,,ii #aagth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dbcg ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #ag1 #bjbb,ms4 ,cantwell 7for herself and ,mr4 ,sullivan7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation ,a ,,bill ,to establish and maintain a coordinated program within the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration that improves wildfire1 fire weather1 fire risk1 and smoke related forecasting1 detection1 modeling1 observations1 and service delivery1 and to address growing needs in the wildland-urban interface1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents 7a7 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,fire ,ready ,nation ,act of #bjbb4 7b7 ,table of contents ,the table of contents for this ,act is as follows3 ,sec4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents4,sec4 #b4 ,definitions4,sec4 #c4 ,establishment of fire weather services program4,sec4 #d4 ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration data management4,sec4 #e4 ,digital fire weather services and data management4,sec4 #f4 ,high-performance computing4,sec4 #g4 ,government ,accountability ,office report on fire weather services program4,sec4 #h4 ,fire weather testbed4,sec4 #i4 ,fire weather surveys and assessments4,sec4 #aj4 ,incident ,meteorologist ,service4,sec4 #aa4 ,automated surface observing system4,sec4 #ab4 ,emergency response activities4,sec4 #ac4 ,government ,accountability ,office report on interagency wildfire forecasting1 prevention1 planning1 and management bodies4,sec4 #ad4 ,amendments to ,infrastructure ,investment and ,jobs ,act relating to wildfire mitigation4,sec4 #ae4 ,wildfire technology modernization amendments4,sec4 #af4 ,cooperation2 coordination2 support to non-,federal entities4,sec4 #ag4 ,international coordination4,sec4 #ah4 ,submissions to ,congress regarding the fire weather services program1 incident meteorologist workforce needs1 and ,national ,weather ,service workforce support4,sec4 #ai4 ,authorization of appropriations4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,administration ,the term ,administration means the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration4 7#b7 ,appropriate committees of ,congress ,the term appropriate committees of ,congress means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate2 and 7,b7 the ,committee on ,science1 ,space1 and ,technology of the ,house of ,representatives4 7#c7 ,decadal ,the term decadal means a time range from multiple years to multiple decades4 7#d7 ,earth system model ,the term ,earth system model means a mathematical model containing all components of the ,earth1 namely the atmosphere1 oceans1 land1 cryosphere1 and biosphere4 ,the ,earth system model represents the critical physical1 chemical1 and biological processes and the interactions among those processes in hydrological and biogeochemical cycles that affect weather and climate4 7#e7 ,fire environment ,the term fire environment means-- 7,a7 the environmental conditions1 such as soil moisture1 vegetation1 topography1 snowpack1 atmospheric temperature1 moisture1 and wind1 that influence-- 7i7 fuel and fire behavior2 and 7ii7 smoke dispersion and transport2 and 7,b7 the associated environmental impacts occurring during and after fire events4 7#f7 ,fire weather ,the term fire weather means any type of weather conditions that influence the start1 spread1 character1 or behavior of wildfire or fires at the wildland-urban interface and all associated meteorological and chemical phenomena1 including air quality1 smoke1 and meteorological parameters such as relative humidity1 air temperature1 wind speed and direction1 and atmospheric composition and chemistry1 including emissions and mixing heights4 7#g7 ,impact-based decision support services ,the term impact-based decision support services means forecast advice and interpretative services the ,administration provides to help core partners1 such as emergency personnel and public safety officials1 make decisions when weather1 water1 and climate impact the lives and livelihoods of the people of the ,united ,states4 7#h7 ,seasonal ,the term seasonal means a time range between #c months and #b years4 7#i7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,commerce4 7#aj7 ,smoke ,the term smoke means emissions1 including the gases and particles released into the air as a result of combustion4 7#aa7 ,state ,the term ,state means a ,state1 the ,district of ,columbia1 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 ,guam1 ,american ,samoa1 the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands1 the ,united ,state ,virgin ,islands1 the ,federated ,states of ,micronesia1 the ,republic of the ,marshall ,islands1 or the ,republic of ,palau4 7#ab7 ,subseasonal ,the term subseasonal means a time range between #b weeks and #c months4 7#ac7 ,tribal government ,the term ,tribal government means the recognized governing body of any ,indian or ,alaska ,native tribe1 band1 nation1 pueblo1 village1 community1 component band1 or component reservation1 individually identified 7including parenthetically7 in the list published most recently as of the date of enactment of this ,act pursuant to section #ajd of the ,federally ,recognized ,indian ,tribe ,list ,act of #aiid 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #eaca74 7#ad7 ,under ,secretary ,the term ,under ,secretary means the ,under ,secretary of ,commerce for ,oceans and ,atmosphere4 7#ae7 ,weather enterprise ,the term weather enterprise means-- 7,a7 individuals1 organizations1 offices1 programs1 or any other form of entity from public1 private1 and academic sectors that contribute to the research1 development1 and production of weather forecast products2 and 7,b7 primary consumers of those weather forecast products4 7#af7 ,wildfire ,the term wildfire means any nonstructure fire that occurs in vegetation or natural fuels1 originating from an unplanned ignition4 7#ag7 ,wildland-urban interface ,the term wildland-urban interface means the area1 zone1 or region of transition between unoccupied or undeveloped land and human development where structures and other human development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels4 #c4 ,establishment of fire weather services program 7a7 ,in general ,the ,under ,secretary shall establish and maintain a coordinated fire weather services program within the ,administration4 7b7 ,program functions ,the functions of the program established under subsection 7a71 consistent with the priorities described in section #aja of the ,weather ,research and ,forecasting ,innovation ,act of #bjag 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #heaa71 shall be-- 7#a7 to support readiness1 responsiveness1 understanding1 and overall resilience of the ,united ,states to wildfires1 fire weather1 smoke1 and other associated conditions1 hazards1 and impacts in built and natural environments and at the wildland-urban interface2 7#b7 to collaboratively disseminate accurate1 precise1 effective1 and timely risk communications1 forecasts1 watches1 and warnings relating to wildfires1 fire weather1 air quality1 smoke1 and other associated conditions1 hazards1 and impacts1 as applicable1 in collaboration with ,federal land management agencies2 7#c7 to partner with and support the public1 ,federal1 ,state1 and ,tribal governments1 and academic and local partners through the development of capabilities1 impact-based decision support services1 and overall service delivery and utility2 7#d7 to conduct and support research and development of new and innovative models1 technologies1 techniques1 products1 systems1 processes1 and procedures to improve understanding of wildfires1 fire weather1 air quality1 the fire environment1 including impacts of climate variability and changing climate conditions1 smoke1 and associated conditions1 hazards1 and impacts1 and to transition such research into effective operations2 7#e7 to develop strong research-to-operations and operations-to-research transitions1 in order to facilitate delivery of products1 services1 and tools to operational users and platforms2 and 7#f7 to develop1 in coordination with ,federal land management agencies1 impact-based decision support services that operationalize and integrate the functions described in paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#e7 in order to provide comprehensive impact-based decision support services that encompass the fire environment4 7c7 ,program priorities ,in developing and implementing the program established under subsection 7a71 the ,under ,secretary shall prioritize-- 7#a7 development of a fire weather-enabled ,earth system model and data assimilation systems that-- 7,a7 are capable of prediction and forecasting across all timescales2 7,b7 include variables associated with fire weather1 air quality from smoke1 and the fire environment1 and other variables1 as determined by the ,under ,secretary2 7,c7 improve understanding of the connections between fire weather and modes of climate variability2 and 7,d7 incorporate emerging techniques such as artificial intelligence1 machine learning1 and cloud computing2 7#b7 advancement of observational capabilities1 including satellite-1 airborne-1 air-1 and ground-based systems and technologies that-- 7,a7 identify-- 7i7 high-risk pre-ignition conditions2 7ii7 conditions that influence fire behavior and spread including those conditions that suppress active fire events2 and 7iii7 fire risk values2 7,b7 support real-time notification of ignitions2 7,c7 support observations and data collection of fire weather and fire environment variables for development of the model and systems under paragraph 7#a72 and 7,d7 support forecasts and advancing understanding and research of the impacts of wildfires on human health1 ecosystems1 climate1 transportation1 and economies2 and 7#c7 development and implementation of advanced and user-oriented impact-based decision tools1 science1 and technologies that-- 7,a7 ensure real-time and retrospective data1 products1 and services are findable1 accessible1 interoperable1 usable1 inform further research1 and are analysis- and decision-ready2 7,b7 provide targeted information throughout the fire lifecycle including pre-ignition1 detection1 forecasting1 post-fire1 and monitoring phases2 and 7,c7 support early assessment of post-fire hazards1 such as air quality1 debris flows1 mudslides1 and flooding4 7d7 ,program activities ,in developing and implementing the program established under subsection 7a71 the ,under ,secretary may-- 7#a7 conduct relevant physical and social science research activities in support of the functions described in subsection 7b7 and the priorities described in subsection 7c72 7#b7 conduct relevant activities1 in coordination with ,federal land management agencies1 to assess fuel characteristics1 including moisture1 loading1 and other parameters used to determine fire risk levels and outlooks2 7#c7 support and conduct research that assesses impacts to marine1 riverine1 and other relevant ecosystems1 which may include forest and rangeland ecosystems1 resulting from activities associated with mitigation of and response to wildfires2 7#d7 support and conduct attribution science research relating to wildfires1 fire weather1 fire risk1 smoke1 and associated conditions1 risks1 and impacts2 7#e7 develop smoke and air quality forecasts1 forecast guidance1 and prescribed burn weather forecasts1 and conduct research on the impact of such forecasts on response behavior that minimizes health-related impacts from smoke exposure2 7#f7 use1 in coordination with ,federal land management agencies1 wildland fire resource intelligence to inform fire environment impact-based decision support products and services for safety2 7#g7 evaluate and provide data1 tools1 and services to support determinations for the implementation of mitigation measures such as prescribed burns and selective thinning2 7#h7 provide comprehensive training to ensure staff of the program established under subsection 7a7 is properly equipped to deliver the impact-based decision support products and services described in paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#f72 and 7#i7 acquire through contracted purchase private sector-produced observational data to fill identified gaps1 as needed4 7e7 ,collaboration2 agreements 7#a7 ,collaboration ,the ,under ,secretary shall1 as the ,under ,secretary considers appropriate1 collaborate and consult with partners in the weather and climate enterprises1 academic institutions1 ,states1 ,tribal governments1 local partners1 and ,federal agencies1 including land and fire management agencies1 in the development and implementation of the program established under subsection 7a74 7#b7 ,agreements ,the ,under ,secretary may enter into agreements in support of the functions described in subsection 7b71 the priorities described in subsection 7c71 the activities described in subsection 7d71 and activities carried out under section #h4 #d4 ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration data management ,section #cja of the ,weather ,research and ,forecasting ,innovation ,act of #bjag 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #heca7 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subsections 7f7 and 7g7 as subsections 7g7 and 7h71 respectively2 and 7#b7 by inserting after subsection 7e7 the following3 7f7 ,data availability and management 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,under ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 make data and metadata generated or collected by the ,national ,oceanic and ,administration that the ,under ,secretary has the legal right to redistribute fully and openly available1 in accordance with chapter #ce of title #dd1 ,united ,states ,code and the ,foundations for ,evidence-,based ,policymaking ,act of #bjah 7,public ,law #aae-dce2 #acb ,stat4 #eebi7 and the amendments made by that ,act1 and preserve and curate such data and metadata1 in accordance with chapter #ca of title #dd1 ,united ,states ,code 7commonly known as the ,federal ,records ,act of #aiej71 in order to maximize use of such data and metadata2 and 7,b7 manage and steward the access1 archival1 and retrieval activities for the data and metadata described in subparagraph 7,a7 by-- 7i7 using-- 7,i7 enterprise-wide infrastructure1 emerging technologies1 commercial partnerships1 and the skilled workforce needed to provide appropriate data management from collection to broad access2 and 7,,ii7 associated information services2 and 7ii7 pursuing the maximum interoperability of data and information by-- 7,i7 leveraging data1 information1 knowledge1 and tools from across the ,federal ,government to support equitable access1 cross-sectoral collaboration and innovation1 and local planning and decision-making2 and 7,,ii7 developing standards and practices for the adoption and citation of digital object identifiers for datasets1 models1 and analytical tools4 7#b7 ,collaboration ,in carrying out this subsection1 the ,under ,secretary shall collaborate with such ,federal partners and stakeholders as the ,under ,secretary considers relevant-- 7,a7 to develop standards to pursue maximum interoperability of data1 information1 knowledge1 and tools across the ,federal ,government1 convert historical records into common digital formats1 and improve access and usability of data by partners and stakeholders2 7,b7 to identify and solicit relevant data from ,federal and international partners and other relevant stakeholders1 as the ,under ,secretary considers appropriate2 and 7,c7 to develop standards and practices for the adoption and citation of digital object identifiers for datasets1 models1 and analytical tools4 4 #e4 ,digital fire weather services and data management 7a7 ,in general 7#a7 ,digital presence ,the ,under ,secretary shall develop and maintain a comprehensive1 centralized1 and publicly accessible digital presence designed to promote findability1 accessibility1 interoperability1 usability1 and utility of the services1 tools1 data1 and information produced by the program established under section #c7;a74 7#b7 ,digital platform and tools ,in carrying out paragraph 7#a71 the ,under ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 seek to ensure the digital platform and tools of the ,administration integrate geospatial data1 decision support tools1 training1 and best practices to provide real-time fire weather forecasts and address fire-related issues and needs2 and 7,b7 strive to enhance community resilience1 ecosystem values1 and economic growth and development by helping communities and other users of the digital platform and tools address their issues1 needs1 and challenges through maximum usability and utility4 7b7 ,public availability ,the ,under ,secretary shall make all data1 research1 reports1 findings1 surveys1 and assessments relevant to the program established under section #c7;a71 as determined by the ,under ,secretary1 available in a publicly accessible digital format4 7c7 ,internet-,based tools ,in carrying out subsections 7a7 and 7b71 the ,under ,secretary shall develop and implement internet-based tools1 such as webpages and smartphone and other mobile applications1 to increase utility and access to services and products for the benefit of users4 7d7 ,data management ,the ,under ,secretary shall develop and maintain services that provide public access to digital fire weather data and information-- 7#a7 to improve understanding and historical analysis of wildfire and fire weather science1 including inventories of fire emissions required for multi-decadal model runs2 7#b7 to support-- 7,a7 the archiving1 stewardship1 utility1 and preservation of wildfire and fire weather data including satellite-1 ground-1 airborne-1 and air-based observations2 and 7,b7 real-time and retrospective model forecasts2 7#c7 to promote findability1 interoperability1 analysis- and decision-readiness1 and reusability of historical and near real-time data across ,federal1 ,state1 ,tribal1 and local users1 including ensuring digital access and machine-readability of historical fire weather records2 and 7#d7 to support equitable access1 cross-sectoral collaboration and innovation1 and local planning and decision making4 #f4 ,high-performance computing 7a7 ,in general ,the ,under ,secretary shall seek to acquire sufficient high-performance computing resources and capacity for research1 operations1 and data storage in support of the program established under section #c7;a74 7b7 ,considerations ,in acquiring high-performance computing capacity under subsection 7a71 the ,under ,secretary shall consider requirements needed for-- 7#a7 the transition of research and testbed developments into operations2 and 7#b7 skilled workforce development4 #g4 ,government ,accountability ,office report on fire weather services program 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #e years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall submit to ,congress a report on the program established under section #c7;a74 7b7 ,elements ,the report required by subsection 7a7 shall-- 7#a7 evaluate the performance of the program by establishing initial baseline capabilities and tracking progress made toward fully operationalizing the functions described in section #c7;b72 7#b7 assess the efficacy of cross-agency collaboration and stakeholder engagement in carrying out the program and provide recommendations to improve such activities2 7#c7 assess the program for inefficiencies1 identify duplicative efforts across ,federal efforts1 and provide relevant recommendations2 and 7#d7 include such other recommendations as the ,comptroller ,general determines are appropriate to improve the program4 #h4 ,fire weather testbed 7a7 ,establishment of fire weather testbed ,the ,under ,secretary shall establish a fire weather testbed that enables engagement across the ,federal ,government1 ,state and local governments1 academia1 private and federally funded research laboratories1 the private sector1 and end-users in order to evaluate the accuracy and usability of technology1 models1 fire weather products and services1 and other research to accelerate the implementation1 transition to operations1 and use of new capabilities by the ,administration1 ,federal and land management agencies1 and other relevant stakeholders4 7b7 ,uncrewed aircraft systems 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,under ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 research and assess the role and potential of uncrewed aircraft systems to improve data collection in support of modeling1 observations1 predictions1 forecasts1 and impact-based decision support services2 and 7,b7 transition uncrewed aircraft systems technologies from research to operations as the ,under ,secretary considers appropriate4 7#b7 ,pilot required ,in carrying out paragraph 7#a71 not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,under ,secretary shall conduct at least #a pilot of uncrewed aircraft systems for fire weather and fire environment observations4 7#c7 ,savings clause 7,a7 ,in general ,in carrying out activities under this subsection1 the ,under ,secretary shall ensure that any testing or deployment of uncrewed aircraft systems follow procedures1 restrictions1 and protocols established by the heads of the ,federal agencies with statutory or regulatory jurisdiction over any airspace in which wildfire response activities are conducted during an active wildfire event4 7,b7 ,consultation and coordination ,the ,under ,secretary shall consult and coordinate with relevant ,federal land management agencies and the ,federal ,aviation ,administration to develop processes for the appropriate deployment of the systems described in subparagraph 7,a74 #i4 ,fire weather surveys and assessments 7a7 ,annual post-,fire-,weather season survey and assessment 7#a7 ,in general ,during the second winter following the enactment of this ,act1 and each year thereafter1 the ,under ,secretary shall conduct a post-fire-weather season survey and assessment4 7#b7 ,elements ,after conducting a post-fire-weather season survey and assessment under paragraph 7#a71 the ,under ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 investigate any gaps in data collected during the assessment2 7,b7 identify and implement strategies and procedures to improve program services and information dissemination2 7,c7 update systems1 processes1 strategies1 and procedures to enhance the efficiency and reliability of data obtained from the assessment2 7,d7 evaluate the accuracy and efficacy of physical fire weather forecasting information for each incident included in the survey and assessment2 and 7,e7 assess and refine performance measures1 as needed4 7b7 ,surveys and assessments following individual wildfire events ,the ,under ,secretary may conduct surveys and assessments following individual wildfire events as the ,under ,secretary determines necessary4 7c7 ,goal ,in carrying out activities under this section1 the ,under ,secretary shall seek to increase the number of post-wildfire community impact studies1 including by surveying individual and collective responses and incorporating other applicable topics of social science research4 7d7 ,annual briefing ,not less frequently than once each year1 the ,under ,secretary shall provide a briefing to the appropriate committees of ,congress that provides-- 7#a7 an overview of the fire season2 and 7#b7 an outlook for the fire season for the coming year4 7e7 ,coordination ,in conducting any survey or assessment under this section1 the ,under ,secretary shall coordinate with ,federal1 ,state1 and local partners1 ,tribal governments1 private entities1 and such institutions of higher education as the ,under ,secretary considers relevant in order to-- 7#a7 improve operations and collaboration2 and 7#b7 optimize data collection1 sharing1 integration1 assimilation1 and dissemination4 7f7 ,data availability ,the ,under ,secretary shall make the data and findings obtained from each assessment conducted under this section available to the public in an accessible digital format as soon as practicable after conducting the assessment4 7g7 ,service improvements ,the ,under ,secretary shall make best efforts to incorporate the results and recommendations of each assessment conducted under this section into the research and development plan and operations of the ,administration4 #aj4 ,incident ,meteorologist ,service 7a7 ,establishment ,the ,under ,secretary shall establish and maintain an ,incident ,meteorologist ,service within the ,national ,weather ,service 7in this section referred to as the ,service74 7b7 ,inclusion of existing incident meteorologists ,the ,service shall include-- 7#a7 the incident meteorologists of the ,administration as of the date of this enactment of this ,act2 and 7#b7 such incident meteorologists of the ,administration as may be appointed after such date4 7c7 ,functions ,the ,service shall provide-- 7#a7 on-site impact-based decision support services to ,federal1 ,state1 ,tribal government1 and local government emergency response agencies preceding1 during1 and following wildland fires or other events that threaten life or property1 including high-impact and extreme weather events2 and 7#b7 support to ,federal1 ,state1 ,tribal government1 and local government decision makers1 partners1 and stakeholders for seasonal planning4 7d7 ,deployment ,the ,service shall be deployed-- 7#a7 as determined by the ,under ,secretary2 or 7#b7 at the request of the head of another ,federal agency4 7e7 ,staffing and resources ,in establishing and maintaining the ,service1 the ,under ,secretary shall identify1 acquire1 and maintain adequate levels of staffing and resources to meet user needs4 7f7 ,symbol 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,under ,secretary may-- 7,a7 create1 adopt1 and publish in the ,federal ,register a symbol for the ,service2 and 7,b7 restrict the use of such symbol as appropriate4 7#b7 ,use of symbol ,the ,under ,secretary may authorize the use of a symbol adopted under this subsection by any individual or entity as the ,under ,secretary considers appropriate4 7#c7 ,contract authority ,the ,under ,secretary may award contracts for the creation of symbols under this subsection4 7#d7 ,offense ,it shall be unlawful for any person-- 7,a7 to represent themselves as an official of the ,service absent the designation or approval of the ,under ,secretary2 7,b7 to manufacture1 reproduce1 or otherwise use any symbol adopted by the ,under ,secretary under this subsection1 including to sell any item bearing such a symbol1 unless authorized by the ,under ,secretary2 or 7,c7 to violate any regulation promulgated by the ,secretary under this subsection4 7g7 ,support for incident meteorologists ,the ,under ,secretary shall provide resources1 access to real-time fire weather forecasts1 training1 administrative and logistical support1 and access to professional counseling or other forms of support as the ,under ,secretary considers appropriate for the betterment of the emotional and mental health and well-being of incident meteorologists and other employees of the ,administration involved with response to high-impact and extreme fire weather events4 #aa4 ,automated surface observing system 7a7 ,joint assessment and plan 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,under ,secretary1 in collaboration with the ,administrator of the ,federal ,aviation ,administration and the ,secretary of ,defense1 shall-- 7,a7 conduct an assessment of resources1 personnel1 procedures1 and activities necessary to maximize the functionality and utility of the automated surface observing system of the ,united ,states that identifies-- 7i7 key system upgrades needed to improve observation quality and utility for weather forecasting1 aviation safety1 and other users2 7ii7 improvements needed in observations within the planetary boundary layer1 including mixing height2 7iii7 improvements needed in public accessibility of observational data2 7iv7 improvements needed to reduce latency in reporting of observational data2 7v7 relevant data to be collected for the production of forecasts or forecast guidance relating to atmospheric composition1 including particulate and air quality data1 and aviation safety2 7vi7 areas of concern regarding operational continuity and reliability of the system1 which may include needs for on-night staff1 particularly in remote and rural areas and areas where system failure would have the greatest negative impact to the community2 7vii7 stewardship1 data handling1 data distribution1 and product generation needs arising from upgrading and changing the automated surface observation systems2 7viii7 possible solutions for areas of concern identified under clause 7vi71 including with respect to the potential use of backup systems1 power and communication system reliability1 staffing needs and personnel location1 and the acquisition of critical component backups and proper storage location to ensure rapid system repair necessary to ensure system operational continuity2 and 7ix7 research1 development1 and transition to operations needed to develop advanced data collection1 quality control1 and distribution so that the data are provided to models1 users1 and decision support systems in a timely manner2 and 7,b7 develop and implement a plan that addresses the findings of the assessment conducted under subparagraph 7,a71 including by seeking and allocating resources necessary to ensure that system upgrades are standardized across the ,administration1 the ,federal ,aviation ,administration1 and the ,department of ,defense to the extent practicable4 7#b7 ,standardization ,any system standardization implemented under paragraph 7#a77;,b7 shall not impede activities to upgrade or improve individual units of the system4 7#c7 ,remote automatic weather station coordination ,the ,under ,secretary1 in collaboration with relevant ,federal agencies and the ,national ,interagency ,fire ,center1 shall assess and develop cooperative agreements to improve coordination1 interoperability standards1 operations1 and placement of remote automatic weather stations for the purpose of improving utility and coverage of remote automatic weather stations1 automated surface observation systems1 and other similar stations and systems for weather and climate operations4 7b7 ,report to ,congress 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #b years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,under ,secretary1 in collaboration with the ,administrator of the ,federal ,aviation ,administration and the ,secretary of ,defense1 shall submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress a report that-- 7,a7 details the findings of the assessment required by subparagraph 7,a7 of subsection 7a77#a72 and 7,b7 the plan required by subparagraph 7,b7 of such subsection4 7#b7 ,elements ,the report required by paragraph 7#a7 shall include a detailed assessment of appropriations required-- 7,a7 to address the findings of the assessment required by subparagraph 7,a7 of subsection 7a77#a72 and 7,b7 to implement the plan required by subparagraph 7,b7 of such subsection4 7c7 ,government ,accountability ,office report ,not later than #d years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall submit to ,congress a report that-- 7#a7 evaluates the functionality1 utility1 reliability1 and operational status of the automated surface observing system across the ,administration1 the ,federal ,aviation ,administration1 and the ,department of ,defense2 7#b7 evaluates the progress1 performance1 and implementation of the plan required by subsection 7a77#a77;,b72 7#c7 assesses the efficacy of cross-agency collaboration and stakeholder engagement in carrying out the plan and provides recommendations to improve such activities2 7#d7 evaluates the operational continuity and reliability of the system1 particularly in remote and rural areas and areas where system failure would have the greatest negative impact to the community1 and provides recommendations to improve such continuity and reliability2 7#e7 assesses ,federal coordination regarding the remote automatic weather station network1 air resource advisors1 and other ,federal observing assets used for weather and climate modeling and response activities1 and provides recommendations for improvements2 and 7#f7 includes such other recommendations as the ,comptroller ,general determines are appropriate to improve the system4 #ab4 ,emergency response activities 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,basic pay ,the term basic pay includes any applicable locality-based comparability payment under section #ecjd of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 any applicable special rate supplement under section #ecje of such title1 or any equivalent payment under a similar provision of law4 7#b7 ,covered employee ,the term covered employee means an employee of the ,department of ,commerce4 7#c7 ,covered services ,the term covered services means services performed by a covered employee while-- 7,a7 serving as an incident meteorologist accompanying a wildland firefighter crew2 7,b7 serving-- 7i7 on an incident management team2 7ii7 as an emergency response specialist2 7iii7 at the ,national ,interagency ,fire ,center2 7iv7 at a ,geographic ,area ,coordination ,center2 or 7v7 at an operations center2 or 7,c7 serving in a capacity determined by the ,secretary1 or the ,under ,secretary acting on behalf of the ,secretary1 to be primarily relating to emergency response activities4 7#d7 ,employee ,the term employee has the meaning given that term in section #baje of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#e7 ,premium pay ,the term premium pay means premium pay for the purposes of section #eedg7;a7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7b7 ,waiver 7#a7 ,in general ,any premium pay received by a covered employee for covered services shall be disregarded in calculating the aggregate of the basic pay and premium pay for the covered employee for purposes of applying the limitation on premium pay under section #eedg7;a7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#b7 ,limitation ,a covered employee may be paid premium pay that is disregarded under paragraph 7#a7 only to the extent that the aggregate of the basic pay and premium pay paid to that covered employee in the applicable calendar year1 including premium pay that is disregarded under that paragraph1 does not exceed the rate of basic pay for a position at level ,,ii of the ,executive ,schedule under section #ecac of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 as in effect at the end of that calendar year4 7c7 ,application ,if the application of subsection 7b7 results in the payment of additional pay to a covered employee of a type that is normally creditable as basic pay for retirement or any other purpose1 that additional pay shall not-- 7#a7 be considered to be basic pay of the covered employee for any purpose2 or 7#b7 be used in computing a lump-sum payment to the covered employee for accumulated and accrued annual leave under section #eeea or #eeeb of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7d7 ,amendment ,section #eedb7;a77#e7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by inserting 1 the ,department of ,commerce1 after ,interior4 7e7 ,effective date ,this section and the amendment made by this section shall take effect as if enacted on ,january #a1 #bjbj4 7f7 ,derivation of funds ,any amounts used to pay covered employees for covered services shall not be derived from amounts made available to the ,administration or amounts saved by reducing the number of full-time-equivalent employees of the ,administration4 7g7 ,policies and procedures for health1 safety1 and well-,being ,the ,under ,secretary shall maintain policies and procedures that ensure that the deployment of a covered employee to perform a covered service will not compromise the health1 safety1 and well-being of the covered employee4 #ac4 ,government ,accountability ,office report on interagency wildfire forecasting1 prevention1 planning1 and management bodies ,not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall submit to ,congress a report that-- 7#a7 identifies all ,federal interagency bodies established for the purpose of wildfire forecasting1 prevention1 planning1 and management 7such as wildfire councils1 commissions1 and workgroups71 including-- 7,a7 the ,wildland ,fire ,leadership ,council2 7,b7 the ,national ,interagency ,fire ,center2 7,c7 the ,wildland ,fire ,management ,policy ,committee2 7,d7 the ,wildland ,fire ,mitigation and ,management ,commission2 7,e7 the ,national ,interagency ,fire ,center2 7,f7 the ,national ,interagency ,coordination ,center2 7,g7 the ,national ,predictive ,services ,oversight ,group2 7,h7 the ,interagency ,council for ,advancing ,meteorological ,services2 7,i7 the ,national ,wildfire ,coordinating ,group2 7,j7 the ,national ,multi-,agency ,coordinating ,group2 and 7,k7 the ,mitigation ,framework ,leadership ,group2 7#b7 evaluates the roles1 functionality1 and utility of such interagency bodies2 7#c7 evaluates the progress1 performance1 and implementation of such interagency bodies2 7#d7 assesses efficacy and identifies potential overlap and duplication of such interagency bodies in carrying out interagency collaboration with respect to wildfire prevention1 planning1 and management2 and 7#e7 includes such other recommendations as the ,comptroller ,general determines are appropriate to streamline and improve wildfire forecasting1 prevention1 planning1 and management1 including recommendations regarding the interagency bodies for which the addition of the ,administration is necessary to improve wildfire forecasting1 prevention1 planning1 and management4 #ad4 ,amendments to ,infrastructure ,investment and ,jobs ,act relating to wildfire mitigation ,the ,infrastructure ,investment and ,jobs ,act 7,public ,law #aag-eh2 #ace ,stat4 #dbi7 is amended-- 7#a7 in section #gjbjb-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,j71 by striking 2 and and inserting a semicolon2 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,k71 by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon2 and 7iii7 by adding at the end the following3 7,l7 the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate2 and 2 7,m7 the ,committee on ,science1 ,space1 and ,technology of the ,house of ,representatives4 2 and 7,b7 in paragraph 7#f7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking 2 and and inserting a semicolon2 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,c71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7iii7 by adding at the end the following3 7,d7 ,the ,secretary of ,commerce1 acting through the ,under ,secretary of ,commerce for ,oceans and ,atmosphere4 2 and 7#b7 in section #gjbjc7;b77#a77;,b7-- 7,a7 in the matter preceding clause 7i71 by striking #i and inserting not fewer than #aj2 7,b7 in clause 7i7-- 7i7 in subclause 7,,iv71 by striking 2 and and inserting a semicolon2 7ii7 in subclause 7,v71 by adding and at the end2 and 7iii7 by adding at the end the following3 7,,vi7 the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration4 2 7,c7 in clause 7iv71 by striking 2 and and inserting a semicolon2 and 7,d7 by adding at the end the following3 7vi7 if the ,secretaries determine it to be appropriate1 #a or more representatives from the relevant line offices of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration2 and 4 #ae4 ,wildfire technology modernization amendments ,section #aaad of the ,john ,d4 ,dingell1 ,jr4 ,conservation1 ,management1 and ,recreation ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #agdh;b-#a7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7c77#c71 by inserting the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration1 after ,federal ,aviation ,administration12 7#b7 in subsection 7e77#b7-- 7,a7 by redesignating subparagraph 7,b7 as subparagraph 7,c72 and 7,b7 by inserting after subparagraph 7,a7 the following3 7,b7 ,consultation 7i7 ,in general ,in carrying out subparagraph 7,a71 the ,secretaries shall consult with the ,under ,secretary of ,commerce for ,oceans and ,atmosphere regarding any development of impact-based decision support services that relate to wildlife-related activities of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration4 7ii7 ,definition of impact-based decision support services ,in this subparagraph1 the term impact-based decision support services means forecast advice and interpretative services the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration provides to help core partners1 such as emergency personnel and public safety officials1 make decisions when weather1 water1 and climate impact the lives and livelihoods of the people of the ,united ,states4 2 and 7#c7 in subsection 7f7-- 7,a7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b7 as subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b71 respectively1 and moving such subparagraphs1 as so redesignated1 #b ems to the right2 7,b7 by striking ,the ,secretaries and inserting the following3 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretaries 2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#b7 ,collaboration ,in carrying out paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretaries shall collaborate with the ,under ,secretary of ,commerce for ,oceans and ,atmosphere to improve coordination1 utility of systems and assets1 and interoperability of data for smoke prediction1 forecasting1 and modeling4 4 #af4 ,cooperation2 coordination2 support to non-,federal entities 7a7 ,cooperation ,each ,federal agency shall cooperate and coordinate with the ,under ,secretary1 as appropriate1 in carrying out this ,act and the amendments made by this ,act4 7b7 ,coordination 7#a7 ,in general ,in meeting the requirements under this ,act and the amendments made by this ,act1 the ,under ,secretary shall coordinate1 and as appropriate1 establish agreements with ,federal and external partners to fully use and leverage existing assets1 systems1 networks1 technologies1 and sources of data4 7#b7 ,inclusions ,coordination carried out under paragraph 7#a7 shall include coordination with-- 7,a7 the ,national ,interagency ,fire ,center1 including the ,predictive ,services ,program that provides impact-based decision support services to the wildland fire community at the ,geographic ,area ,coordination ,center and the ,national ,interagency ,coordination ,center2 7,b7 the ,national ,wildfire ,coordinating ,group2 and 7,c7 relevant interagency bodies identified in the report required by section #ac4 7#c7 ,consultation ,in carrying out this subsection1 the ,under ,secretary shall consult with ,federal partners including-- 7,a7 the ,national ,aeronautics and ,space ,administration2 7,b7 the ,department of the ,interior2 7,c7 the ,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency2 7,d7 the ,national ,science ,foundation2 7,e7 the ,united ,states ,geological ,survey2 7,f7 the ,department of ,agriculture2 7,g7 the ,environmental ,protection ,agency2 7,h7 the ,department of ,energy2 7,i7 the ,department of ,defense2 7,j7 the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology2 and 7,k7 such other departments and agencies as the ,under ,secretary considers relevant4 7c7 ,coordination with non-,federal entities ,not later than #edj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,under ,secretary shall develop and submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress a process for annual coordination with ,tribal1 ,state1 and local governments to assist the development of improved fire weather products and services4 7d7 ,support to non-,federal entities ,in carrying out the activities under this ,act and the amendments made by this ,act1 the ,under ,secretary may provide support to non-,federal entities by making funds and resources available through-- 7#a7 competitive grants2 7#b7 contracts under the mobility program under subchapter ,,vi of chapter #cc of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code 7commonly referred to as the ,intergovernmental ,personnel ,act ,mobility ,program72 7#c7 cooperative agreements2 and 7#d7 colocation agreements as described in section #ejb of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration ,commissioned ,officer ,corps ,amendments ,act of #bjbj 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #hea note prec474 #ag4 ,international coordination 7a7 ,in general ,the ,under ,secretary may develop collaborative relationships and agreements with foreign partners and counterparts to address transboundary issues pertaining to wildfires1 fire weather1 smoke1 air quality1 and associated conditions and hazards or other relevant meteorological phenomena1 as appropriate1 to facilitate full and open exchange of data and information4 7b7 ,consultation ,in carrying out activities under this section1 the ,under ,secretary shall consult with the ,department of ,state and such other ,federal partners as the ,under ,secretary considers relevant4 #ah4 ,submissions to ,congress regarding the fire weather services program1 incident meteorologist workforce needs1 and ,national ,weather ,service workforce support 7a7 ,report to ,congress ,not later than #edj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,under ,secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress-- 7#a7 the plan described in subsection 7b72 7#b7 the assessment described in subsection 7c72 and 7#c7 the assessment described in subsection 7d74 7b7 ,fire weather services program plan 7#a7 ,elements ,the plan submitted under subsection 7a77#a7 shall detail-- 7,a7 the observational data1 modeling requirements1 ongoing computational needs1 research1 development1 and technology transfer activities1 data management1 skilled-personnel requirements1 engagement with relevant ,federal emergency and land management agencies and partners1 and corresponding resources and timelines necessary to achieve the functions described in subsection 7b7 of section #c and the priorities described in subsection 7c7 of such section2 and 7,b7 plans and needs for all other activities and requirements under this ,act and the amendments made by this ,act4 7#b7 ,submittal of annual budget for plan ,following completion of the plan submitted under subsection 7a77#a71 the ,under ,secretary shall1 not less frequently than once each year concurrent with the submission of the budget by the ,president to ,congress under section #aaje of title #ca1 submit to ,congress a proposed budget corresponding with the elements detailed in the plan4 7c7 ,incident meteorologist workforce needs assessment 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,under ,secretary shall conduct a workforce needs assessment on the current and future demand for additional incident meteorologists for wildfires and other high-impact fire weather events4 7#b7 ,elements ,the assessment required by paragraph 7#a7 shall include the following3 7,a7 ,a description of staffing levels as of the date on which the assessment is submitted under subsection 7a77#b7 and projected future staffing levels4 7,b7 ,an assessment of the state of the infrastructure of the ,national ,weather ,service as of the date on which the assessment is submitted and future needs of such infrastructure in order to meet current and future demands1 including with respect to information technology support and logistical and administrative operations4 7#c7 ,considerations ,in conducting the assessment required by paragraph 7#a71 the ,under ,secretary shall consider factors including projected climate conditions1 infrastructure1 all hazard meteorological response system equipment1 user needs1 and feedback from relevant stakeholders4 7d7 ,support services assessment 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,under ,secretary shall conduct a workforce support services assessment with respect to employees of the ,national ,weather ,service engaged in emergency response4 7#b7 ,elements ,the assessment required by paragraph 7#a7 shall include the following3 7,a7 ,an assessment of need for further support of employees of the ,national ,weather ,service engaged in emergency response through services provided by the ,public ,health ,service4 7,b7 ,a detailed assessment of appropriations required to secure the level of support services needed as identified in the assessment described in subparagraph 7,a74 7#c7 ,additional support services ,following the completion of the assessment required by paragraph 7#a71 the ,under ,secretary shall seek to acquire additional support services to meet the needs identified in the assessment4 #ai4 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,administration to carry out this ,act and the amendments made by this ,act-- 7#a7 #ee1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbc2 7#b7 #abe1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbd2 7#c7 #ace1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbe2 7#d7 #aej1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbf2 and 7#e7 #bjj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbg4