Wildfire Coordination Act
- Bill Number
- S. 2038
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Science, Technology, Communications
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-06-11: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Last Updated
- 2026-03-24T12:48:03Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Wildfire Coordination Act (S. 2038) aims to improve federal wildfire management by creating a permanent advisory board. This board would bridge the gap between wildfire research and practical operations, ensuring scientific advancements are applied effectively to prevent, mitigate, and respond to wildfires across government agencies.
Key Provisions
- Establishment of the Board: The Secretary of the Interior must create a permanent advisory committee called the Wildfire Science and Technology Advisory Board (the "Board"). It operates under federal advisory committee guidelines but is exempt from automatic sunset (expiration) provisions.
- Duties of the Board:
- Coordinate the use of wildfire research in federal operations by identifying ways to apply research practically, prioritizing projects, facilitating transitions to real-world use, connecting researchers and operators, providing feedback, and partnering with private sector or research centers as needed.
- Encourage wildfire research and operations to incorporate diverse fields like public health, weather science (meteorology), and predictive modeling (forecasting tools), while considering both urban (built) and natural fire-prone areas.
- Share information through tools like newsletters, online portals, webinars, and workshops to reach stakeholders, including best practices and resources.
- Membership:
- Includes designees from 18 federal entities, such as the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, and Commerce; Forest Service; Bureau of Indian Affairs; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); and others like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- Up to 18 non-federal members appointed by the Secretary of the Interior, including at least one each from state, local, and tribal governments; plus representatives from fire departments, private sector (e.g., standards organizations, fire risk experts), researchers in wildfire/forest health/ecological restoration, public health experts, meteorologists, and predictive modeling specialists.
- Non-federal members serve 2-year terms without pay but receive travel expenses. The chairperson rotates annually among key federal designees (Interior, Agriculture, Commerce), with flexibility for group selection.
- The Board can hire staff, detail federal employees, and procure temporary services, with pay limits tied to executive pay scales.
- Reporting Requirements: Within 2 years of enactment, the Board must submit a report to specified congressional committees detailing its activities, progress on applying research to operations, barriers encountered, and recommendations for future research and needs. Relevant committees include those on agriculture, energy, natural resources, environment, and homeland security in both the Senate and House.
- Funding: Authorizes $10 million for implementation, available until spent. Federal members can also use unspecified funds from their agencies.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- This bill creates an entirely new permanent advisory board focused specifically on wildfire science and technology coordination, which does not currently exist in this form.
- It exempts the Board from the standard 2-year termination rule for federal advisory committees under 5 U.S.C. § 1013(a)(2), ensuring long-term continuity.
- No direct amendments to prior laws, but it builds on existing federal wildfire authorities (e.g., under the Departments of Interior and Agriculture) by mandating interagency collaboration and research application.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Enhances coordination among federal entities, potentially streamlining wildfire research into actionable policies and operations, reducing duplication, and improving efficiency in wildfire suppression, prevention, and recovery efforts.
- On Citizens: Could lead to better wildfire risk reduction in fire-prone communities, including safer built environments, improved public health responses (e.g., smoke impacts), and more effective emergency preparedness, benefiting residents in western states and beyond.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, as the focus is domestic federal operations; however, shared research could indirectly support U.S. collaborations on global wildfire issues like climate change.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Government: Agencies like the Department of the Interior (lead), Forest Service, BLM, FEMA, NOAA, EPA, USGS, and others involved in land management, emergency response, science, and health.
- State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Representatives must be included, affecting their wildfire planning and resource sharing.
- Private and Non-Profit Sectors: Fire departments, research institutions, standards organizations, prescribed fire groups (controlled burns), and experts in risk mitigation, public health, and modeling.
- Researchers and Communities: Wildfire scientists, ecologists, and at-risk populations in fire-prone areas, who gain from disseminated knowledge and prioritized projects.
- Congress: Through required reporting, influencing oversight of wildfire funding and policy.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Establishes the Board under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) framework, promoting transparency and diverse input while allowing flexible staffing and partnerships. The funding authorization provides a dedicated budget stream, but implementation depends on appropriations.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's authority over federal lands and interstate commerce (wildfires affect multiple states); no apparent conflicts with separation of powers, as it advises rather than mandates executive actions.
- Political: Addresses growing wildfire crises amid climate change, potentially fostering bipartisan support in fire-impacted regions (e.g., West). It emphasizes inclusivity (tribal, local voices) and cross-disciplinary approaches, but success hinges on voluntary agency participation and non-federal appointments.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2025-06-11: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 2025-06-11: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Wildfire Coordination Act — issued 2025-06-11 — PDF (10 pages)