not more than 6 percent may be used by the 
grantee and 4 percent by the subgrantee for 
such costs.’’. 
SEC. 309. DEBTS OWED TO THE UNITED STATES RELATED 
TO DISASTER ASSISTANCE. 
(a) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘covered 
assistance’’ means assistance provided— 
(1) under section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5174); and 
(2) in relation to a major disaster or emergency 
declared by the President under section 401 or 501 
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer-
gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170; 42 U.S.C. 
5191) on or after October 30, 2012. 
(b) WAIVER AUTHORITY.—Notwithstanding section 
3716(e) of title 31, United States Code, the Administrator 
of the Federal Emergency Management Agency— 
(1) subject to paragraph (2), may waive a debt 
owed to the United States related to covered assist-
ance provided to an individual or household if— 
(A) the covered assistance was distributed 
based on an error by the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency; 
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(B) there was no fault on behalf of the 
debtor; and 
(C) the collection of the debt would be 
against equity and good conscience; and 
(2) may not waive a debt under paragraph (1) 
if the debt involves fraud, the presentation of a false 
claim, or misrepresentation by the debtor or any 
party having an interest in the claim. 
SEC. 310. STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR DEBTS OWED TO 
THE UNITED STATES RELATED TO DISASTER 
ASSISTANCE. 
Unless there is evidence of civil or criminal fraud, the 
Administrator, on behalf of the President, shall not ini-
tiate new administrative action in any forum to recover— 
(1) payments made to an individual or house-
hold under section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5174) more than 3 years after the last date 
on which such payments were made; or 
(2) funds owed by an individual or household 
for assistance provided under section 408 of the 
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174) more than 3 years 
after the last date on which such funds were deter-
mined to be owed. 
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TITLE IV—WILDFIRE 
PREVENTION AND MITIGATION 
SEC. 401. WILDFIRE MITIGATION ASSISTANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 420 of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5187) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (d) as sub-
section (e); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(d) HAZARD MITIGATION ASSISTANCE.—Whether 
or not a major disaster is declared, the President may pro-
vide hazard mitigation assistance in accordance with sec-
tion 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 et seq.) is amended— 
(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 assist-
ance was provided under section 420’’; and 
(B) in the third sentence by inserting ‘‘or 
event under section 420’’ after ‘‘major disaster’’ 
each place it appears; and 
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(2) in section 322(e)(1) (42 U.S.C. 5165(e)(1)), 
by inserting ‘‘or event under section 420’’ after 
‘‘major disaster’’ each place it appears. 
(c) AUTHORITY TO TRANSFER.—For major disaster 
relief funds made available to the Disaster Relief Fund 
for the specified purpose of wildfire suppression activities 
on Federal lands, the Administrator of the Federal Emer-
gency Management Agency may authorize transfer of 
these funds to the Department of Interior and the Depart-
ment of Agriculture. 
SEC. 402. ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES. 
Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170c) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) USE
OF ASSISTANCE.—Recipients of hazard 
mitigation assistance provided under this section and sec-
tion 203 may use the assistance to conduct the following 
activities to help reduce the risk of future damage, hard-
ship, loss, or suffering in any area affected by— 
‘‘(1) a wildfire, including— 
‘‘(A) reseeding ground cover with quick- 
growing or native species; 
‘‘(B) mulching with straw or chipped wood; 
‘‘(C) constructing straw, rock, or log dams 
in small tributaries to prevent flooding; 
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‘‘(D) placing logs and other erosion bar-
riers to catch sediment on hill slopes; 
‘‘(E) installing debris traps to modify road 
and trail drainage mechanisms; 
‘‘(F) modifying or removing culverts to 
allow drainage to flow freely; 
‘‘(G) adding drainage dips and con-
structing emergency spillways to keep roads 
and bridges from washing out during floods; 
‘‘(H) planting grass to prevent the spread 
of noxious weeds; 
‘‘(I) installing warning signs; 
‘‘(J) establishing defensible space meas-
ures; and 
‘‘(K) reducing hazardous fuels; and 
‘‘(2) earthquake hazards, including— 
‘‘(A) improvements to regional seismic net-
works in support of building a capability for 
earthquake early warning; 
‘‘(B) improvements to geodetic networks in 
support of building a capability for earthquake 
early warning; or 
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‘‘(C) seismometers, GPS receivers, and as-
sociated infrastructure in support of building a 
capability for earthquake early warning.’’. 
Æ 
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