HR 527

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 16, 2025

Ms. Pettersen (for herself and Mr. Obernolte) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Geological Survey, to establish a grant program for monitoring wildfires by satellite.

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 “Strengthening Wildfire Resiliency Through Satellites Act of 2025”.

SEC. 2. MONITORING WILDFIRES BY SATELLITE.

(a) Grant Program To Monitor Wildfires by Satellite.—

(1) Establishment.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall establish a competitive grant program under which the Secretary shall make at least three grants to eligible entities to monitor wildfires by satellite (in this section referred to as the “Program”).

(2) Eligible projects.—Each eligible entity awarded a grant under the Program shall only use such grant to—

(A) purchase and integrate, through a public- private partnership, high-resolution multi- and hyper- spectral full spectrum imaging capability from visible, near-infrared, shortwave infrared, thermal infrared, and radar data from the latest-generation of wildfire monitoring satellites; and

(B) use the data acquired under subparagraph (A), as well as any analyses relating to such data, to detect, assess, respond to, and manage wildfires, with an emphasis on—

(i) monitoring active fire behavior, burned area, intensity, and severity;

(ii) ensuring the safety and effectiveness of prescribed fire treatments; and

(iii) guiding post-fire risk assessment and disaster recovery.

(3) Application.—To be eligible for a grant under the Program, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

(4) Grant amount.—Each grant awarded under the Program shall be in an amount the Secretary determines appropriate.

(5) Report.—Not later than the last day of the second fiscal year beginning after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that includes—

(A) the number of applications received for a grant under the Program;

(B) details of each eligible entity that was awarded a grant under the Program;

(C) the impact of the Program on wildfire prevention;

(D) any recommendation that the Secretary determines appropriate to establish the Program as a long-term grant program; and

(E) any other information on the effectiveness of the Program that the Secretary determines appropriate.

(b) Authorization of Appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2028 to carry out the Program.

(c) Definitions.—In this section—

(1) the term “eligible entity” means a State forester, emergency manager, or equivalent State official; and

(2) the term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Geological Survey. <all>