,,ii #aadth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #aiig ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,august #e1 #bjae ,mr4 ,bennet 7for himself and ,mr4 ,crapo7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act to provide for wildfire mitigation grants and financial assistance in certain areas affected by wildfires4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,prepare1 ,ready1 ,equip1 and ,prevent ,areas at ,risk of ,emergency ,wildfires ,act of #bjae or the ,,prepare ,act of #bjae4 #b4 ,wildfire ,mitigation ,title ,,ii of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eaca et seq47 is amended by inserting after section #bjc the following3 #bjc;,a4 ,wildfire ,mitigation 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section-- 7#a7 the term ,administrator means the ,administrator of the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency2 7#b7 the term community wildfire protection plan has the meaning given the term in section #aja of the ,healthy ,forests ,restoration ,act of #bjjc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #feaa72 7#c7 the term eligible recipient means a ,state or an ,indian tribal government2 7#d7 the term local multi-hazard mitigation plan means a mitigation plan developed by a local government under section #cbb7;b7 that addresses wildfire mitigation2 7#e7 the term ,state mitigation plan means a mitigation plan developed by a ,state under section #cbb7;c7 that addresses wildfire mitigation2 and 7#f7 the term tribal mitigation plan means a mitigation plan developed by a tribal government under section #cbb7;b7 that addresses wildfire mitigation4 7b7 ,establishment of ,wildfire ,mitigation ,grant ,program ,the ,president1 acting through the ,administrator1 shall establish a pilot program to make grants to eligible recipients for wildfire mitigation4 7c7 ,use of ,funds ,a grant under this section may be used by an eligible recipient-- 7#a7 to reduce the hazardous fuel load by reducing the use of fuels that may contribute to catastrophic wildfires in high-risk areas2 7#b7 to invest in personnel and organizations to conduct wildfire mitigation2 7#c7 to invest in vehicles and other equipment to conduct wildfire mitigation2 7#d7 to mitigate against damage from runoff into waterways and floods caused by erosion from wildfires2 7#e7 to build essential community collaboration and outline the necessary groundwork systems in anticipation of future fires2 and 7#f7 at the discretion of the ,governor of a ,state or the ,chief ,executive of an ,indian tribal government1 and in consultation with the ,administrator1 for any other wildfire mitigation activities in the ,state or area under the jurisdiction of the ,indian tribal government1 as applicable1 unless otherwise prohibited by law4 7d7 ,eligibility for ,assistance 7#a7 ,in general 7,a7 ,eligibility ,an eligible recipient shall be eligible for assistance under this section if the section #dbj grant ratio for the eligible recipient is equal to or greater than #abe percent of the population ratio of the eligible recipient4 7,b7 ,ratios ,for purposes of subparagraph 7,a7-- 7i7 the section #dbj grant ratio shall be equal to the quotient of-- 7,i7 the number of declarations for a grant under section #dbj received by the eligible recipient during the #aj years prior to the date on which an application for assistance is submitted under this section1 divided by 7,,ii7 the total number of declarations for a grant under section #dbj in the ,united ,states during the #aj years prior to the date on which an application for assistance is submitted under this section2 and 7ii7 the population ratio of the eligible recipient shall be equal to the quotient of-- 7,i7 the population of the ,state or the area under the jurisdiction of the ,indian tribal government1 as applicable1 based on the most recent data available from the ,bureau of the ,census on the date on which an application for assistance is submitted under this section1 divided by 7,,ii7 the population of the ,united ,states1 based on the most recent data available from the ,bureau of the ,census on the date on which an application for assistance is submitted under this section4 7#b7 ,waiver ,the ,president may waive the requirement of paragraph 7#a7 if an eligible recipient-- 7,a7 files a petition for waiver of the requirement of paragraph 7#a72 and 7,b7 demonstrates that significant environmental changes or shifts in forest health put the eligible recipient at an elevated risk for catastrophic wildfires1 as determined by the ,president4 7#c7 ,local ,assistance ,the ,governor of a ,state may award funds received under this section1 to be used solely for the purposes set forth under subsection 7c71 to-- 7,a7 any county or municipality in that ,state with a community wildfire protection plan or a local multi-hazard mitigation plan2 7,b7 any ,indian tribal government in that ,state with a tribal mitigation plan2 or 7,c7 any other entity that is explicitly referenced in and central to1 in the determination of the ,governor1 the design of a community wildfire protection plan or a local multi-hazard mitigation plan4 7e7 ,criteria for ,assistance ,in determining whether to award a grant to an eligible recipient under this section1 the ,president shall-- 7#a7 give preference to-- 7,a7 an eligible recipient with a high level of need for assistance based on the best scientific data available2 7,b7 an eligible recipient that previously received a grant under this section and effectively used the ,federal funds for wildfire mitigation activities in the ,state or area under the jurisdiction of the ,indian tribal government1 as applicable1 as determined by the ,president2 and 7#b7 consider environmental conditions in a ,state or an area under the jurisdiction of an ,indian tribal government1 as applicable1 including environmental changes1 deteriorating forest health1 and overall wildfire risk4 7f7 ,application for ,assistance 7#a7 ,in general ,to request a grant under this section1 an eligible recipient shall submit an application to the ,administrator in such form1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,administrator may reasonably require4 7#b7 ,contents ,in addition to any other requirements that may be specified by the ,administrator1 an eligible recipient submitting an application for a grant under this section shall demonstrate that-- 7,a7 in the case of an eligible recipient that is a ,state-- 7i7 the ,state has a ,state mitigation plan2 7ii7 the ,state shall provide matching non-,federal funds equal to not less than #be percent of the amount of ,federal funds made available under this subsection2 7iii7 a county or municipality that may receive funds from the grant has a community wildfire protection plan or a local multi-hazard mitigation plan2 and 7iv7 an ,indian tribal government that may receive funds from the grant has a tribal mitigation plan2 and 7,b7 in the case of an eligible recipient that is an ,indian tribal government-- 7i7 the ,indian tribal government has a tribal mitigation plan2 and 7ii7 the ,indian tribal government shall-- 7,i7 provide matching non-,federal funds equal to not less than #be percent of the amount of ,federal funds made available under this subsection2 or 7,,ii7 if the ,indian tribal government is a small impoverished community1 as defined in section #bjc7;a71 provide non-matching ,federal funds equal to not less than #aj percent of the amount of ,federal funds made available under this subsection4 7g7 ,report ,not later than #a year after the date of receipt of a grant under this section1 the recipient shall submit to the ,administrator a report1 which shall be made publically available1 on the use of funds made available under the grant4 7h7 ,funding for ,assistance 7#a7 ,predisaster mitigation fund ,subject to the availability of funds in the ,national ,predisaster ,mitigation ,fund established under section #bjc7;i71 the ,administrator shall use not less than #bj1jjj1jjj and not more than #cj1jjj1jjj from unobligated amounts in the ,national ,predisaster ,mitigation ,fund for each of fiscal years #bjaf through #bjba in carrying out this section4 7#b7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this section shall be construed to increase the amount of appropriations authorized for the ,department of ,homeland ,security in any given fiscal year4 4 #c4 ,wildfire ,mitigation ,assistance 7a7 ,in ,general ,section #dbj of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eahg7 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subsection 7d7 as subsection 7e72 and 7#b7 by inserting after subsection 7c7 the following3 7d7 ,hazard mitigation assistance ,whether or not a major disaster is declared1 the ,president may provide hazard mitigation assistance in accordance with section #djd in any area affected by a fire for which assistance was provided under this section4 4 7b7 ,conforming ,amendments ,the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eaba et seq47 is amended-- 7#a7 in section #djd7;a7 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagj;c7a77-- 7,a7 by inserting before the first period 1 or any area in which assistance was provided under section #dbj2 and 7,b7 in the third sentence1 by inserting or event under section #dbj after major disaster each place that term appears2 and 7#b7 in section #cbb 7e77#a7 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eafe7;e77#a771 by inserting or event under section #dbj after major disaster each place that term appears4 #d4 ,factors to consider for major disaster declaration ,not later than #fj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator of the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency shall amend subsection 7a7 of section #bjf4dh of title #dd1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations1 to require the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency to consider1 in evaluating a ,governor's request for major disaster assistance under the ,public ,assistance ,program1 whether-- 7#a7 post-fire flooding occurred within #e years1 and as a result1 of a single wildfire event in the ,state2 and 7#b7 the ,state received fire management assistance under section #dbj of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eahg7 related to the major disaster for which the ,governor is requesting assistance under the ,public ,assistance ,program4 #e4 ,post-fire funding guide 7a7 ,creation and distribution ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator of the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency shall create and make publically available a post-fire recovery funding and resource guide for local communities4 7b7 ,involvement by local leaders ,the ,administrator of the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency shall create the guide under subsection 7a7 in collaboration with local leaders who have experienced wildfires in their communities and who understand the requirements for the use of ,federal disaster funds4 7c7 ,updates ,the ,administrator of the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency shall update the guide under subsection 7a7 as programs and resources change4