Emergency Wildfire Act of 2023

Bill: 118-hr-3439
Sponsor: Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]
Introduced: 2023-05-17 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Aquatic ecology
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Congressional oversight
Correctional facilities and imprisonment
Disaster relief and insurance
Ecology
Economic development
Educational facilities and institutions
Educational guidance
Electric power generation and transmission
Elementary and secondary education
Employment and training programs
Energy efficiency and conservation
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental education
Executive agency funding and structure
Fires
First responders and emergency personnel
Forests, forestry, trees
Government information and archives
Health facilities and institutions
Infrastructure development
Land use and conservation
Military facilities and property
Poverty and welfare assistance
Public contracts and procurement
Public utilities and utility rates
Public-private cooperation
State and local government operations
Technology transfer and commercialization
Vocational and technical education
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2023-05-17
text: 

Wildfire Emergency Act of 2023

 
This bill provides for programs and activities in support of forest restoration, wildfire mitigation, and energy resilience. 
 
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) shall establish a pilot program under which it may enter into conservation finance agreements with public or private persons to increase the pace and scale of forest restoration and land management projects across the National Forest System. 
 
The bill provides for an increased federal cost share for conservation finance projects that would primarily benefit one or more low-income communities and for which the nonfederal entities involved cannot meet a specified cost share requirement.
 
The Department of Energy shall establish a program to support critical facilities (e.g., hospitals), including by improving the energy resilience and power needs of critical facilities through the development and use of microgrids, renewable energy, energy efficiency, reduced electricity demand, and on-site storage.
 
The bill expands the weatherization assistance program to support the use of fire-resistant materials.
 
The bill directs USDA and the Department of the Interior to take actions to improve the detection and monitoring of wildfires.
 
 USDA and Interior shall establish one or more centers in western states to train individuals in methods relevant to the mitigation of wildfire risk. 
 
 USDA shall establish a competitive grant program to support workforce development in forestry and fire management.
 
USDA may issue grants to increase community capacity for land stewardship activities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-06-23
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry.
action_date: 2023-05-22
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
action_date: 2023-05-17
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, Energy and Commerce, and Education and the Workforce, 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: 2023-05-17
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, Energy and Commerce, and Education and the Workforce, 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: 2023-05-17
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, Energy and Commerce, and Education and the Workforce, 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: 2023-05-17
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, Energy and Commerce, and Education and the Workforce, 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: 2023-05-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2023-05-17
text: Introduced in House