,,iib  #aae? ,,congress  #a/ ,session   
,h4 ,r4 #biba  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!  
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,novemb] #a1           
#bjag,receiv$2 read twice & ref]r$ to ! 
,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 
& ,=e/ry  ,,an ,,act  ,to e/abli% a     
vegetation managem5t pilot program on   
,national ,=e/ ,sy/em l& to bett]       
protect utility infra/ructure f pass+   
wildfire1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort  
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !         
,national ,=e/ ,sy/em ,vegetation       
,managem5t ,pilot ,program ,act ( #bjag4
  #b4 ,utility infra/ructure            
rights-(-way vegetation managem5t pilot 
program  7a7 ,pilot program requir$ ,to 
enc\rage own]s or op]ators (            
rights-(-way on ,national ,=e/ ,sy/em l&
 to p>tn] ) ! ,=e/ ,s]vice to volunt>ily
 p]=m vegetation managem5t on a         
proactive basis to bett] protect utility
 infra/ructure f pot5tial pass+         
wildfires1 ! ,secret>y %all conduct a   
limit$1 volunt>y pilot program1 9 !     
mann] describ$ 9 ?is section1 to p]mit  

vegetation managem5t projects on        
,national ,=e/ ,sy/em l& adjac5t to or  
ne> su* rights-(-way4  7b7 ,eligible    
p>ticipants ,a p>ticipant 9 ! pilot     
program mu/ h a "r-(-way on ,national   
,=e/ ,sy/em l&4 ,9 select+ p>ticipants1 
! ,secret>y %all give priority to hold]s
 ( a "r-(-way :o h work$ ) ,=e/ ,s]vice 
fire sci5ti/s & us$ te*nologies1 su* z  
,light ,detection & ,rang+ surveys1 to  
improve utility infra/ructure protection
 prescriptions4  7c7 ,project elem5ts ,a
 vegetation managem5t project "u ! pilot
 program involves limit$ & selective    
vegetation managem5t activities1 :i*--  
7#a7 %all create ! lea/ am\nt (         
di/urbance reasonably necess>y to       
protect utility infra/ructure f pass+   
wildfires bas$ on applicable models1    
includ+ ,=e/ ,s]vice fuel models2  7#b7 
may include ?9n+1 fuel r$uction1        
creation & treatm5t ( %ad$ fuel breaks1 
& o!r measures z appropriate2  7#c7 %all
 only take place adjac5t to !           
p>ticipant's "r-(-way or )9 #ge feet ( !

 p>ticipant's "r-(-way2  7#d7 %all n    
take place 9 any designat$ wild]ness    
area1 wild]ness /udy area1 or inv5tori$ 
roadless area2 &  7#e7 %all be subject  
to approval by ! ,=e/ ,s]vice 9         
accordance ) ?is ,act4  7d7 ,project    
co/s ,a p>ticipant 9 ! pilot program    
%all be responsible = all co/s1 z       
det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y1 incurr$ 9       
p>ticipat+ 9 ! pilot program1 unless !  
,secret>y det]m9es t x is 9 ! public    
int]e/ = ! ,=e/ ,s]vice to contribute   
funds = a vegetation managem5t project  
conduct$ "u ! pilot program4  7e7       
,liability  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,p>ticipation 
9 ! pilot program does n affect any     
exi/+ legal obligations or liability    
/&>ds t--  7,a7 arise "u ! "r-(-way =   
activities 9 ! "r-(-way2 or  7,b7 apply 
to fires result+ f causes o!r ?an       
activities conduct$ pursuant to an      
approv$ vegetation managem5t project4   
7#b7 ,project "w ,a p>ticipant %all n be
 liable to ! ,unit$ ,/ates = damage     
proximately caus$ by activities conduct$

 pursuant to an approv$ vegetation      
managem5t project unless--  7,a7 su*    
activities 7 c>ri$ out 9 a mann] t 0    
grossly neglig5t or t violat$ crim9al   
law2 or  7,b7 ! damage 0 caus$ by !     
failure ( ! p>ticipant to comply )      
specific safety requirem5ts expressly   
impos$ by ! ,=e/ ,s]vice z a condition (
 p>ticipat+ 9 ! pilot program4  7f7     
,implem5tation ,! ,secret>y %all utilize
 exi/+ laws & regulations 9 ! conduct ( 
! pilot program &1 9 ord] to implem5t ! 
pilot program 9 an effici5t & exp$iti\s 
mann]1 may waive or modify specific     
provisions ( ! ,f$]al ,acquisition      
,regulation1 includ+ modifications to   
all[ = =mation ( contracts or agreem5ts 
on a noncompetitive basis4  7g7         
,treatm5t ( proce$s ,not)/&+ any o!r    
provision ( law1 ! ,secret>y may-- 7#a7 
reta9 any funds provid$ to ! ,=e/       
,s]vice by a p>ticipant 9 ! pilot       
program2 &  7#b7 use su* funds1 9 su*   
am\nts z may be appropriat$1 9 ! conduct
 ( ! pilot program4  7h7 ,def9itions ,9 

?is section3  7#a7 ,national ,=e/ ,sy/em
 l& ,! t]m ,national ,=e/ ,sy/em l&     
means l& )9 ! ,national ,=e/ ,sy/em1 z  
def9$ 9 section #aa7;a7 ( ! ,=e/ &      
,rangel& ,r5ewable ,res\rces ,plann+    
,act ( #aigd 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #afji7;a77  
exclusive ( ! ,national ,grassl&s & l&  
utilization projects designat$ z        
,national ,grassl&s adm9i/]$ pursuant to
 ! ,act ( ,july #bb1 #aicg 7#g ,u4,s4,c4
 #ajaj-ajab74  7#b7 ,pass+ wildfire ,!  
t]m pass+ wildfire means a wildfire t   
orig9ates outside ! "r-(-way4  7#c7     
,"r-(-way ,! t]m "r-(-way means a       
special use au?orization issu$ by ! ,=e/
 ,s]vice all[+ ! placem5t ( utility     
infra/ructure4  7#d7 ,secret>y ,! t]m   
,secret>y means ! ,secret>y (           
,agriculture4  7#e7 ,utility            
infra/ructure ,! t]m utility            
infra/ructure means electric            
transmission l9es1 natural gas          
infra/ructure1 or relat$ /ructures4  7i7
 ,duration ,! au?ority to conduct !     
pilot program1 & any vegetation         

managem5t project "u ! pilot program1   
expires ,decemb] #ba1 #bjbg4  7j7       
,report to ,congress ,n lat] ?an        
,decemb] #ca1 #bjai1 & e two ye>s       
!reaft]1 ! ,secret>y %all issue a report
 to ! ,committee on ,en]gy & ,natural   
,res\rces ( ! ,s5ate1 ! ,committee on   
,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 & ,=e/ry ( !  
,s5ate1 ! ,committee on ,natural        
,res\rces ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives1 &
 ! ,committee on ,agriculture ( ! ,h\se 
( ,repres5tatives on ! /atus ( ! program
 & any projects e/abli%$ "u ?is section4
  ,pass$ ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives      
,octob] #ca1 #bjag4,k>5 ,l4 ,haas1,cl]k