Fire-Safe Communities Act

Bill: 110-hr-5218
Sponsor: Rep. Udall, Mark [D-CO-2]
Introduced: 2008-01-29 in the House
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Bridges
Building construction
Building laws
Building materials
Department of Homeland Security
Economics and Public Finance
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Fire prevention
Forest fires
Government Operations and Politics
Grants-in-aid
Housing and Community Development
Infrastructure
Law
Local laws
Maps
National forests
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Road construction
Standards
State laws
Transportation and Public Works
Urban affairs
Zoning and zoning law

Summary:
action_date: 2008-01-29
text: 
Fire-Safe Communities Act - Requires the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to publish a federal model ordinance for municipalities at risk (subdivisions located in a fire hazard area) that includes specified elements regarding fire prevention and management, such as: (1) specifications for construction materials and techniques for use in such communities; and (2) standards for roads, culverts, and bridges.
 
Authorizes the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to modify, for a municipality at risk, the requirements of the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program related to the provision of a non-federal share of funds, so that if such a municipality has adopted an applicable model ordinance and is making significant progress toward implementing it, the Administrator may reduce the required non-federal share to 10% of the grant amount.
 
Directs the Administrator to provide grants to: (1) municipalities at risk to encourage responsible development in state-identified fire-prone regions and to mitigate the catastrophic effects of fires; and (2) states to create or update fire-hazard assessment maps.
 
Amends the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 to: (1) include as a purpose of the Community and Private Land Fire Assistance Program to enhance the capacity of local governments to integrate fire-resistant community and home design into local planning, zoning, building code, and brush clearing ordinances; and (2) authorize a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of providing assistance to fire-safe communities located near federal land.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-04-25
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry.
action_date: 2008-02-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation.
action_date: 2008-02-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
action_date: 2008-01-30
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.
action_date: 2008-01-29
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Science 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 committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-01-29
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Science 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 committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-01-29
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Science 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 committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-01-29
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Science 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 committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-01-29
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Science 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 committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-01-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E96-98)
action_date: 2008-01-29
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-01-29
text: Introduced in House