WILD Act of 2025

Bill: 119-hr-3433
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Donalds, Byron [R-FL-19]
Introduced: 2025-05-15
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Latest action: action_date: 2025-05-15
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3433 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 15, 2025 Mr. Donalds introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To amend the Wilderness Act to allow certain entities to use unmanned aircraft systems within wilderness areas, potential wilderness areas, and wilderness study areas.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Wilderness Inclusion for Limited-use Drones Act of 2025 or the WILD Act of 2025 . 2. Use of unmanned aircraft systems within wilderness Section 4(d) of the Wilderness Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1133(d) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (8) (A) A Federal, State, local, or Tribal agency may use and operate an unmanned aircraft system within a wilderness area designated by this Act, potential wilderness area, or wilderness study area identified pursuant to section 603 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1782 ) to— (i) carry out environmental monitoring and research activities, including with respect to harmful algal blooms and invasive species; (ii) carry out law enforcement and search and rescue activities, including such activities carried out by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and (iii) monitor the effects of a natural disaster. (B) In this paragraph: (i) The term natural disaster has the meaning given the term in section 602(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5195a(a) ). (ii) The term unmanned aircraft system has the meaning given the term in section 44801(12) of title 49, United States Code. .