119-s453

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 453 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 453

 To establish a Wildfire Intelligence Center, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 February 6 (legislative day, February 5), 2025

Mr. Padilla (for himself, Mr. Sheehy, Mr. Daines, and Mr. Hickenlooper) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
 Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To establish a Wildfire Intelligence Center, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Wildfire Intelligence Collaboration 
and Coordination Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

 It is the sense of Congress that--

    (1) wildfire management is a complex, multijurisdictional 
 issue that requires an integration of efforts at all levels of 
 society, including the Federal Government, State, Tribal, and 
 local governments, and the private sector; and

    (2) the report of the Wildland Fire Mitigation and 
 Management Commission entitled ``On FIRE: The Report of the 
 Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission'' and dated 
 September 2023 represents a consensus set of recommendations 
 from 50 diverse experts to improve the outcomes from wildfire 
 in the United States, finding that--
        (A) rapidly changing ecosystems represent 
 fundamental shifts in conditions that existing fire 
 behavior models and existing fire management system are 
 not designed to meet;
        (B) research, applied science programs, data 
 management, and technology procurement and application 
 relating to wildfire are housed within a wide array of 
 Federal entities and academia, leading to a limited 
 ability to set priorities and general inefficiencies;
            (C) various predictive services and decision-
 support functions exist to aid Federal managers and 
 decisionmakers in the wildland fire community that, due 
 to the different missions and jurisdictions of the 
 Federal agencies involved and the fact that the 
 services reside in several different Federal agencies, 
 would benefit from improved interoperability and more 
 coordinated priority setting and purchasing power; and
            (D) an interagency joint office should be 
 established--
            (i) with membership from entities 
 conducting research and addressing wildland 
 fire management;
            (ii) with dedicated and separate funding to 
 fulfill the mission of comprehensive assessment 
 and prediction of fire in the wildland and 
 built environment interface through data 
 aggregation and science-based decision-support 
 services; and
            (iii) in close collaboration with the 
 existing wildland fire management system in the 
 United States.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the Board for the 
 Center appointed under 

section 4

    (e)

    (1) .

    (2) Center.--The term ``Center'' means the Wildfire 
 Intelligence Center established by 

section 4

    (a) .

SEC. 4. WILDFIRE INTELLIGENCE CENTER.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the Department of 
Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of the 
Interior a joint office, to be known as the ``Wildfire Intelligence 
Center'', the duties of which are to study, plan, coordinate, and 
implement issues of joint concern among the Department of Agriculture, 
the Department of Commerce, and the Department of the Interior, 
including--

    (1) serving as the development and operational center for 
 the comprehensive assessment and prediction of fires that occur 
 in the wildland and fires that move into the built environment 
 to provide decision support services to inform land and fuels 
 management, community outreach and risk reduction, post-
 wildfire recovery and rehabilitation, and fire management and 
 response activities carried out by entities, including--
        (A) the Federal Government;
        (B) State, Tribal, and local governments;
            (C) land managers;
            (D) incident management teams;
        (E) the National Interagency Coordination Center;
        (F) geographic coordination centers;
        (G) land, air, and water managers;
        (H) burned area rehabilitation teams;
            (I) public health entities; and
        (J) other entities identified by the Board;

    (2) facilitating collaboration and information sharing 
 across Federal and State departments and agencies, Tribal 
 entities, academia, and the private sector on matters relating 
 to wildland fires; and

    (3) addressing any other issues the Secretary of 
 Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of 
 the Interior identify as issues of joint interest in support of 
 the functions of the Center described in subsection
            (c) .

    (b) Headquarters.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Board shall select a permanent location for 
a physical headquarters of the Center within the United States.
            (c) Functions.--The functions of the Center shall include the 
following:

    (1) Providing real-time, science-based, and data-rich 
 scientific and technical analytical services, decision support, 
 and predictive services across all phases of fire to inform 
 pre-fire land and fuels management, pre-fire community and 
 built environment risk reduction, active fire management and 
 emergency response, and post-fire recovery in the built and 
 natural environment.

    (2) Assessing and monitoring wildland fires and wildland 
 fire conditions across all phases of fire, including ignition, 
 behavior, and spread, climate, weather, drought, soil moisture, 
 fuel conditions, smoke, aerosols, fire severity, debris flows, 
 and erosion.

    (3) Comprehensive modeling of wildland fire behavior and 
 risks, including ignitions, wildland fire intensity and spread, 
 air quality, and dependence on burn history, vegetation 
 conditions, climate, and weather.

    (4) Providing and combining existing data, mapping, 
 technological, and consultation services to support pre-, 
 active, and post-fire activities, including--
        (A) creating and maintaining a real-time nationwide 
 wildland fire risk catalog by leveraging existing risk 
 mapping at land management agencies;
        (B) assisting with the creation of evacuation plans 
 for at-risk communities;
            (C) assisting with the creation of public safety 
 power shutoff plans;
            (D) assisting with the creation of wildland fire 
 response strategies, plans, and treatment and 
 mitigation measures;
        (E) providing gridded and point data forecast and 
 assessment products in support of operational and 
 planning activities; and
        (F) providing a testbed framework for testing and 
 evaluation of new tools and products intended for 
 decision support.

    (5) Consolidating air quality monitoring and forecasting 
 data to support health risk information to help inform risks to 
 public health and protect the public from smoke impacts 
 associated with wildland fires, including providing planning 
 guidance for safe and effective beneficial fire opportunities 
 to prevent the risk of wildland fires.

    (6) Providing accessible tools and products that support 
 emergency and land management decisions relating to wildland 
 fire prevention, preparedness, and response, including risk 
 assessment and contingency planning, which shall include the 
 development of a data interface to assist and inform, in real-
 time, firefighters, first responders, and approved contractors 
 in responding to wildland fires, including the use of any 
 observations by the civil, military, and intelligence 
 communities of the Federal Government and commercial Earth 
 observations.

    (7) Establishing an interoperable information technology 
 infrastructure accessible by Federal agencies, State government 
 offices, units of local government, and Tribal governments.

    (8) To the extent feasible, establishing data 
 interoperability through--
        (A) the development of common data standards;
        (B) the provision of comprehensive searchable data 
 inventories;
            (C) working with Tribal governments in nation-to-
 nation partnership;
            (D) the integration and sharing of information and 
 resources of the Federal Government and State and local 
 governments to support the essential functions of the 
 Center;
        (E) the development of data standards to protect 
 confidential information that may be essential to the 
 core functions of the Center;
        (F) regular updates and maintenance of research and 
 technology essential to achieving the core functions of 
 the Center; and
        (G) the development and maintenance of a big-data 
 architecture to compile, maintain, standardize, and 
 evaluate data associated with the core functions of the 
 Center.

    (9) In coordination with relevant Federal agencies and 
 coordinating bodies as determined by the Board, and in 
 consultation with State government offices, units of local 
 government, territories of the United States, and federally 
 recognized Indian Tribes, developing and disseminating tools to 
 support wildland fire planning, risk reduction and response 
 guidance, guidelines, maps, and training materials to help 
 inform State, territorial, local, and Tribal governments and 
 decisionmakers with respect to--
        (A) the use and implementations of wildland fire 
 risk assessments;
        (B) the applied use of the database and information 
 developed under paragraphs

    (7) and

    (8) ;
            (C) reducing losses from wildland fires;
            (D) increasing benefits from wildland fires;
        (E) resources available for communities and 
 responders working to improve wildland fire 
 preparedness; and
        (F) enhancing communication management in emergency 
 wildfire situations, land and resource management, and 
 scientific studies.

    (10) Working with Federal, State, and Tribal agencies to 
 develop and improve National Wildland Coordinating Group 
 wildland fire preparedness curricula and training modules for--
        (A) State, territorial, local, and Tribal 
 officials; and
        (B) Federal, State, territorial, local, and Tribal 
 emergency managers and responders.
            (d) Administration.--

    (1) In general.--The Secretary of Agriculture, the 
 Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of the Interior shall 
 cooperatively administer the Center.

    (2) Transfer of funds.--
        (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph
        (B) , the 
 Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, 
 and the Secretary of the Interior may transfer funds 
 between the Forest Service, National Oceanic and 
 Atmospheric Administration, and the United States 
 Geological Survey from funds provided to establish the 
 Center and to carry out the duties of the Center.
        (B) Notice required.--Not less than 15 days prior 
 to transferring funds under subparagraph
        (A) , the 
 Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, or 
 the Secretary of the Interior, as applicable, shall 
 notify the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate 
 and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
 Representatives of the proposed transfer.

    (e) Board.--

    (1) Number and appointment.--The Center shall be governed 
 by a Board, composed of 14 members, as follows:
        (A) 1 member who is a career employee of the 
 Department of the Interior, to be appointed by the 
 Secretary of the Interior.
        (B) 1 member who is a career employee of the Bureau 
 of Land Management, to be appointed by the Director of 
 the Bureau of Land Management.
            (C) 1 member who is a career employee of the Bureau 
 of Indian Affairs, to be appointed by the Director of 
 the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
            (D) 1 member who is a career employee of the 
 National Park Service, to be appointed by the Director 
 of the National Park Service.
        (E) 1 member who is a career employee of the United 
 States Fish and Wildlife Service, to be appointed by 
 the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife 
 Service.
        (F) 1 member who is a career employee of the United 
 States Geological Survey, to be appointed by the 
 Director of the United States Geological Survey.
        (G) 1 member who is a career employee of the 
 Department of Agriculture, to be appointed by the 
 Secretary of Agriculture.
        (H) 1 member who is a career employee of the 
 research and development areas of the Forest Service, 
 to be appointed by the Chief of the Forest Service.
            (I) 1 member who is a career employee in fire and 
 aviation management of the Forest Service, to be 
 appointed by the Chief of the Forest Service.
        (J) 1 member who is a career employee of the 
 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to be 
 appointed by the Administrator of the National Oceanic 
 and Atmospheric Administration.
        (K) 1 member who is a career employee of the 
 National Weather Service, to be appointed by the 
 Director of the National Weather Service.
            (L) 1 member who is a career employee of the 
 Federal Emergency Management Agency, to be appointed by 
 the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management 
 Agency.
            (M) 1 member who is a career employee of the United 
 States Fire Administration, to be appointed by the 
 Administrator of the United States Fire Administration.
        (N) 1 member who is a career employee of the 
 Department of Defense, to be appointed by the Secretary 
 of Defense.

    (2) Terms.--A member of the Board--
        (A) shall be appointed for a term of 3 years; and
        (B) may be reappointed for not more than 3 
 additional terms.

    (3) Chairperson; vice chairperson.--The Chairperson and 
 Vice Chairperson of the Board shall--
        (A) be selected by the members of the Board from 
 among the members appointed under subparagraphs
        (F) ,
        (H) , and
        (J) of paragraph

    (1) ; and
        (B) serve for a term of 1 year.

    (4) Majority vote.--Voting consensus by the Board shall be 
 not less than \2/3\ majority vote of the members present.

    (5) Nonvoting status.--At the discretion of the Board, the 
 Board may include nonvoting observers to the Board.

    (f) Executive Director.--

    (1) In general.--The Center shall have an Executive 
 Director, who shall be appointed by, and serve at the direction 
 of, the Board.

    (2) Private sector drought monitoring.--The Executive 
 Director of the Center shall engage with entities in the 
 private sector to improve drought monitoring, forecasting, 
 communication, and response that may be essential to the core 
 functions of the Center if the Executive Director of the Center 
 determines that the engagement is appropriate, beneficial, and 
 cost effective.

    (3) Contracting authority.--
        (A) In general.--The Executive Director of the 
 Center may enter into and perform contracts, leases, 
 cooperative agreements, or other similar transactions 
 that the Executive Director of the Center determines to 
 be appropriate to carry out the functions of the 
 Center.
        (B) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
 of enactment of this Act, the Board and the Executive 
 Director of the Center shall submit to the appropriate 
 committees of Congress a report that provides--
            (i) an assessment of existing contracting 
 authorities of the Executive Director of the 
 Center; and
            (ii) recommendations on whether new 
 contracting authorities or modifications of 
 existing contracting authorities are needed.

    (g) Detailees.--The Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of 
Commerce, and the Secretary of the Interior may detail or assign to the 
Center such employees of the Department of Agriculture, the Department 
of Commerce, and the Department of the Interior, respectively, as are 
determined by the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, 
and the Secretary of the Interior, respectively, to be necessary to 
carry out the duties of the Center.

    (h) Interagency Financing.--Notwithstanding 

section 708 of the 
Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2023 
(Public Law 117-328; 136 Stat. 4706), or any other similar provision of 
law, interagency financing may be used to fund the Center.
            (i) Coordination With Other Agencies and Entities.--The Board shall 
coordinate with agencies represented on the Board and other relevant 
entities to achieve the core functions of the Center, including with--

    (1) the National Wildfire Coordinating Group;

    (2) State and Tribal governments;

    (3) any other agency--
        (A) that is responsible for the management of 
 Federal or State land; or
        (B) that has data, science, and technology 
 expertise relevant to the Center; and

    (4) any other relevant Federal, State, Tribal, or 
 nongovernmental entity that is representative of an element of 
 the wildland fire community.
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