the plan) for 
completing review of the plan; 
‘‘(bb) any identified defi-
ciencies with the plan and spe-
cific opportunities for the owner 
and operator to address such de-
ficiencies; and 
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‘‘(cc) any other relevant in-
formation, as determined by the 
Secretary concerned.’’. 
SEC. 204. CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION FOR ELECTRIC UTIL-
ITY LINES RIGHTS-OF-WAY. 
(a) CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION ESTABLISHED.—For-
est management activities described in subsection (b) are 
a category of activities hereby designated as being cat-
egorically excluded from the preparation of an environ-
mental assessment or an environmental impact statement 
under section 102 of the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332). 
(b) FOREST MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES DESIGNATED 
FOR CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION.—The forest management 
activities designated under subsection (a) for a categorical 
exclusion are— 
(1) the development and approval of a vegeta-
tion management, facility inspection, and operation 
and maintenance plan submitted under section 
512(c)(1) of the Federal Land Policy and Manage-
ment Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1772(c)(1)) by the 
Secretary concerned; and 
(2) the implementation of routine activities con-
ducted under the plan referred to in paragraph (1). 
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(c) AVAILABILITY OF CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION.— 
On and after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary concerned may use the categorical exclusion estab-
lished under subsection (a) in accordance with this section. 
(d) EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN AREAS FROM CATEGOR-
ICAL EXCLUSION.—The categorical exclusion established 
under subsection (a) shall not apply to any forest manage-
ment activity conducted— 
(1) in a component of the National Wilderness 
Preservation System; or 
(2) on National Forest System lands on which 
the removal of vegetation is restricted or prohibited 
by an Act of Congress. 
(e) PERMANENT ROADS.— 
(1) PROHIBITION ON ESTABLISHMENT.—A for-
est management activity designated under subsection 
(b) shall not include the establishment of a perma-
nent road. 
(2) EXISTING
ROADS.—The Secretary con-
cerned may carry out necessary maintenance and re-
pair on an existing permanent road for the purposes 
of conducting a forest management activity des-
ignated under subsection (b). 
(3) TEMPORARY
ROADS.—The Secretary con-
cerned shall decommission any temporary road con-
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structed for carrying out a forest management activ-
ity designated under subsection (b) not later than 
the date that is 3 years after the date on which the 
forest management activity is completed. 
(f) APPLICABLE LAWS.—Clauses (iii) and (iv) of sec-
tion 106(a)(3) shall apply to forest management activities 
designated under subsection (b). 
SEC. 205. SEEDS OF SUCCESS. 
(a) STRATEGY ESTABLISHED.—Not later than 2 
years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secre-
taries and the Secretary of Defense shall jointly develop 
and implement a strategy, to be known as the ‘‘Seeds of 
Success strategy’’, to enhance the domestic supply chain 
of seeds. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The strategy required under sub-
section (a) shall include a plan for each of the following: 
(1) Facilitating sustained interagency coordina-
tion in, and a comprehensive approach to, native 
plant materials development and restoration. 
(2) Promoting the re-seeding of native or fire- 
resistant grasses post-wildfire, particularly in the 
wildland-urban interface. 
(3) Creating and consolidating information on 
native or fire-resistant grasses and sharing such in-
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formation with State, local governments, and Indian 
Tribes. 
(4) Building regional programs and partner-
ships to promote the development of materials made 
from plants native to the United States and restores 
such plants to the native habitat of each such plant 
within the United States, giving priority to the 
building of such programs and partnerships in re-
gions of the Bureau of Land Management where 
such partnerships and programs do not already exist 
as of the date of enactment of this Act. 
(5) Expanding seed storage and seed-cleaning 
infrastructure. 
(6) Expanding the Warehouse System of the 
Bureau of Land Management, particularly the cold 
storage capacity of the Warehouse System. 
(7) Shortening the timeline for the approval of 
permits to collect seeds on public lands managed by 
the Bureau of Land Management. 
(c) REPORT.—The Secretaries and the Secretary of 
Defense shall submit to the relevant Congressional Com-
mittees the strategy developed under paragraph (1). 
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TITLE III—TRANSPARENCY AND 
TECHNOLOGY 
SEC. 301. BIOCHAR INNOVATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES 
FOR 
CONSERVATION, 
HEALTH, 
AND 
AD-
VANCEMENTS IN RESEARCH. 
(a) DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the cov-
ered Secretaries shall establish a program to 
enter into partnerships with eligible entities to 
carry out demonstration projects to support the 
development and commercialization of biochar 
in accordance with this subsection. 
(B) 
LOCATION
OF
DEMONSTRATION 
PROJECTS.—In carrying out the program estab-
lished under subparagraph (A), the covered 
Secretaries shall, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, enter into partnerships with eligible en-
tities such that not fewer than one demonstra-
tion project is carried out in each region of the 
Forest Service and each region of the Bureau 
of Land Management. 
(2) PROPOSALS.—To be eligible to enter into a 
partnership to carry out a biochar demonstration 
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project under paragraph (1)(A), an eligible entity 
shall submit to the covered Secretaries a proposal at 
such time, in such manner, and containing such in-
formation as the covered Secretaries may require. 
(3) PRIORITY.—In selecting proposals under 
paragraph (2), the covered Secretaries shall give pri-
ority to entering into partnerships with eligible enti-
ties that submit proposals to carry out biochar dem-
onstration projects that— 
(A) have the most carbon sequestration po-
tential; 
(B) have the most potential to create new 
jobs and contribute to local economies, particu-
larly in rural areas; 
(C) have the most potential to dem-
onstrate— 
(i) new and innovative uses of biochar; 
(ii) market viability for cost effective 
biochar-based products; 
(iii) the ecosystem services created or 
supported by the use of biochar; 
(iv) the restorative benefits of biochar 
with respect to forest heath and resiliency, 
including forest soils and watersheds; or 
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(v) any combination of purposes speci-
fied in clauses (i) through (iv); and 
(D) are located in areas that have a high 
need for biochar production, as determined by 
the covered Secretaries, due to— 
(i) nearby lands identified as having 
high or very high or extreme risk of wild-
fire; 
(ii) availability of sufficient quantities 
of feedstocks; 
(iii) a high level of demand for 
biochar or other commercial byproducts of 
biochar; or 
(iv) any combination of purposes spec-
ified in subparagraphs (A) through (D). 
(4) USE OF FUNDS.—In carrying out the pro-
gram established under paragraph (1)(A), the cov-
ered Secretaries may enter into partnerships and 
provide funding to such partnerships to carry out 
demonstration projects to— 
(A) acquire and test various feedstocks and 
their efficacy; 
(B) develop and optimize commercially and 
technologically viable biochar production units, 
including mobile and permanent units; 
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(C) demonstrate— 
(i) the production of biochar from for-
est residue; and 
(ii) the use of biochar to restore forest 
health and resiliency; 
(D) build, expand, or establish biochar fa-
cilities; 
(E) conduct research on new and innova-
tive uses of biochar; 
(F) demonstrate cost-effective market op-
portunities for biochar and biochar-based prod-
ucts; 
(G) carry out any other activities the cov-
ered Secretaries determine appropriate; or 
(H) any combination of the purposes speci-
fied in subparagraphs (A) through (F). 
(5) FEEDSTOCK REQUIREMENTS.—To the max-
imum extent practicable, an eligible entity that car-
ries out a biochar demonstration project under this 
subsection shall, with respect to the feedstock used 
under such project, derive at least 50 percent of 
such feedstock from forest thinning and manage-
ment activities, including mill residues, conducted on 
National Forest System lands or public lands. 
(6) REVIEW OF BIOCHAR DEMONSTRATION.— 
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(A) IN GENERAL.—The covered Secretaries 
shall conduct regionally-specific research, in-
cluding economic analyses and life-cycle assess-
ments, on any biochar produced from a dem-
onstration project carried out under the pro-
gram established in paragraph (1)(A), includ-
ing— 
(i) the effects of such biochar on— 
(I) forest health and resiliency; 
(II) carbon capture and seques-
tration, including increasing soil car-
bon in the short-term and long-term; 
(III) productivity, reduced input 
costs, and water retention in agricul-
tural practices; 
(IV) the health of soil and grass-
lands used for grazing activities, in-
cluding grazing activities on National 
Forest System land and public land; 
(V) environmental remediation 
activities, including abandoned mine 
land remediation; and 
(VI) other ecosystem services cre-
ated or supported by the use of 
biochar; 
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(ii) the effectiveness of biochar as a 
co-product of biofuels or in biochemicals; 
and 
(iii) the effectiveness of other poten-
tial uses of biochar to determine if any 
such use is technologically and commer-
cially viable. 
(B) COORDINATION.—The covered Secre-
taries shall, to the maximum extent practicable, 
provide data, analyses, and other relevant infor-
mation collected under subparagraph (A) with 
recipients of a grant under subsection (b). 
(7) LIMITATION
ON
FUNDING
FOR
ESTAB-
LISHING BIOCHAR FACILITIES.—If the covered Sec-
retaries provide to an eligible entity that enters into 
a partnership with the covered Secretaries under 
paragraph (1)(A) funding for establishing a biochar 
facility, such funding may not exceed 35 percent of 
the total capital cost of establishing such biochar fa-
cility. 
(b) BIOCHAR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT GRANT 
PROGRAM.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of the In-
terior shall establish or expand an existing applied 
biochar research and development grant program to 
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make competitive grants to eligible institutions to 
carry out the activities described in paragraph (3). 
(2) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant under this subsection, an eligible institution 
shall submit to the Secretary a proposal at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such informa-
tion as the Secretary may require. 
(3) USE
OF
FUNDS.—An eligible institution 
that receives a grant under this subsection shall use 
the grant funds to conduct applied research on— 
(A) the effect of biochar on forest health 
and resiliency, accounting for variations in 
biochar, soil, climate, and other factors; 
(B) the effect of biochar on soil health and 
water retention, accounting for variations in 
biochar, soil, climate, and other factors; 
(C) the long-term carbon sequestration po-
tential of biochar; 
(D) the best management practices with 
respect to biochar and biochar based-products 
that maximize— 
(i) carbon sequestration benefits; and 
(ii) the commercial viability and appli-
cation of such products in forestry, agri-
culture, environmental remediation, water 
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quality improvement, and any other similar 
uses, as determined by the Secretary; 
(E) the regional uses of biochar to increase 
productivity and profitability, including— 
(i) uses in agriculture and environ-
mental remediation; and 
(ii) use as a co-product in fuel produc-
tion; 
(F) new and innovative uses for biochar 
byproducts; and 
(G) opportunities to expand markets for 
biochar and create related jobs, particularly in 
rural areas. 
(c) REPORTS.— 
(1) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 2 
years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
covered Secretaries shall submit to Congress a re-
port that— 
(A) includes policy and program rec-
ommendations to improve the widespread use of 
biochar; 
(B) identifies any area of research needed 
to advance biochar commercialization; and 
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(C) identifies barriers to further biochar 
commercialization, including permitting and 
siting considerations. 
(2) MATERIALS
SUBMITTED
IN
SUPPORT
OF 
THE
PRESIDENT’S
BUDGET.—Beginning with the 
second fiscal year that begins after the date of en-
actment of this Act and annually thereafter until the 
date described in subsection (d), the covered Secre-
taries shall include in the materials submitted to 
Congress in support of the President’s budget pursu-
ant to section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, 
a report describing, for the fiscal year covered by the 
report, the status of each demonstration project car-
ried out under subsection (a) and each research and 
development grant carried out under subsection (b). 
(d) SUNSET.—The authority to carry out this section 
shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) BIOCHAR.—The term ‘‘biochar’’ means car-
bonized biomass produced by converting feedstock 
through reductive thermal processing for non-fuel 
uses. 
(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means— 
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(A) a State, local, or Tribal government; 
(B) an eligible institution; or 
(C) a private, non-private, or cooperative 
entity. 
(3) ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION.—The term ‘‘eligi-
ble institution’’ means land-grant colleges and uni-
versities, including institutions eligible for funding 
under the— 
(A) Act of July 2, 1862 (12 Stat. 503, 
chapter 130; 7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.); 
(B) Act of August 30, 1890 (26 Stat. 417, 
chapter 841; 7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.), including 
Tuskegee University; 
(C) Public Law 87–788 (commonly known 
as the ‘‘McIntire-Stennis Act of 1962’’); or 
(D) Equity in Educational Land-Grant 
Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note; Public 
Law 103–382). 
(4) FEEDSTOCK.—The term ‘‘feedstock’’ means 
excess biomass in the form of plant matter or mate-
rials that serves as the raw material for the produc-
tion of biochar. 
(5) COVERED SECRETARIES.—The term ‘‘cov-
ered Secretaries’’ means— 
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(A) the Secretary of Agriculture, acting 
through the Chief of the Forest Service; 
(B) the Secretary of the Interior, acting 
through the Director of the Bureau of Land 
Management; and 
(C) the Secretary of Energy, acting 
through the Director of the Office of Science. 
SEC. 302. ACCURATE HAZARDOUS FUELS REDUCTION RE-
PORTS. 
(a) INCLUSION OF HAZARDOUS FUELS REDUCTION 
REPORT IN MATERIALS SUBMITTED IN SUPPORT OF THE 
PRESIDENT’S BUDGET.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Beginning with the first fis-
cal year that begins after the date of enactment of 
this Act, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Sec-
retary concerned shall include in the materials sub-
mitted to Congress in support of the President’s 
budget pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United 
States Code, a report on the number of acres of 
Federal land on which the Secretary concerned car-
ried out hazardous fuels reduction activities during 
the preceding fiscal year. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—For purposes of the re-
port required under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
concerned shall— 
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(A) in determining the number of acres of 
Federal land on which the Secretary concerned 
carried out hazardous fuels reduction activities 
during the period covered by the report— 
(i) record acres of Federal land on 
which hazardous fuels reduction activities 
were completed during such period; and 
(ii) record each acre described in 
clause (i) once in the report, regardless of 
whether multiple hazardous fuels reduction 
activities were carried out on such acre 
during such period; 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 the period covered by the report; 
(iii) the types of hazardous fuels ac-
tivities completed for such acres, delin-
eating between whether such activities 
were conducted— 
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(I) in a wildfire managed for re-
source benefits; or 
(II) through a planned project; 
(iv) the cost per acre of hazardous 
fuels activities carried out during the pe-
riod 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 websites of the Depart-
ment of Agriculture and the Department of the Inte-
rior, as applicable. 
(b) ACCURATE DATA COLLECTION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary con-
cerned shall implement standardized procedures for 
tracking data related to hazardous fuels reduction 
activities carried out by the Secretary concerned. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The standardized procedures 
required under paragraph (1) shall include— 
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(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 2 weeks after im-
plementing 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 track-
ing data related to hazardous fuels reduction 
activities under this subsection. 
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(c) GAO STUDY.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 
of the United States shall— 
(1) conduct a study on the implementation of 
this section, including any limitations with respect 
to— 
(A) reporting hazardous fuels reduction ac-
tivities under subsection (a); or 
(B) tracking data related to hazardous 
fuels reduction activities under subsection (b); 
and 
(2) submit to Congress a report that describes 
the results of the study under paragraph (1). 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) HAZARDOUS
FUELS
REDUCTION
ACTIV-
ITY.—The term ‘‘hazardous fuels reduction activ-
ity’’— 
(A) means any vegetation management ac-
tivity to reduce the risk of wildfire, including 
mechanical treatments and prescribed burning; 
and 
(B) does not include the awarding of con-
tracts to conduct hazardous fuels reduction ac-
tivities. 
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(2) FEDERAL
LANDS.—The term ‘‘Federal 
lands’’ means lands under the jurisdiction of the 
Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agri-
culture. 
(e) NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.—No addi-
tional funds are authorized to carry out the requirements 
of this section, and the activities authorized by this section 
are subject to the availability of appropriations made in 
advance for such purposes. 
SEC. 303. PUBLIC-PRIVATE WILDFIRE TECHNOLOGY DE-
PLOYMENT AND TESTBED PARTNERSHIP. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COVERED
AGENCY.—The term ‘‘covered 
agency’’ means— 
(A) each Federal land management agency 
(as such term is defined in the Federal Lands 
Recreation 
Enhancement 
Act 
(16 
U.S.C. 
6801)); 
(B) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration; 
(C) the U.S. Fire Administration; 
(D) the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency; 
(E) the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration; 
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(F) the Bureau of Indian Affairs; 
(G) the Department of Defense; and 
(H) any other Federal agency involved in 
wildfire response. 
(2) COVERED ENTITY.—The term ‘‘covered en-
tity’’ means— 
(A) a private entity; 
(B) a nonprofit organization; or 
(C) an institution of higher education (as 
defined in section 101 of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)). 
(b) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretaries, in coordina-
tion with the heads of the covered agencies, shall establish 
a deployment and testbed pilot program (in this section 
referred to as ‘‘Pilot Program’’) for new and innovative 
wildfire prevention, detection, communication, and mitiga-
tion technologies. 
(c) FUNCTIONS.—In carrying out the Pilot Program, 
the Secretaries shall— 
(1) incorporate the Pilot Program into existing 
interagency coordinating groups on wildfires; 
(2) in consultation with the heads of covered 
agencies, identify and advance key technology pri-
ority areas with respect to wildfire prevention, detec-
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tion, communication, and mitigation technologies, in-
cluding— 
(A) hazardous fuels reduction treatments 
or activities; 
(B) dispatch communications; 
(C) remote sensing, detection, and track-
ing; 
(D) safety equipment; and 
(E) common operating pictures or oper-
ational dashboards; and 
(3) connect each covered entity selected to par-
ticipate 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 be eligible to be selected 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 Sec-
retaries may require, including a proposal to test tech-
nologies specific to the key technology priority areas iden-
tified pursuant to subsection (c)(2). 
(e) 
PRIORITIZATION
OF
EMERGING
TECH-
NOLOGIES.—In selecting covered entities to participate in 
the Pilot Program, the Secretaries shall give priority to 
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covered entities developing and applying emerging tech-
nologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum sensing, 
computing and quantum-hybrid applications, augmented 
reality, and 5G private networks and device-to-device com-
munications supporting nomadic mesh networks, for wild-
fire mitigation. 
(f) OUTREACH.—The Secretaries, in coordination 
with the heads of covered agencies, shall make public the 
key technology priority areas identified pursuant to sub-
section (c)(2) and invite covered entities to apply under 
subsection (d) to test and demonstrate their technologies 
to address such priority areas. 
(g) REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not later 
than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and 
annually thereafter for the duration of the Pilot Program, 
the Secretaries shall submit to the relevant Congressional 
Committees, the Committee on Science, Space, and Tech-
nology of the House of Representatives, and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate a report that includes, with respect to the Pilot 
Program, the following: 
(1) A list of participating covered entities. 
(2) A brief description of the technologies test-
ed by each such covered entity. 
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(3) An estimate of the cost of acquiring each 
such technology and applying the technology at 
scale. 
(4) Outreach efforts by Federal agencies to cov-
ered entities developing wildfire technologies. 
(5) Assessments of, and recommendations relat-
ing to, new technologies with potential adoption and 
application at-scale in Federal land management 
agencies’ wildfire prevention, detection, communica-
tion, and mitigation efforts. 
(h) SUNSET.—The authority to carry out this section 
shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 304. GAO STUDY ON FOREST SERVICE POLICIES. 
Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall— 
(1) conduct a study evaluating— 
(A) the effectiveness of Forest Service 
wildland firefighting operations; 
(B) transparency and accountability meas-
ures in the Forest Service’s budget and ac-
counting process; and 
(C) the suitability and feasibility of estab-
lishing a new Federal agency with the responsi-
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bility of responding and suppressing wildland 
fires on Federal lands; and 
(2) submit to Congress a report that describes 
the results of the study required under paragraph 
(1). 
SEC. 305. FOREST SERVICE WESTERN HEADQUARTERS 
STUDY. 
Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Chief of the Forest Service shall— 
(1) conduct a study evaluating— 
(A) potential locations for a Western head-
quarters for the Forest Service, including po-
tential locations in at least 3 different States lo-
cated west of the Mississippi river; and 
(B) the potential benefits of creating a 
Western headquarters for the Forest Service, 
including expected— 
(i) improvements to customer service; 
(ii) improvements to employee recruit-
ment and retention; and 
(iii) operational efficiencies and cost 
savings; and 
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(2) submit to Congress a report that describes 
the results of the study required under paragraph 
(1). 
Æ 
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