,,ii #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bdcf ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #bb1 #bjba,mr4 ,risch 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,barrasso1 ,mr4 ,daines1 and ,mr4 ,crapo7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,healthy ,forests ,restoration ,act of #bjjc to establish emergency fireshed management areas1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,forest ,improvements through ,research and ,emergency ,stewardship for ,healthy ,ecosystem ,development and ,sustainability ,act or the ,,firesheds ,act4 #b4 ,emergency fireshed management ,title ,,vi of the ,healthy ,forests ,restoration ,act of #bjjc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #feia et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #fjg4 ,emergency fireshed management 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,collaborative process ,the term collaborative process means a process relating to the management of ,national ,forest ,system land or public land by which a project or forest management activity is developed and implemented by the ,secretary through collaboration with interested persons1 as described in section #fjc7;b77#a77;,c74 7#b7 ,fireshed ,the term fireshed means a landscape-scale area that faces a similar wildfire threat where a response strategy could influence the wildfire outcome4 7#c7 ,forest plan ,the term forest plan means-- 7,a7 a land use plan prepared by the ,secretary of the ,interior1 acting through the ,director of the ,bureau of ,land ,management1 for public land under section #bjb of the ,federal ,land ,policy and ,management ,act of #aigf 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #agab72 or 7,b7 a land and resource management plan prepared by the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 acting through the ,chief of the ,forest ,service1 for a unit of the ,national ,forest ,system pursuant to section #f of the ,forest and ,rangeland ,renewable ,resources ,planning ,act of #aigd 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #afjd74 7#d7 ,hazardous fuels management ,the term hazardous fuels management means any vegetation management activity that reduces the risk of wildfire1 including mechanical treatments and livestock grazing4 7#e7 ,national ,forest ,system ,the term ,national ,forest ,system means national forest lands reserved or withdrawn from the public domain of the ,united ,states described in section #aa7;a7 of the ,forest and ,rangeland ,renewable ,resources ,planning ,act of #aigd 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #afji7;a774 7#f7 ,public land 7,a7 ,in general ,the term public land has the meaning given the term public lands in section #ajc of the ,federal ,land ,policy and ,management ,act of #aigf 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #agjb74 7,b7 ,inclusions ,the term public land includes ,coos ,bay ,wagon ,road ,grant land and ,oregon and ,california ,railroad ,grant land4 7#g7 ,resource advisory committee ,the term resource advisory committee has the meaning given the term in section #bja of the ,secure ,rural ,schools and ,community ,self-,determination ,act of #bjjj 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #gaba74 7#h7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means-- 7,a7 the ,secretary of the ,interior1 with respect to public land2 and 7,b7 the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 with respect to ,national ,forest ,system land4 7#i7 ,section #aja terms ,the terms at-risk community1 community wildfire protection plan1 and wildland-urban interface have the meanings given those terms in section #aja4 7b7 ,establishment of fireshed management areas 7#a7 ,in general 7,a7 ,joint agreements ,not later than #ij days after receiving a request from a ,governor of a ,state1 the ,secretary shall enter into an agreement with that ,governor to jointly-- 7i7 designate #a or more fireshed management areas within that ,state2 and 7ii7 conduct fireshed management projects in accordance with subsection 7d7 in those fireshed management areas4 7,b7 ,additional fireshed management areas ,with respect to an agreement with a ,governor of a ,state under subparagraph 7,a71 the ,secretary1 if requested by that ,governor1 may-- 7i7 designate additional fireshed management areas under that agreement2 and 7ii7 update that agreement to address new wildfire threats4 7,c7 ,shared stewardship ,a previously signed stewardship agreement between a ,governor of a ,state and the ,secretary 7or an update or successor agreement to such a stewardship agreement7 may be treated as an agreement under subparagraph 7,a7 if that ,governor approves that treatment4 7#b7 ,designation of fireshed management areas 7,a7 ,in general ,a fireshed management area designated under an agreement under paragraph 7#a7-- 7i7 shall be-- 7,i7 a landscape-scale area2 and 7,,ii7 identified on the date of that designation as a fireshed ranked in the top #aj percent of wildfire exposure1 as determined by the most recently published models of fireshed risk exposure published by the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 acting through the ,chief of the ,forest ,service2 7ii7 may not overlap with any other fireshed management area2 and 7iii7 may contain ,federal and non-,federal land4 7,b7 ,applicability of ,,nepa ,the designation of a fireshed management area under an agreement under paragraph 7#a7 shall not be subject to the requirements of the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq474 7c7 ,stewardship and fireshed assessments 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ij days after entering into an agreement with a ,governor of a ,state under subsection 7b77#a71 the ,secretary and that ,governor shall1 with respect to the fireshed management areas designated under that agreement1 jointly conduct a stewardship and fireshed assessment that-- 7,a7 identifies-- 7i7 using the best available data1 wildfire exposure risks within each of those fireshed management areas1 including scenario planning and wildfire hazard mapping and models2 and 7ii7 each at-risk community within each fireshed management area2 7,b7 identifies potential fireshed management projects to be carried out in those fireshed management areas1 giving priority-- 7i7 primarily1 to projects with the purpose of reducing threats to public health and safety from catastrophic wildfire2 and 7ii7 secondarily1 to projects with the purpose of-- 7,i7 protecting critical infrastructure2 7,,ii7 protecting wildlife habitats2 7,,iii7 protecting watersheds or improving water yield2 or 7,,iv7 any combination of purposes described in subclauses 7,i7 through 7,,iii72 7,c7 includes-- 7i7 a strategy for reducing the threat of wildfire to at-risk communities in the wildland-urban interface2 7ii7 recommended fireshed management project size limitations based on the best available data2 7iii7 a timeline for the implementation of fireshed management projects2 and 7iv7 long-term benchmark goals for the completion of fireshed management projects in the highest wildfire exposure areas2 and 7,d7 shall be regularly updated based on the best available data1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7#b7 ,information improvement 7,a7 ,memoranda of understanding ,in carrying out a stewardship and fireshed assessment under this subsection1 the ,secretary may enter into memoranda of understanding with other ,federal agencies or departments1 ,states1 private entities1 or research or educational institutions to improve1 with respect to that assessment1 the use and integration of-- 7i7 advanced remote sensing and geospatial technologies2 7ii7 statistical modeling and analysis2 or 7iii7 any other technology the ,secretary determines will benefit the quality of information of that assessment4 7,b7 ,state information ,to the maximum extent practicable1 the ,secretary shall incorporate data from ,state forest action plans1 ,state wildfire risk assessments1 and other ,state sources in conducting an assessment under paragraph 7#a74 7d7 ,fireshed management projects 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall carry out fireshed management projects in fireshed management areas designated under an agreement under subsection 7b77#a7 in accordance with the timeline and project size limitations included in the stewardship and fireshed assessment relating to those areas under subsection 7c77#a77;,c74 7#b7 ,requirements ,a fireshed management project shall-- 7,a7 be carried out-- 7i7 in accordance with paragraph 7#c72 7ii7 in accordance with the applicable forest plan2 and 7iii7 in a manner that maximizes the retention of old-growth and large trees1 to the extent that the trees promote stands that are resilient to wildfire2 and 7,b7 be-- 7i7 developed through a collaborative process2 7ii7 proposed by a resource advisory committee2 7iii7 covered by a community wildfire protection plan2 or 7iv7 proposed by a resource advisory council described in subpart #aghd of part #agjj of title #dc1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7or successor regulations74 7#c7 ,authorized activities ,a fireshed management project shall have the primary purpose of-- 7,a7 creating fuel breaks and fire breaks2 7,b7 conducting hazardous fuels management2 7,c7 conducting prescribed burns2 7,d7 removing dead trees or dying trees2 or 7,e7 carrying out any combination of the activities described in subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,d74 7#d7 ,categorical exclusion for fireshed management projects ,fireshed management projects under this subsection shall be-- 7,a7 considered an action categorically excluded from the preparation of an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement under section #ajb of the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dccb72 and 7,b7 exempt from the special administrative review process under section #aje4 7#e7 ,exclusions ,a fireshed management project may not be carried out on land-- 7,a7 that is included in the ,national ,wilderness ,preservation ,system2 7,b7 that is located within a national or ,state-specific inventoried roadless area established by the ,secretary of ,agriculture through regulation1 unless-- 7i7 the forest management activity to be carried out under that authority is consistent with the forest plan applicable to the area2 or 7ii7 the activity is allowed under the applicable roadless area conservation rule governing that land1 including-- 7,i7 the ,idaho roadless area conservation rule under subpart ,c of part #bid of title #cf1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations2 7,,ii7 the ,colorado roadless area conservation rule under subpart ,d of part #bid of title #cf1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations2 or 7,,iii7 any other roadless area conservation rule developed after the date of enactment of this section by the ,secretary with respect to a specific ,state2 or 7,c7 on which timber harvesting for any purpose is prohibited by ,federal statute4 7#f7 ,effect relating to certain roadless area conservation rules ,nothing in this section affects the roadless area conservation rules described in subclauses 7,i7 and 7,,ii7 of paragraph 7#e77;,b77ii74 7#g7 ,use of other authorities ,to the maximum extent practicable1 the ,secretary shall use existing statutory and administrative authorities1 including a good neighbor agreement entered into under section #hbjf of the ,agricultural ,act of #bjad 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #baac;a71 to carry out each fireshed management project4 7e7 ,judicial review ,section #ajf shall apply to a fireshed management project conducted under this section in the same manner as that section applies to an authorized hazardous fuel reduction project conducted under title ,i1 except that no restraining order1 preliminary injunction1 or injunction pending appeal shall be issued by any court of the ,united ,states with respect to any decision to prepare or conduct a fireshed management project under this section in the wildland-urban interface4 7f7 ,report ,not later than #b years after the date of enactment of this section1 and annually thereafter1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a report evaluating the progress and implementation of fireshed management projects under this section4 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