I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 9702 
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Wildfire Science 
and Technology Advisory Board. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 19, 2024 
Mr. NEGUSE (for himself and Mr. HARDER of California) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, 
and in addition to the Committee on 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 com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish the 
Wildfire Science and Technology Advisory Board. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Wildfire Coordination 
Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. WILDFIRE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY 
BOARD. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of the Interior 
shall establish a permanent advisory committee to be 
known as the Wildfire Science and Technology Advisory 
Board (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Board’’). 
(b) DUTIES.—The Board shall— 
(1) coordinate the operationalization within the 
Federal Government of wildfire research, including 
by— 
(A) identifying avenues for translating 
wildfire research into practical applications; 
(B) establishing criteria and frameworks to 
prioritize 
wildfire 
research 
projects 
for 
operationalization; 
(C) facilitating the transition of prioritized 
wildfire research into operational projects; 
(D) connecting and supporting entities in 
wildfire research and operations; 
(E) providing feedback to refine and en-
hance wildfire research outputs for practical ap-
plication; and 
(F) partnering, as the Board determines 
appropriate, with private sector and federally- 
funded research centers to further the work of 
the Board; 
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(2) encourage wildfire researchers and Federal 
agencies undertaking wildfire operations to in-
clude— 
(A) relevant disciplines, such as public 
health, meteorological science, and predictive 
modeling; and 
(B) consideration of built and natural fire- 
prone environments; and 
(3) disseminate information, including by— 
(A) establishing mechanisms, such as 
newsletters and publications, online portals, 
webinars, and workshops, to disseminate wild-
fire research findings, operational best prac-
tices, and resources to relevant stakeholders 
and practitioners; and 
(B) promoting activities of the Board to 
ensure visibility and accessibility to stake-
holders. 
(c) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Board 
shall be composed of the following members: 
(A) The Secretary of the Interior (or the 
designee thereof). 
(B) The Secretary of Agriculture (or the 
designee thereof). 
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(C) The Secretary of Commerce (or the 
designee thereof). 
(D) The Chief of the Forest Service (or 
the designee thereof). 
(E) The Director of the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs (or the designee thereof). 
(F) The Director of the Bureau of Land 
Management (or the designee thereof). 
(G) The Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency (or the des-
ignee thereof, except that such designee may 
not be the member of the Board serving pursu-
ant to subparagraph (H)). 
(H) The United States Fire Administrator 
(or the designee thereof). 
(I) The Director of the United States Fish 
and Wildlife Service (or the designee thereof). 
(J) The Administrator of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (or 
the designee thereof). 
(K) The Director of the National Park 
Service (or the designee thereof). 
(L) The Director of the National Institute 
of Standards and Technology (or the designee 
thereof). 
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(M) The Director of the U.S. Geological 
Survey (or the designee thereof). 
(N) The Director of the Office of Science 
and Technology Policy (or the designee there-
of). 
(O) The Director of the National Science 
Foundation (or designee thereof). 
(P) The Administrator of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration (or des-
ignee thereof). 
(Q) The Director of the Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention (or designee there-
of). 
(R) The Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency (or designee thereof). 
(S) Not more than 18 members, to be ap-
pointed by the Secretary of the Interior, as fol-
lows: 
(i) At least 2 representatives of State, 
local, or Tribal governments. 
(ii) Representatives of relevant pri-
vate-sector entities, such as codes and 
standards-setting organizations, prescribed 
fire associations, and entities with exper-
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