S. 4274

National Wildland Fire Risk Reduction Program Act of 2022

This bill directs the President to establish a National Wildland Fire Risk Reduction Program to achieve major measurable reductions in the losses of life, property, and natural resources from wildland fires.

This program shall coordinate federal efforts to

• improve the assessment of fire environments and the understanding and prediction of wildland fires, associated smoke, and their impacts;
• develop and encourage the adoption of science-based and cost-effective measures to enhance community resilience to wildland fires, to prevent and mitigate wildland fire and associated smoke impacts and to restore natural fire regimes in fire-dependent ecosystems; and
• improve the understanding and mitigation of the impacts of climate change, drought, and climate variability on wildland fire risk, frequency, and severity and inform the other goals described here.

Not later than 90 days after enactment of this bill, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) shall establish an Interagency Coordinating Committee on Wildland Fire Risk Reduction to oversee the planning, management, and coordination of the program. The committee shall submit a strategic plan for the program to Congress.

The Government Accountability Office shall submit a report to Congress on the progress and performance of the program.

Further, the bill sets forth the responsibilities of NIST, the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Energy with respect to the program.