,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bhhb ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,november #ah1 #bjai,mr4 ,schumer 7for ,ms4 ,harris7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to establish a community wildfire defense grant program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,wildfire ,defense ,act4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,administrator ,the term ,administrator means the ,administrator of the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency4 7#b7 ,chief ,the term ,chief means the ,chief of the ,forest ,service4 7#c7 ,community wildfire defense plan ,the term community wildfire defense plan means a plan that-- 7,a7 is developed by an eligible entity in coordination with-- 7i7 the local community and government2 7ii7 local law enforcement1 firefighters1 first responders1 fire managers1 and utilities2 and 7iii7 ,state agencies responsible for emergency response and forest management2 7,b7 includes strategies and activities relating to-- 7i7 improving evacuations and access for first responders2 7ii7 addressing vulnerable populations1 including the elderly1 those with disabilities1 and the homeless2 7iii7 hardening and increasing the resiliency of critical infrastructure and homes1 including through incentive programs2 7iv7 applying community-scale defensible space projects across contiguous areas2 7v7 building local capacity to implement and oversee the plan2 7vi7 implementing strategic land use planning2 7vii7 deploying distributed energy resources that do not increase dependence on fossil fuels2 7viii7 educating community members2 7ix7 coordinating any existing wildfire plans such as a community wildfire protection plan or a community emergency evacuation plan2 and 7x7 incorporating information from a map generated pursuant to section #baj7;a7 of division ,o of the ,consolidated ,appropriations ,act1 #bjah 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #feja note2 ,public ,law #aae-ada72 and 7,c7 may consist of existing plans or other efforts1 provided that the plan complies with subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b74 7#d7 ,critical infrastructure ,the term critical infrastructure means any public safety1 health1 education1 transportation1 communications1 or water or power utility infrastructure or any private infrastructure necessary to preserve community safety or resilience to a wildfire threat4 7#e7 ,defensible space project ,the term defensible space project-- 7,a7 means a project that is conducted within a radius of not more than #ajj feet around homes1 businesses1 and administrative facilities1 and is comprised of vegetation pruning1 such as annual removal of tree seedlings and saplings1 lower limbs of mature trees1 cutting of grasses and reducing density and continuity of shrubs1 and removal of most small twigs and leaves2 or 7,b7 at the discretion of the ,administrator1 if a project funded under the program is being carried out in a ,state that has established by law a more restrictive definition of the term1 has the meaning given the term in ,state law4 7#f7 ,distributed energy resource ,the term distributed energy resource means a technology that1 collectively or individually1 increases local energy resilience1 such as microgrids1 batteries1 thermal storage1 combined heat and power1 fuel cells1 electric vehicles1 demand response1 energy efficiency1 smart inverters1 and geothermal heat pumps4 7#g7 ,eligible entity ,the term eligible entity means-- 7,a7 a ,state or unit of general local or regional government2 7,b7 an ,indian ,tribe2 or 7,c7 a joint powers authority formed by not less than #b entities described in subparagraph 7,a7 or 7,b74 7#h7 ,low-income community ,the term low-income community means a census tract1 as determined by the ,administrator based on objective criteria1 where a substantial population or percentage of population of low-income individuals reside1 an inadequate access to capital exists1 or other indication of economic distress exist4 7#i7 ,program ,the term program means the grant program established under section #c7;a74 7#aj7 ,severe disaster impacted community ,the term severe disaster impacted community means a unit of local government or an ,indian ,tribe located in an area for which the ,president declared a major disaster under section #dja of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagj7 during the preceding #e-year period4 #c4 ,community wildfire defense grant program 7a7 ,establishment ,not later than #ij days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator shall establish a program1 which shall be separate from the program established under section #bjc of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eacc71 under which the ,administrator1 in coordination with the ,chief1 shall award grants to eligible entities to-- 7#a7 in the case of an eligible entity that has a community wildfire defense plan1 carry out projects described in the community wildfire defense plan of the eligible entity in accordance with subsection 7c72 or 7#b7 in the case of an eligible entity that does not have a community wildfire defense plan1 develop a community wildfire defense plan in accordance with subsection 7d74 7b7 ,criteria for grants 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator1 in coordination with the ,chief1 shall establish criteria to award grants under the program4 7#b7 ,communities ,amounts provided under the program shall be used to conduct projects and activities only in communities in existence on the date of enactment of this ,act4 7#c7 ,priority ,in awarding grants under the program1 the ,administrator shall give priority to eligible entities that will carry out projects or plans supporting-- 7,a7 a low-income community in a fire-hazard area1 as identified by a ,state wildfire hazard map or the most recent wildfire hazard potential map from the ,secretary of ,agriculture2 or 7,b7 a severe disaster impacted community in a fire-hazard area1 as identified by a ,state wildfire hazard map or the most recent wildfire hazard potential map from the ,secretary of ,agriculture 7c7 ,community wildfire defense grants 7#a7 ,use of grant funds ,an eligible entity that receives a grant under the program may use grant funds to carry out projects that support a diverse portfolio of community wildfire defense strategies described in the community wildfire defense plan of the eligible entity4 7#b7 ,grant amounts ,an award under this subsection shall be for not more than #aj1jjj1jjj4 7d7 ,community wildfire defense plan development grants 7#a7 ,use of grant funds ,an eligible entity that receives a grant under the program may use grant funds to develop a community wildfire defense plan for the eligible entity4 7#b7 ,grant amounts ,an award under this subsection shall be for not more than #bej1jjj4 7e7 ,preference for local contractors and labor ,in carrying out a project using a grant awarded under the program1 the grant recipient shall1 to the maximum extent practicable1 give preference to contracting with entities1 and hiring individuals1 from the area in which the project is being carried out1 including by partnering with local corps groups such as ,ameri,corps or a conservation corps4 7f7 ,cost-,sharing requirement ,the non-,federal share of the cost 7including the administrative cost7 of carrying out a project using funds from a grant awarded under the program-- 7#a7 7,a7 shall be not less than #be percent for a grant described in subsection 7c72 and 7,b7 shall be #j percent for a grant described in subsection 7d72 7#b7 may be provided by-- 7,a7 a ,state1 a unit of local government1 an ,indian ,tribe1 a nonprofit organization1 private industry1 or a combination of those entities2 or 7,b7 volunteer hours and in-kind donations2 and 7#c7 may1 in the case of a project that serves a low-income community1 be in the form of a low-interest ,federal loan to the eligible entity carrying out the project through the ,community ,disaster ,loan program authorized under section #dag of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eahd74 7g7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the program #a1jjj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjba through #bjbe4 #d4 ,government ,accountability ,office report ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,government ,accountability ,office shall publish a report-- 7#a7 on authorities and programs across the ,federal ,government that are available to protect communities from wildfires2 and 7#b7 that assesses impediments to implementation of those programs and gaps in funding4 #e4 ,government ,accountability ,office study ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,government ,accountability ,office shall publish a study-- 7#a7 on the potential for a ,community ,wildfire ,defense ,plan to qualify for a certification identifying a level of wildfire survivability and resilience2 7#b7 that assesses what metrics might provide insurance companies assurance that a community has wildfire resilience measures2 and 7#c7 how to incentivize insurance companies to accept the certification4 #f4 ,updating list of at-risk communities 7a7 ,in general ,section #aja7a77;,a7 of the ,healthy ,forests ,restoration ,act of #bjjc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #feaa7a77;,a77 is amended by striking comprised of in the matter preceding clause 7i7 and all that follows through a group in clause 7ii7 and inserting composed of a group4 7b7 ,maps ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 and every #e years thereafter1 the ,chief shall develop and publish a map depicting at-risk communities 7as defined in section #aja of the ,healthy ,forests ,restoration ,act of #bjjc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #feaa771 including ,tribal at-risk communities4 #g4 ,report on radio communications 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #b years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator shall prepare a report relating to insufficient radio frequencies1 barriers to interoperability of radio frequencies1 and available products and technologies for overcoming barriers to interoperability for wildland fire management4 7b7 ,cooperation ,in preparing the report under subsection 7a71 the ,administrator shall cooperate with-- 7#a7 the ,secretary of ,agriculture2 7#b7 agencies responsible for the management of ,federal land2 7#c7 ,state fire and emergency response agencies2 and 7#d7 municipal fire departments and volunteer fire departments in relevant communities4 7c7 ,compatibility2 additional frequencies ,the report under subsection 7a7 shall include-- 7#a7 a determination on whether the organizations identified in the report have an existing ability to communicate by way of radio during a potential fire suppression effort for a large fire2 7#b7 a determination on whether-- 7,a7 the reserved radio frequencies are sufficient for wildland fire management2 or 7,b7 additional frequencies1 listed by type and location1 are recommended to be reserved or obtained2 7#c7 an analysis of commercially available technology and products to enable radios from multiple agencies operating on different radio frequencies to be interoperable2 and 7#d7 if the ,secretary determines under paragraph 7#a7 that the organizations do not have an existing ability to communicate1 a plan for ensuring organizations would be able to communicate adequately during a fire suppression effort for a large fire4