“A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to modify the handling of air quality monitoring with respect to prescribed fires, and for other purposes.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section expands the definition of exceptional events under the Clean Air Act to include prescribed fires, including cultural burning by Indian tribes, and directs the EPA Administrator to revise regulations within 270 days of enactment (with final revisions 180 days later) to reduce state demonstration burdens and clarify eligibility. It adds principles recognizing prescribed fire's role in wildfire reduction, modifies demonstration criteria for attainment and compliance determinations, requires action on state petitions within one year (with deemed approval if delayed), and authorizes collaborative regional, national, or international analyses for multijurisdictional events.
This section expands the definition of exceptional event to include prescribed fires, defined as deliberately ignited fires to meet resource management objectives, including cultural burning by Indian tribes. It directs the Administrator to revise regulations within 270 days of enactment, after consultation with specified stakeholders, to reduce state demonstration burdens and clarify prescribed fire eligibility, with final revisions due 180 days after proposed rules. It adds a principle recognizing prescribed fire’s role in wildfire reduction, modifies demonstration criteria, requires action on state petitions within one year (with deemed approval if unmet), and authorizes regional, national, or international analyses for multijurisdictional events.
This section establishes a competitive grant program, administered by the Environmental Protection Agency, to assess, prevent, control, or abate wildfire smoke hazards in community buildings, including schools. The federal share of costs is limited to 90 percent, with a waiver available for economically distressed communities, and no more than 25 percent of annual funding may go to recipients in any single state.
This section authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency to award competitive grants to states, federally recognized Indian Tribes, and other eligible entities for the assessment, prevention, control, or abatement of wildfire smoke hazards in community buildings, including school buildings. The federal share of costs may not exceed 90 percent, though the Administrator may waive this requirement for economically distressed communities, and no more than 25 percent of annual funding may go to recipients in any single state.