,,ii #aae? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,s4 #bjgc ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,novemb] #b1 #bjag,mr4 ,b5net 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,g>dn]1 & ,mr4 ,?une7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 & ,=e/ry ,a ,,bill ,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 ,def9itions ,9 ?is section3 7#a7 ,national ,=e/ ,sy/em l& 7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,! 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;a774 7,b7 ,exclusions ,! t]m ,national ,=e/ ,sy/em l& does n include-- 7i7 a ,national ,grassl&2 or 7ii7 a l& utilization project on l& designat$ z a ,national ,grassl& & adm9i/]$ pursuant to sections #ca1 #cb1 & #cc ( ! ,bankhead-,jones ,f>m ,t5ant ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #ajaj1 #ajaa1 #ajab74 7#b7 ,pass+ wildfire ,! t]m pass+ wildfire means a wildfire t orig9ates outside ( a "r-(-way4 7#c7 ,pilot program ,! t]m pilot program means ! pilot program e/abli%$ by ! ,secret>y "u subsection 7b74 7#d7 ,"r-(-way ,! t]m "r-(-way means a special use au?orization issu$ by ! ,=e/ ,s]vice all[+ ! placem5t ( utility infra/ructure4 7#e7 ,secret>y ,! t]m ,secret>y means ! ,secret>y ( ,agriculture4 7#f7 ,utility infra/ructure ,! t]m utility infra/ructure means electric transmission l9es1 natural gas infra/ructure1 or relat$ /ructures4 7b7 ,e/abli%m5t ,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 conduct vegetation managem5t projects on a proactive basis to bett] protect utility infra/ructure f pot5tial pass+ wildfires1 ! ,secret>y %all e/abli% a limit$1 volunt>y pilot program1 9 ! mann] describ$ 9 ?is section1 to conduct vegetation managem5t projects on ,national ,=e/ ,sy/em l& adjac5t to or ne> ^? rights-(-way4 7c7 ,eligible p>ticipants 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,a p>ticipant 9 ! pilot program %all be ! own] or op]ator ( a "r-(-way on ,national ,=e/ ,sy/em l&4 7#b7 ,selection priority ,9 select+ p>ticipants = ! pilot program1 ! ,secret>y %all give priority to an own] or op]ator ( a "r-(-way t has work$ ) ,=e/ ,s]vice fire sci5ti/s & us$ te*nologies1 su* z light detection & rang+ surveys1 to improve utility infra/ructure protection prescriptions4 7d7 ,vegetation managem5t projects 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,a vegetation managem5t project conduct$ "u ! pilot program %all involve only limit$ & selective vegetation managem5t activities t-- 7,a7 %all create ! lea/ 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 appropriate measures2 7,c7 %all only be conduct$ on ,national ,=e/ ,sy/em l&-- 7i7 adjac5t to ! "r-(-way ( a p>ticipant2 or 7ii7 )9 #ge feet ( ! "r-(-way ( a p>ticipant2 & 7,d7 %all n be conduct$ on-- 7i7 a compon5t ( ! ,national ,wild]ness ,pres]vation ,sy/em2 7ii7 a designat$ wild]ness /udy area2 or 7iii7 an inv5tori$ roadless area4 7#b7 ,approval ,ea* vegetation managem5t project describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a7 7includ+ ea* vegetation managem5t activity describ$ 9 subp>agraphs 7,a7 ?r\gh 7,d7 ( t p>agraph7 %all be subject to approval by ! ,=e/ ,s]vice 9 accordance ) ?is section4 7e7 ,project co/s 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,except z provid$ 9 p>agraph 7#b71 a p>ticipant 9 ! pilot program %all be responsible = all co/s1 z det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y1 incurr$ 9 p>ticipat+ 9 ! pilot program4 7#b7 ,f$]al fund+ ,! ,secret>y may contribute funds = a vegetation managem5t project conduct$ "u ! pilot program if ! ,secret>y det]m9es t ! contribution is 9 ! public int]e/4 7f7 ,liability 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,p>ticipation 9 ! pilot program %all n affect any 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 project conduct$ "u ! pilot program4 7#b7 ,project "w ,a p>ticipant 9 ! pilot program %all n be liable to ! ,unit$ ,/ates = damage proximately caus$ by an activity conduct$ pursuant to an approv$ vegetation managem5t project conduct$ "u ! pilot program1 unless-- 7,a7 ! activity 0 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>ticipation 9 ! pilot program4 7g7 ,implem5tation 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,except z provid$ 9 p>agraph 7#b71 ! ,secret>y %all use ! au?ority ( ! ,secret>y "u o!r laws 7includ+ regulations7 to c>ry out ! pilot program4 7#b7 ,modification ( regulations ,9 ord] to implem5t ! pilot program 9 an effici5t & exp$iti\s mann]1 ! ,secret>y may waive or modify specific provisions ( ! ,f$]al ,acquisition ,regulation1 includ+ waiv]s or modifications to all[ = ! =mation ( contracts or agreem5ts on a noncompetitive basis4 7h7 ,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 funds reta9$ "u p>agraph 7#a71 9 su* am\nts z may be appropriat$1 to c>ry out ! pilot program4 7i7 ,report to ,congress ,n lat] ?an ,decemb] #ca1 #bjai1 & e #b ye>s !reaft] ?r\gh ,decemb] #ca1 #bjbg1 ! ,secret>y %all submit a report describ+ ! /atus ( ! pilot program & vegetation managem5t projects conduct$ "u ! pilot program to-- 7#a7 ! ,committee on ,en]gy & ,natural ,res\rces ( ! ,s5ate2 7#b7 ! ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 & ,=e/ry ( ! ,s5ate2 7#c7 ! ,committee on ,natural ,res\rces ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives2 & 7#d7 ! ,committee on ,agriculture ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives4 7j7 ,duration ,! au?ority to c>ry out ! pilot program1 includ+ any vegetation managem5t project conduct$ "u ! pilot program1 expires on ,decemb] #ca1 #bjbg4