ACRES Act

Bill: 118-hr-1567
Sponsor: Rep. Tiffany, Thomas P. [R-WI-7]
Introduced: 2023-03-10 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Fires
Forests, forestry, trees
Government studies and investigations
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances

Summary:
action_date: 2023-03-10
text: 

Accurately Counting Risk Elimination Solutions Act or the ACRES Act

 
This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of the Interior to submit accurate reports regarding hazardous fuels reduction activity.
 

Hazardous fuels reduction activity
 means any vegetation management activity to reduce the risk of wildfire but excludes a wildland fire managed for resource benefits and the award of contracts to conduct hazardous fuels reduction activities.
 
Specifically, USDA and Interior must
 
 
 include in the materials submitted in support of the President's budget each fiscal year a report on the number of acres on which such activities were carried out during the preceding year, and
 
implement standardized procedures for tracking data related to such activities.
 
 
The standardized procedures must include
 
 
regular, standardized data reviews of the accuracy and timely input of data used to track hazardous fuels reduction activities;
 
verification methods that validate whether such data accurately correlates to such activities;
 
an analysis of the short- and long-term effectiveness of such activities on reducing the risk of wildfire; and
 
for hazardous fuels reduction activities that occur partially within the wildland-urban interface, methods to distinguish which acres are located within and which located outside the wildland-urban interface.
 
 
The Government Accountability Office shall (1) conduct a study on this bill's implementation, and (2) submit a report to Congress with the results of the study.

action_date: 2023-09-08
text: 

Accurately Counting Risk Elimination Solutions Act or the ACRES Act

 
This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of the Interior to submit accurate reports regarding hazardous fuels reduction activity.
 

Hazardous fuels reduction activity
 means any vegetation management activity to reduce the risk of wildfire but excludes the award of contracts to conduct hazardous fuels reduction activities.
 
Specifically, USDA and Interior must
 
 
 include in the materials submitted in support of the President's budget each fiscal year a report on the number of acres of federal land on which such activities were carried out during the preceding year, and
 
implement standardized procedures for tracking data related to such activities.
 
 
The standardized procedures must include
 
 
regular, standardized data reviews of the accuracy and timely input of data used to track hazardous fuels reduction activities;
 
verification methods that validate whether such data accurately correlates to such activities;
 
an analysis of the short- and long-term effectiveness of such activities on reducing the risk of wildfire; and
 
for hazardous fuels reduction activities that occur partially within the wildland-urban interface, methods to distinguish which acres are located within and which located outside the wildland-urban interface.
 
 
The Government Accountability Office shall (1) conduct a study on this bill's implementation, and (2) submit a report to Congress with the results of the study.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-09-14
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2023-09-13
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2023-09-13
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 406 - 4 (Roll no. 386). (text: 9/12/2023 CR H4249)
action_date: 2023-09-13
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 406 - 4 (Roll no. 386). (text: 9/12/2023 CR H4249)
action_date: 2023-09-13
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4276-4277)
action_date: 2023-09-12
text: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
action_date: 2023-09-12
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1567.
action_date: 2023-09-12
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4249-4251)
action_date: 2023-09-12
text: Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2023-09-08
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 149.
action_date: 2023-09-08
text: Committee on Agriculture discharged.
action_date: 2023-09-08
text: Committee on Agriculture discharged.
action_date: 2023-09-08
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 118-186, Part I.
action_date: 2023-09-08
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 118-186, Part I.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Subcommittee on Federal Lands Discharged.
action_date: 2023-04-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry.
action_date: 2023-03-23
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2023-03-22
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
action_date: 2023-03-10
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, 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: 2023-03-10
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, 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: 2023-03-10
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2023-03-10
text: Introduced in House