Emergency Wildland Fire Response Act of 2008

To amend the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 to establish a Federal wildland fire emergency suppression fund to facilitate accountable fire suppression activities by the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to unanticipated large fire events, to encourage enhanced management efficiencies and cost controls of wildland fire suppression, and to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire to communities, and for other purposes.

3/14/2008--Introduced.
Emergency Wildland Fire Response Act of 2008 - Establishes a Federal Wildland Fire Emergency Suppression Fund to cover the costs of federal wildland fire suppression activities associated with a declared emergency wildland fire incident. Sets forth the criteria for which declarations of emergency wildland fire incidents may be made under this Act. Requires a declaration of such an incident to only be made by the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of the Interior, or a designee of the Secretary concerned at the subcabinet level. Allows the Secretary concerned to only access the Fund if the President's annual budget requested funds for wildland fire operations amounting to at least the ten-fiscal year average of expenditures for wildland fire operations. Requires the Secretaries to jointly report every six months on expenditures from and deposits to the Fund. Permits any excess funds for wildland fire operations to be transferred to support reforestation and rehabilitation of forests following wildland fires. Limits the areas in which such funds may be expended. Requires review of wildfire incidents resulting in expenses greater than $10 million. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to develop a national map of landscape areas most at risk of wildfire and in need of hazardous fuel treatment and maintenance. Authorizes such Secretary to:
(1) provide cost-share grants to fire-ready communities to increase their capacity to defend against wildland fire; and
(2) enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with a State Forester or equivalent official to implement good neighbor projects on such lands.

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Sponsor

• Rep. Robert Goodlatte [R, VA-6]
• and 11 Co-Sponsors
  • Rep. Joe Baca [D, CA-43]
  • Rep. Rob Bishop [R, UT-1]
  • Rep. Barbara Cubin [R, WY-0]
  • Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin [D, SD-0]
  • Rep. Michael Michaud [D, ME-2]
  • Rep. Collin Peterson [D, MN-7]
  • Rep. John Salazar [D, CO-3]
  • Rep. Bill Sali [R, ID-1]
  • Rep. Janice Schakowsky [D, IL-9]
  • Rep. Greg Walden [R, OR-2]
  • Rep. Donald Young [R, AK-0]
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Committees

• House Agriculture
• 1 more
  • House Natural Resources
  close

Amendments

This bill has no amendments.

Amendments to H.R.5648

Number	Status	Purpose

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by House		Voted on by Senate		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
March 14, 2008

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All Bill Actions

• Apr 10, 2008: Committee Hearings Held.
• Mar 14, 2008: Referred to House Natural Resources
• Mar 14, 2008: Referred to House Agriculture
• Mar 14, 2008: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, 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.
• Mar 14, 2008: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E415-416)
• Introduced on Mar 14, 2008.

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Related Issue Areas:

• State and local government
• Reforestation
• Public contracts
• Natural resources
• 14 more
• Maps
• Grants-in-aid
• Government trust funds
• Government information
• Forest management
• Forest fires
• Fire prevention
• Federal-state relations
• Federal budgets
• Emergency management
• Congressional reporting requirements
• Congress
• Budgets
• Public lands

Data from the Congressional Research Service

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In the News

March 31, 2008 Wildland Firefighting and the USFS Budget

HR 5648 sponsored by Congressman Robert W. Goodlatte (R-Virginia) would establish a similar emergency fires account and require independent review of ...

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Blog Coverage

July 10, 2008 rep. goodlatte on exploding fire suppression costs

hr 5648, the emergency wildland fire response act of 2008 which chairman peterson and i introduced along with a bipartisan group of our colleagues, provides this comprehensive solution. unfortunately, negotiations for a more ...

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Source: SOS Forests

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June 27, 2008 Specialty Metals Update: HASC Criticizes DCMA'S January 2008 ...

However, the House Armed Services Committee did note in its Committee Report for HR 5648 (H. Rpt. 110-652, at 392-393) that it was displeased with the January 2008 Class Deviation issued by DOD. The committee is concerned about the way ...

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April 10, 2008 Wildland Fire Suppression Hearings

The House Natural Resources Committee is holding a hearing today with testimony from the Big Sky Coalition's Sonny LaSalle. The committee will be discussing bills HR 5541 and HR 5648. Source: Backus, P. (10 April 2008). ...

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