H.R. 4832

Wildland Fire Safety and Transparency Act of 2007

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I

110th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 4832

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 18, 2007

Mr. Udall of Colorado introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To promote wildland firefighter safety.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Wildland Fire Safety and Transparency Act of 2007.

2.

Wildland firefighter safety

(a)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Secretaries

The term Secretaries means—

(A)

the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Directors of the Bureau of Land Management, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs; and

(B)

the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.

(2)

Wildland firefighter

The term wildland firefighter means any person who participates in wildland firefighting activities—

(A)

under the direction of either of the Secretaries; or

(B)

under a contract or compact with a federally recognized Indian tribe.

(b)

Annual Report to Congress

(1)

In general

The Secretaries shall jointly submit to Congress an annual report on the wildland firefighter safety practices of the Secretaries, including training programs and activities for wildland fire suppression, prescribed burning, and wildland fire use, during the preceding calendar year.

(2)

Timeline

Each report under paragraph (1) shall—

(A)

be submitted by not later than March of the year following the calendar year covered by the report; and

(B)

include—

(i)

a description of, and any changes to, wildland firefighter safety practices, including training programs and activities for wildland fire suppression, prescribed burning, and wildland fire use;

(ii)

statistics and trend analyses;

(iii)

an estimate of the amount of Federal funds expended by the Secretaries on wildland firefighter safety practices, including training programs and activities for wildland fire suppression, prescribed burning, and wildland fire use;

(iv)

progress made in implementing recommendations from the Inspector General, the Government Accountability Office, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or an agency report relating to a wildland firefighting fatality issued during the preceding 10 years; and

(v)

a description of—

(I)

the provisions relating to wildland firefighter safety practices in any Federal contract or other agreement governing the provision of wildland firefighters by a non-Federal entity;

(II)

a summary of any actions taken by the Secretaries to ensure that the provisions relating to safety practices, including training, are complied with by the non-Federal entity; and

(III)

the results of those actions.