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.
Advisory bodiesAir qualityAlternative and renewable resourcesAquatic ecologyClimate change and greenhouse gasesCongressional oversightCorrectional facilities and imprisonmentDisaster relief and insuranceEcologyEconomic developmentEducational facilities and institutionsEducational guidanceElectric power generation and transmissionElementary and secondary educationEmployment and training programsEnergy efficiency and conservationEnergy storage, supplies, demandEnvironmental assessment, monitoring, researchEnvironmental educationExecutive agency funding and structureFiresFirst responders and emergency personnelForests, forestry, treesGovernment information and archivesHealth facilities and institutionsInfrastructure developmentLand use and conservationMilitary facilities and propertyPoverty and welfare assistancePublic contracts and procurementPublic-private cooperationPublic utilities and utility ratesState and local government operationsTechnology transfer and commercializationVocational and technical educationWater use and supply
Wildfire Emergency Act of 2023
USA118th CongressS-188| Senate
| Updated: 1/31/2023
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.
Advisory bodiesAir qualityAlternative and renewable resourcesAquatic ecologyClimate change and greenhouse gasesCongressional oversightCorrectional facilities and imprisonmentDisaster relief and insuranceEcologyEconomic developmentEducational facilities and institutionsEducational guidanceElectric power generation and transmissionElementary and secondary educationEmployment and training programsEnergy efficiency and conservationEnergy storage, supplies, demandEnvironmental assessment, monitoring, researchEnvironmental educationExecutive agency funding and structureFiresFirst responders and emergency personnelForests, forestry, treesGovernment information and archivesHealth facilities and institutionsInfrastructure developmentLand use and conservationMilitary facilities and propertyPoverty and welfare assistancePublic contracts and procurementPublic-private cooperationPublic utilities and utility ratesState and local government operationsTechnology transfer and commercializationVocational and technical educationWater use and supply