43 U.S.C. § 1748b Cohesive Wildfire Management Strategy

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: 2023 Edition
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-19 (published on www.congress.gov on 10/06/2023)

(a) Strategy required

Not later than one year after October 30, 2009, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, acting jointly, shall submit to Congress a report that contains a cohesive wildfire management strategy, consistent with the recommendations described in recent reports of the Government Accountability Office regarding management strategies.

(b) Elements of strategy

The strategy required by subsection (a) shall provide for-

(1) the identification of the most cost-effective means for allocating fire management budget resources;

(2) the reinvestment in non-fire programs by the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture;

(3) employing the appropriate management response to wildfires;

(4) assessing the level of risk to communities;

(5) the allocation of hazardous fuels reduction funds based on the priority of hazardous fuels reduction projects;

(6) assessing the impacts of climate change on the frequency and severity of wildfire; and

(7) studying the effects of invasive species on wildfire risk.

(c) Revision

At least once during each five-year period beginning on the date of the submission of the cohesive wildfire management strategy under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall revise the strategy to address any changes affecting the strategy, including changes with respect to landscape, vegetation, climate, and weather.

Cite as 43 U.S.C. § 1748b

Source: Pub. L. 111-88, div. A, title V, §503, Oct. 30, 2009, 123 Stat. 2971.

Notes from the Office of Law Revision Counsel

current through 5/22/2023

EDITORIAL NOTES

CODIFICATION

Section was enacted as part of the Federal Land Assistance, Management, and Enhancement Act of 2009, also known as the FLAME Act of 2009, and also as part of the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010, and not as part of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 which comprises this chapter.

EXECUTIVE DOCUMENTS

EX. ORD. NO. 13855. PROMOTING ACTIVE MANAGEMENT OF AMERICA'S FORESTS, RANGELANDS, AND OTHER FEDERAL LANDS TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS AND REDUCE WILDFIRE RISK

Ex. Ord. No. 13855, Dec. 21, 2018, 84 F.R. 45, provided:

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

SECTION 1. Policy. It is the policy of the United States to protect people, communities, and watersheds, and to promote healthy and resilient forests, rangelands, and other Federal lands by actively managing them through partnerships with States, tribes, communities, non-profit organizations, and the private sector. For decades, dense trees and undergrowth have amassed in these lands, fueling catastrophic wildfires. These conditions, along with insect infestation, invasive species, disease, and drought, have weakened our forests, rangelands, and other Federal lands, and have placed communities and homes at risk of damage from catastrophic wildfires.

Active management of vegetation is needed to treat these dangerous conditions on Federal lands but is often delayed due to challenges associated with regulatory analysis and current consultation requirements. In addition, land designations and policies can reduce emergency responder access to Federal land and restrict management practices that can promote wildfire-resistant landscapes. With the same vigor and commitment that characterizes our efforts to fight wildfires, we must actively manage our forests, rangelands, and other Federal lands to improve conditions and reduce wildfire risk.

In recognition of these regulatory, policy, and coordinating challenges, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture (the Secretaries) each shall implement the following policies in their respective departments:

(a) Shared Management Priorities. The goal of Federal fire management policy for forests, rangelands, and other Federal lands shall be to agree on a set of shared priorities with Federal land managers, States, tribes, and other landowners to manage fire risk across landscapes.

(b) Coordinating Federal, State, Tribal, and Local Assets. Wildfire prevention and suppression and post-wildfire restoration require a variety of assets and skills across landscapes. Federal, State, tribal, and local governments should coordinate the deployment of appropriate assets and skills to restore our landscapes and communities after damage caused by fires and to help reduce hazardous fuels through active forest management in order to protect communities, critical infrastructure, and natural and cultural resources.

(c) Removing Hazardous Fuels, Increasing Active Management, and Supporting Rural Economies. Post-fire assessments show that reducing vegetation through hazardous fuel management and strategic forest health treatments is effective in reducing wildfire severity and loss. Actions must be taken across landscapes to prioritize treatments in order to enhance fuel reduction and forest-restoration projects that protect life and property, and to benefit rural economies through encouraging utilization of the by-products of forest restoration.