H.R. 8790 – Fix Our Forests Act

Agreed to by Voice Vote

Molinaro #1 – Adds consideration of a strategy for reducing the threat of wildfires to wildland firefighters to the fireshed assessment
LaMalfa #2 – Directs the United States Forest Service to expand the use of proactive, targeted animal grazing in fuels management programs to reduce wildfire risk
Valadao #3 – Requires the U.S. Forest Service to conduct an evaluation of the container aerial firefighting system (CAFFS) to assess the use of such a system to mitigate and suppress wildfires
Garamendi #4 – Clarifies that special districts are eligible to participate in the wildfire-related programs authorized under the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003. Clarifies that special districts are eligible to participate in the biochar research and development program established in Sec.301 of H.R.8790. Expands the Good Neighbor Authority to special districts
Obernolte #5 – Adds thermal mid-wave infrared equipped low earth orbit satellites as a prioritized emerging technology for agencies to implement through public-private partnerships for wildfire mitigation and detection
Harder #6 – Authorizes a Department of Interior Casualty Assistance Program to provide assistance to firefighters and the families of firefighters who were critically injured, ill, or killed in the line-of-duty
Barr #7 – Directs the the US Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to address reforestation and regeneration issues specific to the White Oak species through the White Oak Initiative and pilot projects
Pettersen #8 – Expands nursery and seed capacity work to support reforestation and restoration by state, Tribal, and local governments and institutions of higher education
Mullin #9 – Adds artificial intelligence and other decision support tools for use by the Fireshed Center
Valadao/Costa #10 – Expands public and private forestry and watershed management partnerships by reducing redundancy for existing water source management plans and increasing the number of eligible entities
Boebert/Zinke #11 – Allows GNA revenue to be used for reconstruction, repair, and restoration of non-NFS roads necessary to implement GNA projects on federal lands, allows GNA cooperators to construct new permanent roads on federal lands that is necessary to implement authorized restoration activities and approved by the federal agency through an Environmental Analysis or Categorical Exclusion decision, and allows GNA cooperators to complete new permanent road construction to replace and decommission existing permanent road(s) that are adversely impacting forest, rangeland, or watershed health
Boebert #12 – Clarifies existing authorities may be utilized to prevent wildfires in Fire Regimes IV and V which are located in Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Utah, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Maine, West Virginia, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Missouri, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, Ohio, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Virginia, North Carolina, Iowa, Florida, and Texas
Boebert #13 – Ensures grazing is one of the hazardous fuels reduction activities authorized by the bill
Boebert #14 – Requires regional foresters to submit a plan through the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program for the treatment and removal of trees killed by or infested with bark beetles in Western states
Boebert #15 – Requires regional foresters to submit a plan for the sale of Christmas trees and firewood on federal lands
LaLota #16 – Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a study on the impacts pine beetles have in the Northeastern region of the United States