[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4235 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4235
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the
Interior to establish a wildfire technology testbed pilot program, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 21, 2023
Mrs. Kim of California (for herself and Mr. Crow) 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 direct the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the
Interior to establish a wildfire technology testbed pilot program, 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 Technology Demonstration,
Evaluation, Modernization, and Optimization Act'' or the ``Wildfire
Technology DEMO Act''.
SEC. 2. PUBLIC-PRIVATE WILDFIRE TECHNOLOGY TESTBED PARTNERSHIP.
(a) Definitions.--In this Act, the term:
(1) Covered agency.--The term ``covered agency'' means--
(A) each Federal land management agency (as such
term is defined in the Federal Lands Recreation
Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. 6801));
(B) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration;
(C) the United States Fire Administration;
(D) the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
(E) the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration;
(F) the Bureau of Indian Affairs; and
(G) any other Federal agency involved in wildfire
response.
(2) Covered entity.--The term ``covered entity'' means--
(A) a private entity;
(B) a nonprofit organization; or
(C) an institution of higher education (as defined
in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001)).
(3) Secretaries.--The term ``Secretaries'' means the
Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior,
acting jointly.
(4) Testbed pilot program.--The term ``Testbed Pilot
Program'' means the testbed pilot program developed under
subsection (b).
(b) In General.--Not later than 60 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretaries, in coordination with the heads
of the covered agencies, shall establish a testbed pilot program for
new and innovative wildfire prevention, detection, communication, and
mitigation technologies.
(c) Functions.--In carrying out the Testbed Pilot Program, the
Secretaries shall--
(1) incorporate the Testbed Pilot Program into an existing
interagency coordinating group on wildfires;
(2) in consultation with the heads of covered agencies,
identify key technology priority areas with respect to the
deployment of wildfire prevention, detection, communication,
and mitigation technologies, including--
(A) hazardous fuels reduction treatments or
activities;
(B) dispatch communications;
(C) remote sensing and tracking;
(D) safety equipment; and
(E) common operating pictures or operational
dashboards; and
(3) partner each covered entity selected to participate in
the Testbed Pilot Program with the appropriate covered agency
to coordinate real-time and on-the-ground testing of technology
during wildland fire mitigation activities and training.
(d) Applications.--To participate in the Testbed Pilot Program, a
covered entity shall submit to the Secretaries an application at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the
Secretaries may require, which shall include a proposal to test
technologies specific to key technology priority areas identified under
subsection (c)(2).
(e) Prioritization of Emerging Technologies.--In selecting covered
entities to participate in the Testbed Pilot Program, the Secretaries
shall give priority to covered entities developing and applying
emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum
sensing, computing and quantum-hybrid applications, augmented reality,
and 5G private networks and device-to-device communications supporting
nomadic mesh networks, for wildfire mitigation.
(f) Outreach.--The Secretaries, in coordination with the heads of
covered agencies, shall make public the key technology priority areas
identified under subsection (c)(2) and invite covered entities to apply
to test and demonstrate their technologies to address those priority
areas.
(g) Reports and Recommendations.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, and each year thereafter for the
duration of the Testbed Pilot Program, the Secretaries shall submit to
the Committees on Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Science, Space,
and Technology of the House of Representatives a report that includes
the following with respect to the Testbed Pilot Program:
(1) A list of participating covered entities.
(2) A brief description of the technologies tested by such
covered entities.
(3) An estimate of the cost of acquiring the technology
tested in the program and applying it at scale.
(4) Outreach efforts by Federal agencies to covered
entities developing wildfire technologies.
(5) Assessments of, and recommendations relating to, new
technologies with potential adoption and application at-scale
in Federal land management agencies' wildfire prevention,
detection, communication, and mitigation efforts.
(h) Termination.--The Testbed Pilot Program shall expire 4 years
after the date of its establishment under subsection (b).
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