Catastrophic Wildfire Prevention Act of 2022
Bill: S.4945 | Sponsor: Sen. Lee, Mike (R-UT)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Catastrophic Wildfire Prevention Act of 2022
This bill directs the Forest Service to establish a pilot program to implement treatments and conduct related fire-suppression activities in areas of the National Forest System that are (1) west of the 100th meridian, and (2) near communities that may benefit from such treatments and activities.

To require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a pilot program 
 for the establishment and use of a pre-fire-suppression stand density 
                     index, 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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Catastrophic Wildfire Prevention Act 
of 2022''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Area of the national forest system.--The term ``area of 
        the National Forest System'' means all or a portion of a unit 
        of the National Forest System that is located west of the 100th 
        meridian.
            (2) Pilot program.--The term ``pilot program'' means the 
        pilot program established under subsection (b).
            (3) Pre-fire-suppression stand density index.--The term 
        ``pre-fire-suppression stand density index'' means an estimate 
        of the naturally occurring or ecologically balanced stand 
        density index of a forest, as developed from historical surveys 
        or appropriate scientific inference, before fire suppression 
        regimens became common practice.
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.
            (5) Stand density index.--The term ``stand density index'' 
        means an expression of relative stand density based on the 
        predictable relationship between average tree size and trees 
        per unit area in dense stands.
            (6) Treatment.--The term ``treatment'' means--
                    (A) a mechanical treatment of hazardous fuels;
                    (B) a stewardship end-result contracting project;
                    (C) restoration services; or
                    (D) timber harvesting.
    (b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a pilot program 
under which the Secretary shall--
            (1) collaborate with State or local forest management 
        agencies--
                    (A) to identify areas of the National Forest System 
                for potential selection under paragraph (3) for 
                inclusion in the pilot program; and
                    (B) to research and establish a pre-fire-
                suppression stand density index for each area of the 
                National Forest System identified under subparagraph 
                (A);
            (2) evaluate how closely each pre-fire-suppression stand 
        density index established under paragraph (1)(B) reflects 
        current forest conditions and current published resource 
        management objectives established by the Secretary for the 
        applicable area of the National Forest System; and
            (3) select, in consultation with State or local forest 
        management agencies, not fewer than 8 areas of the National 
        Forest System identified under paragraph (1)(A) with respect to 
        which the area and neighboring communities may benefit from 
        using a pre-fire-suppression stand density index as a benchmark 
        for treatments by--
                    (A) reducing the chances of catastrophic wildfire;
                    (B) increasing forest health;
                    (C) increasing forest resilience;
                    (D) increasing ecological diversity; or
                    (E) improving such other criteria as the Secretary, 
                in consultation with State or local forest management 
                agencies, determine to be appropriate.
    (c) Implementation.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall begin to conduct treatments 
on areas of the National Forest System selected under subsection 
(b)(3), and update applicable land and resource management plans to 
include objectives and benchmarks, in accordance with the applicable 
pre-fire-suppression stand density index established under subsection 
(b)(1)(B).
    (d) Selection of Areas.--In selecting areas of the National Forest 
System for inclusion in the pilot program under subsection (b)(3) and 
conducting treatments under subsection (c), the Secretary shall--
            (1) give priority to an area--
                    (A) within the wildland-urban interface (as defined 
                in section 101 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act 
                of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511));
                    (B) constituting a community watershed;
                    (C) vulnerable to erosion;
                    (D) hosting multiple-use activities;
                    (E) critical to supporting wildlife or plant 
                species health; or
                    (F) with respect to which a treatment is necessary 
                to prevent catastrophic wildfire; and
            (2) select a geographically diverse sample of areas of the 
        National Forest System, which shall include not fewer than 3 
        areas of the National Forest System in the southwest United 
        States.
    (e) Funding.--The Secretary shall carry out this section using 
funds otherwise made available to the Secretary for fuels reduction 
treatments.
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