This measure would urge the Congress of the United States to support H.R. 167, the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, in order to provide a long-term, stable source of funding for federal agencies to conduct the necessary fuels management on national forest lands, while retaining resources to suppress catastrophic wildfires.

This measure would urge the Congress of the United States to support H.R. 167, the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, in order to provide a long-term, stable source of funding for federal agencies to conduct the necessary fuels management on national forest lands, while retaining resources to suppress catastrophic wildfires.

This measure would urge the Congress of the United States to support H.R. 167, the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, in order to provide a long-term, stable source of funding for federal agencies to conduct the necessary fuels management on national forest lands, while retaining resources to suppress catastrophic wildfires.

This measure would urge the Congress of the United States to support H.R. 167, the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, in order to provide a long-term, stable source of funding for federal agencies to conduct the necessary fuels management on national forest lands, while retaining resources to suppress catastrophic wildfires.

This measure would urge the Congress of the United States to support H.R. 167, the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, in order to provide a long-term, stable source of funding for federal agencies to conduct the necessary fuels management on national forestlands, forest lands, while retaining resources to suppress catastrophic wildfires.

This measure would urge the Congress of the United States to support H.R. 167, the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, in order to provide a long-term, stable source of funding for federal agencies to conduct the necessary fuels management on national forestlands, while retaining resources to suppress catastrophic wildfires.

WHEREAS, According to the United States Forest Service, approximately 58 million acres of national forest lands, or one-third of the entire National Forest System, are in need of restoration due to the high risk for catastrophic wildfire; and

WHEREAS, California is home to 21 national forests; and

WHEREAS, Over the last three decades, fire season lengths have increased by 60 to 80 days, and annual acreages burned have more than doubled to over seven million acres; and

WHEREAS, The United States Forest Service plans to thin less than 3 percent of its high-risk acreage in the next federal fiscal year; and

WHEREAS, One percent of the wildfires fought on national forest lands each year consume up to 30 percent of the annual fire budget, and the wildland fire management appropriation has tripled its portion of the United States Forest Service budget from 17 percent to 51 percent from 1995 to 2014, inclusive; and

WHEREAS, Over seven of the last 12 years, the United States Forest Service and the United States Department of the Interior have had to divert over $2 billion in funds from other forestry and land management programs to fund firefighting efforts; and

WHEREAS, This fire borrowing has had adverse effects on other United States Forest Service projects, with funds being transferred from other programs that provide necessary hazardous fuel reduction and vegetation management on national forest lands; and

WHEREAS, This fire borrowing, in 2012, consisted of $440 million being transferred to the fire suppression account and projects at all levels, including multiple fuel reduction projects on national forest lands in California, being cancelled or deferred; and

WHEREAS, It has been shown that post-wildfire rehabilitation costs can exceed the costs of wildfire suppression by two to 30 times; and

WHEREAS, Frequent, severe wildfires result in great environmental damage, and the prevention of wildfires is necessary to decrease the great risk posed to California due to drought, climate change, and the large amount of overgrown national forest lands in the state; and

WHEREAS, The Governors of California, Washington, and Oregon requested the 113th Congress to support common sense wildfire funding, as embodied in the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Acts of 2014, H.R. 3992 and S. 1875, but these pieces of legislation were not signed into law; and

WHEREAS, Catastrophic wildfires are an ongoing yet preventable threat to California and its residents, and the inability of federal agencies to manage national forest lands appropriately due to funding constraints is a pressing issue that must be addressed as quickly as possible; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of California respectfully urges the 114th Congress of the United States to support H.R. 167, the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, in order to provide a long-term, stable source of funding for federal agencies to conduct the necessary fuels management on national forest lands, while retaining resources to suppress truly catastrophic wildfires; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.

WHEREAS, According to the United States Forest Service, approximately 58 million acres of national forest lands, or one-third of the entire National Forest System, are in need of restoration due to the high risk for catastrophic wildfire; and

WHEREAS, California is home to 21 national forests; and

WHEREAS, Over the last three decades, fire season lengths have increased by 60 to 80 days, and annual acreages burned have more than doubled to over seven million acres; and

WHEREAS, The United States Forest Service plans to thin less than 3 percent of its high-risk acreage in the next federal fiscal year; and

WHEREAS, One percent of the wildfires fought on national forest lands each year consume up to 30 percent of the annual fire budget, and the wildland fire management appropriation has tripled its portion of the United States Forest Service budget from 17 percent to 51 percent from 1995 to 2014, inclusive; and

WHEREAS, Over seven of the last 12 years, the United States Forest Service and the United States Department of the Interior have had to divert over $2 billion in funds from other forestry and land management programs to fund firefighting efforts; and

WHEREAS, This fire borrowing has had adverse effects on other United States Forest Service projects, with funds being transferred from other programs that provide necessary hazardous fuel reduction and vegetation management on national forest lands; and

WHEREAS, This fire borrowing, in 2012, consisted of $440 million being transferred to the fire suppression account and projects at all levels, including multiple fuel reduction projects on national forest lands in California, being cancelled or deferred; and

WHEREAS, It has been shown that post-wildfire rehabilitation costs can exceed the costs of wildfire suppression by two to 30 times; and

WHEREAS, Frequent, severe wildfires result in great environmental damage, and the prevention of wildfires is necessary to decrease the great risk posed to California due to drought, climate change, and the large amount of overgrown national forest lands in the state; and

WHEREAS, The Governors of California, Washington, and Oregon requested the 113th Congress to support common sense wildfire funding, as embodied in the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Acts of 2014, H.R. 3992 and S. 1875, but these pieces of legislation were not signed into law; and

WHEREAS, Catastrophic wildfires are an ongoing yet preventable threat to California and its residents, and the inability of federal agencies to manage national forest lands appropriately due to funding constraints is a pressing issue that must be addressed as quickly as possible; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of California respectfully urges the 114th Congress of the United States to support H.R. 167, the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, in order to provide a long-term, stable source of funding for federal agencies to conduct the necessary fuels management on national forest lands, while retaining resources to suppress truly catastrophic wildfires; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.

WHEREAS, According to the United States Forest Service, approximately 58 million acres of national forest lands, or one-third of the entire National Forest System, are in need of restoration due to the high risk for catastrophic wildfire; and

WHEREAS, California is home to 21 national forests; and

WHEREAS, Over the last three decades, fire season lengths have increased by 60 to 80 days, and annual acreages burned have more than doubled to over seven million acres; and

WHEREAS, The United States Forest Service plans to thin less than 3 percent of its high-risk acreage in the next federal fiscal year; and

WHEREAS, One percent of the wildfires fought on national forest lands each year consume up to 30 percent of the annual fire budget, and the wildland fire management appropriation has tripled its portion of the United States Forest Service budget from 17 percent to 51 percent from 1995 to 2014, inclusive; and

WHEREAS, Over seven of the last 12 years, the United States Forest Service and the United States Department of the Interior have had to divert over $2 billion in funds from other forestry and land management programs to fund firefighting efforts; and

WHEREAS, This fire borrowing has had adverse effects on other United States Forest Service projects, with funds being transferred from other programs that provide necessary hazardous fuel reduction and vegetation management on national forest lands; and

WHEREAS, This fire borrowing, in 2012, consisted of $440 million being transferred to the fire suppression account and projects at all levels, including multiple fuel reduction projects on national forest lands in California, being cancelled or deferred; and

WHEREAS, It has been shown that post-wildfire rehabilitation costs can exceed the costs of wildfire suppression by two to 30 times; and

WHEREAS, Frequent, severe wildfires result in great environmental damage, and the prevention of wildfires is necessary to decrease the great risk posed to California due to drought, climate change, and the large amount of overgrown national forest lands in the state; and

WHEREAS, The Governors of California, Washington, and Oregon requested the 113th Congress to support common sense wildfire funding, as embodied in the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Acts of 2014, H.R. 3992 and S. 1875, but these pieces of legislation were not signed into law; and

WHEREAS, Catastrophic wildfires are an ongoing yet preventable threat to California and its residents, and the inability of federal agencies to manage national forest lands appropriately due to funding constraints is a pressing issue that must be addressed as quickly as possible; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of California respectfully urges the 114th Congress of the United States to support H.R. 167, the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, in order to provide a long-term, stable source of funding for federal agencies to conduct the necessary fuels management on national forest lands, while retaining resources to suppress truly catastrophic wildfires; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.

WHEREAS, According to the United States Forest Service, approximately 58 million acres of national forest lands, or one-third of the entire National Forest System, are in need of restoration due to the high risk for catastrophic wildfire; and

WHEREAS, California is home to 21 national forests; and

WHEREAS, Over the last three decades, fire season lengths have increased by 60 to 80 days, and annual acreages burned have more than doubled to over seven million acres; and

WHEREAS, The United States Forest Service plans to thin less than 3 percent of its high-risk acreage in the next federal fiscal year; and

WHEREAS, One percent of the wildfires fought on national forest lands each year consume up to 30 percent of the annual fire budget, and the wildland fire management appropriation has tripled its portion of the United States Forest Service budget from 17 percent to 51 percent from 1995 to 2014, inclusive; and

WHEREAS, Over seven of the last 12 years, the United States Forest Service and the United States Department of the Interior have had to divert over $2 billion in funds from other forestry and land management programs to fund firefighting efforts; and

WHEREAS, This fire borrowing has had adverse effects on other United States Forest Service projects, with funds being transferred from other programs that provide necessary hazardous fuel reduction and vegetation management on national forest lands; and

WHEREAS, This fire borrowing, in 2012, consisted of $440 million being transferred to the fire suppression account and projects at all levels, including multiple fuel reduction projects on national forest lands in California, being cancelled or deferred; and

WHEREAS, It has been shown that post-wildfire rehabilitation costs can exceed the costs of wildfire suppression by two to 30 times; and

WHEREAS, Frequent, severe wildfires result in great environmental damage, and the prevention of wildfires is necessary to decrease the great risk posed to California due to drought, climate change, and the large amount of overgrown national forest lands in the state; and

WHEREAS, The Governors of California, Washington, and Oregon requested the 113th Congress to support common sense wildfire funding, as embodied in the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Acts of 2014, H.R. 3992 and S. 1875, but these pieces of legislation were not signed into law; and

WHEREAS, Catastrophic wildfires are an ongoing yet preventable threat to California and its residents, and the inability of federal agencies to manage national forest lands appropriately due to funding constraints is a pressing issue that must be addressed as quickly as possible; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of California respectfully urges the 114th Congress of the United States to support H.R. 167, the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, in order to provide a long-term, stable source of funding for federal agencies to conduct the necessary fuels management on national forest lands, while retaining resources to suppress truly catastrophic wildfires; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.

WHEREAS, According to the United States Forest Service, approximately 58 million acres of national forest lands, or one-third of the entire National Forest System, are in need of restoration due to the high risk for catastrophic wildfire; and

WHEREAS, California is home to 21 national forests; and

WHEREAS, Over the last three decades, fire season lengths have increased by 60 to 80 days, and annual acreages burned have more than doubled to over seven million acres; and

WHEREAS, The United States Forest Service plans to thin less than 3 percent of its high-risk acreage in the next federal fiscal year; and

WHEREAS, One percent of the wildfires fought on national forestlands forest lands each year consume up to 30 percent of the annual fire budget, and the wildland fire management appropriation has tripled its portion of the United States Forest Service budget from 17 percent to 51 percent from 1995 to 2014, inclusive; and

WHEREAS, Over seven of the last 12 years, the United States Forest Service and the United States Department of the Interior have had to divert over $2 billion dollars in funds from other forestry and land management programs to fund firefighting efforts; and

WHEREAS, This fire borrowing has had adverse effects on other United States Forest Service projects, with funds being transferred from other programs that provide necessary hazardous fuel reduction and vegetation management on national forestlands; forest lands; and

WHEREAS, This fire borrowing, in 2012, consisted of $440 million dollars being transferred to the fire suppression account and projects at all levels, including multiple fuel reduction projects on national forestlands forest lands in California, being cancelled or deferred; and

WHEREAS, It has been shown that post-wildfire rehabilitation costs can exceed the costs of wildfire suppression by two to 30 times; and

WHEREAS, Frequent, severe wildfires result in great environmental damage, and the prevention of wildfires is necessary to decrease the great risk posed to California due to the large amount of overgrown national forestlands forest lands in the state; and

WHEREAS, The Governors of California, Washington, and Oregon requested the 113th Congress to support common sense wildfire funding, as embodied in the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Acts of 2014, H.R. 3992 and S. 1875, but these pieces of legislation were not signed into law; and

WHEREAS, Catastrophic wildfires are an ongoing yet preventable threat to California and its residents, and the inability of federal agencies to manage national forestlands forest lands appropriately due to funding constraints is a pressing issue that must be addressed as quickly as possible; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of California respectfully urges the 114th Congress of the United States to support H.R. 167, the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, in order to provide a long-term, stable source of funding for federal agencies to conduct the necessary fuels management on national forestlands, forest lands, while retaining resources to suppress truly catastrophic wildfires; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.

WHEREAS, According to the United States Forest Service, approximately 58 million acres of national forest lands, or one-third of the entire National Forest System, are in need of restoration due to the high risk for catastrophic wildfire; and

WHEREAS, California is home to 21 national forests; and

WHEREAS, Over the last three decades, fire season lengths have increased by 60 to 80 days, and annual acreages burned have more than doubled to over seven million acres; and

WHEREAS, The United States Forest Service plans to thin less than 3 percent of its high-risk acreage in the next federal fiscal year; and

WHEREAS, One percent of the wildfires fought on national forestlands each year consume up to 30 percent of the annual fire budget, and the wildland fire management appropriation has tripled its portion of the United States Forest Service budget from 17 percent to 51 percent from 1995 to 2014, inclusive; and

WHEREAS, Over seven of the last 12 years, the United States Forest Service and the United States Department of the Interior have had to divert over $2 billion dollars in funds from other forestry and land management programs to fund firefighting efforts; and

WHEREAS, This fire borrowing has had adverse effects on other United States Forest Service projects, with funds being transferred from other programs that provide necessary hazardous fuel reduction and vegetation management on national forestlands; and

WHEREAS, This fire borrowing, in 2012, consisted of $440 million dollars being transferred to the fire suppression account and projects at all levels, including multiple fuel reduction projects on national forestlands in California, being cancelled or deferred; and

WHEREAS, It has been shown that post-wildfire rehabilitation costs can exceed the costs of wildfire suppression by two to 30 times; and

WHEREAS, Frequent, severe wildfires result in great environmental damage, and the prevention of wildfires is necessary to decrease the great risk posed to California due to the large amount of overgrown national forestlands in the state; and

WHEREAS, The Governors of California, Washington, and Oregon requested the 113th Congress to support common sense wildfire funding, as embodied in the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Acts of 2014, H.R. 3992 and S. 1875, but these pieces of legislation were not signed into law; and

WHEREAS, Catastrophic wildfires are an ongoing yet preventable threat to California and its residents, and the inability of federal agencies to manage national forestlands appropriately due to funding constraints is a pressing issue that must be addressed as quickly as possible; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of California respectfully urges the 114th Congress of the United States to support H.R. 167, the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, in order to provide a long-term, stable source of funding for federal agencies to conduct the necessary fuels management on national forestlands, while retaining resources to suppress truly catastrophic wildfires; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.

 CONSENT  

Bill No: AJR 18

Author: Patterson (R) and Gatto (D), et al.

Amended: 7/2/15 in Assembly

Vote: 21

SENATE NATURAL RES. & WATER COMMITTEE: 9-0, 7/14/15

AYES: Pavley, Stone, Allen, Hertzberg, Hueso, Jackson, Monning, Vidak, Wolk

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 78-0, 7/2/15 - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: Federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST: This resolution calls on Congress to support H.R. 167, the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, in order to provide a long-term, stable source of funding for federal agencies to conduct the necessary fuel management on national forest lands while retaining resources to suppress truly catastrophic wildfires. This resolution treats wildfires like other natural disasters and disallows the practice of borrowing from other agency funding sources.

ANALYSIS: This resolution makes the following legislative findings:

1. According to the United States Forest Service, approximately 58 million acres of national forest lands, or one-third of the entire National Forest System, are in need of restoration due to the high risk for catastrophic wildfire.

2. One percent of the wildfires fought on national forest lands each year consume up to 30 percent of the annual fire budget, and the wildland fire management appropriation has tripled its portion of the United States Forest Service budget from 17 percent to 51 percent from 1995 to 2014, inclusive.

3. Over seven of the last 12 years, the United States Forest Service and the United States Department of the Interior have had to divert over $2 billion in funds from other forestry and land management programs to fund firefighting efforts.

4. This “fire borrowing” has had adverse effects on other United States Forest Service projects, with funds being transferred from other programs that provide necessary hazardous fuel reduction and vegetation management on national forest lands.

This resolution urges Congress to support H.R. 167, the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, in order to provide a long-term, stable source of funding for federal agencies to conduct the necessary fuels management on national forest lands, while retaining resources to suppress catastrophic wildfires.

Background

The United States Forest Service is facing a huge backlog in its efforts to restore its 58 million acres of national forest lands, a significant portion of which is at risk to catastrophic wildfire, a situation exacerbated in many parts of the West, particularly California, by extreme drought.

Reports from Washington, D.C., have documented that the escalating costs of wildfire suppression on these forest lands consume nearly 51% of the annual federal fire budget, a percentage that has increased from 17 percent since 1995. Thirty percent of the firefighting budget is spent on fires on 1% of the wildfires on national forest lands.

To compensate for the shortages in the firefighting budget, the United States Forest Service and the Department of the Interior have diverted more than $2 billion in funds from other forestry and land management programs. In 2012, this “fire borrowing” amounted to $440 million moved to fire suppression, thereby depriving other projects of funding for forest restoration, fuel reduction, vegetation management, and related activities.

Governors of California, Washington, and Oregon have stated their support for previous similar legislation.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No

SUPPORT: (Verified 7/15/15)

California Farm Bureau Federation

California Forestry Association

California Licensed Foresters Association

California Native Plant Society

Crescenta Valley Fire Safe Council

Fire Safe Council of Mariposa County

Forest Landowners of California

Rural County Representatives of California

OPPOSITION: (Verified 7/15/15)

None received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: This resolution is supported by California forestry industry groups, the Rural County Representatives of California, the California Native Plant Society, and others. H.R. 167 is identified by the California Native Plant Society as a bi-partisan measure that is intended to focus on the need for the federal government to improve its forest management practices in California to reduce wildfire risk, protect rural communities, and prohibit the sort of “fire borrowing” that has occurred in the past. The supporters believe that this resolution will help establish more secure funding both for forest restoration as well as for fire suppression.

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 78-0, 7/2/15

AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Travis Allen, Baker, Bigelow, Bloom, Bonilla, Bonta, Brough, Burke, Calderon, Campos, Chang, Chau, Chávez, Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dodd, Eggman, Frazier, Beth Gaines, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray, Grove, Hadley, Harper, Roger Hernández, Holden, Irwin, Jones, Kim, Lackey, Levine, Linder, Lopez, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Nazarian, Obernolte, O'Donnell, Olsen, Patterson, Perea, Quirk, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wilk, Williams, Wood, Atkins

NO VOTE RECORDED: Brown, Jones-Sawyer

Prepared by: William Craven / N.R. & W. / (916) 651-4116

8/13/15 13:38:50

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER

Senator Fran Pavley, Chair

2015 - 2016 Regular

Bill No: AJR 18 Hearing Date: July 14, 2015

Subject: Federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act.

BACKGROUND AND EXISTING LAW

This resolution is authored jointly by Mr. Patterson and Mr. Gatto.

United States Forest Service is facing a huge backlog in its efforts to restore its 58 million acres of national forest lands, a significant portion of which is at risk to catastrophic wildfire, a situation exacerbated in many parts of the West, particularly California, by extreme drought.

Reports from Washington, D.C., have documented that the escalating costs of wildfire suppression on these forest lands consume nearly 51% of the annual federal fire budget, a percentage that has increased from 17 percent since 1995. Thirty percent of the fire fighting budget is spent on fires on 1% of the wildfires on national forest lands.

To compensate for the shortages in the fire fighting budget, the United State Forest Service and the Department of the Interior have diverted more than $2 billion in funds from other forestry and land management programs. In 2012, this “fire borrowing” amounted to $440 million moved to fire suppression, thereby depriving other projects of funding for forest restoration, fuel reduction, vegetation management, and related activities.

Governors of California, Washington, and Oregon have stated their support for previous similar legislation.

PROPOSED LAW

This resolution calls on Congress to support H.R. 167, the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, in order to provide a long-term, stable source of funding for federal agencies to conduct the necessary fuel management on national forest lands while retaining resources to suppress truly catastrophic wildfires. This bill would treat wildfires like other natural disasters and disallow the practice of borrowing from other agency funding sources.

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT

This bill is supported by California forestry industry groups, the Rural County Representatives of California, the California Native Plant Society, and others. H.R. 167 is identified by the California Native Plant Society as a bi-partisan measure that is intended to focus on the need for the federal government to improve its forest management practices in California to reduce wildfire risk, protect rural communities, and prohibit the sort of “fire borrowing” that has occurred in the past. The supporters believe that this bill will help establish more secure funding both for forest restoration as well as for fire suppression.

ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION

None received

SUPPORT

Forest Landowners of California

California Farm Bureau Federation

California Forestry Association

California Licensed Foresters Association

California Native Plant Society

Cresenta Valley Fire Safe Council

Fire Safe Council of Mariposa County

Rural County Representatives of California

OPPOSITION

None Received

-- END --

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AJR 18

Author:(Patterson and Gatto)

As Amended Ver:June 25, 2015

Majority vote

SUMMARY: Urges the 114th Congress to support H.R. 167, the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, to address wildfire funding. Specifically, this resolution:

1. Makes various findings about national forest lands and California's 21 national forests.

2. Declares that over seven of the last 12 years, the United State Forest Service (USFS) and the United States Department of the Interior have had to divert over $2 billion dollars in funds from other forestry and land management programs to fund firefighting efforts, which is known as "fire borrowing."

3. Declares that frequent, severe wildfires result in great environmental damage, and the prevention of wildfires is necessary to decrease the great risk posed to California due to draught, climate change, and the large amount of overgrown national forest lands in the state.

4. Declares that the Governors of California, Washington, and Oregon supported prior federal bills to address "fire borrowing" by allowing excess wildfire suppression costs to be funded outside of discretionary appropriations.

5. Declares that catastrophic wildfires are an ongoing yet preventable threat to California and its residents, and the inability of federal agencies to manage national forest lands appropriately due to funding constraints must be addressed as quickly as possible.

6. Urges the 114th Congress to support H.R. 167, the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, in order to provide a long-term, stable source of funding for federal agencies to conduct the necessary fuel management on national forest lands, while retaining resources to suppress truly catastrophic wildfires.

EXISTING LAW, pursuant to federal law:

1. Funds wildfire suppression through the Interior and Environment Appropriations bill at the 10-year average.

2. Provides federal agencies responding to natural disasters like hurricanes, floods, or tornadoes access to disaster funding through an annual budget cap adjustment.

Establishes a separate account for funding for emergency wildfire suppression activities undertaken on Department of the Interior and National Forest System lands.

FISCAL EFFECT: None

COMMENTS:

1. Author's statement:

California is home to 21 national forests, many of which are exceedingly overgrown and present an outsize risk of fire to the communities that surround them. Due to many factors, including budget constraints, the USFS is unable to conduct routine maintenance on these lands to prevent fires. For example, in 2012 their "fire borrowing" meant that funds for important fuel reduction projects in the Tahoe and Plumas National Forests were depleted and the projects were cancelled. This type of project deferral happens year after year and results in a severe lack of proper forest management and a heightened risk of devastating, difficult-to-manage wildfires.

2. H.R. 167. Under current budget structures, wildfire suppression is funded through the Interior and Environment Appropriations bill at the 10-year average. When wildfire costs exceed the budgeted amount, the agencies are forced to borrow from other non-fire accounts to pay for fire suppression. This means that funding intended for hazardous fuels removal and other important land management activities gets diverted to fire suppression before those projects can be completed. H.R. 167 would allow for 30% of fire suppression cost to be funded in annual budget cap adjustments like other natural disasters. According to proponents of H.R. 167, 1% of wildland fires make up 30% of the costs and that these larger fires are natural disasters. H.R. 167 would benefit California's fire suppression activities because fuel reduction projects and other fire prevention activities done by USFS in California would be carried out reducing the risk of severe wildfire in California.

Analysis Prepared by: Michael Jarred / NAT. RES. / (916) 319-2092 FN: 0001091

Date of Hearing: June 22, 2015

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

Das Williams, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AJR 18 (

Author:Patterson) – As Amended JuneVer: 16, 2015

SUBJECT: Federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act.

SUMMARY: Urges the 114^th Congress to support H.R. 167, the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, to address wildfire funding.

EXISTING LAW, pursuant to federal law:

1. Funds wildfire suppression through the Interior and Environment Appropriations bill at the 10-year average.

2. Provides federal agencies responding to natural disasters like hurricanes, floods, or tornadoes access to disaster funding through an annual budget cap adjustment.
   
   

3. Establishes a separate account for funding for emergency wildfire suppression activities undertaken on Department of the Interior and National Forest System lands.

THIS RESOLUTION:

1. Makes various findings about national forest lands and California’s 21 national forests.

2. Declares that over seven of the last 12 years, the United State Forest Service (USFS) and the United States Department of the Interior have had to divert over $2 billion dollars in funds from other forestry and land management programs to fund firefighting efforts, which is known as “fire borrowing.”
   
   

3. Declares that frequent, severe wildfires result in great environmental damage, and the prevention of wildfires is necessary to decrease the great risk posed to California due to the large amount of overgrown national forest lands in the state.

4. Declares that the Governors of California, Washington, and Oregon supported prior federal bills to address “fire borrowing” by allowing excess wildfire suppression costs to be funded outside of discretionary appropriations.
   
   

5. Declares that catastrophic wildfires are an ongoing yet preventable threat to California and its residents, and the inability of federal agencies to manage national forest lands appropriately due to funding constraints must be addressed as quickly as possible.

6. Urges the 114^th Congress to support H.R. 167, the federal Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, in order to provide a long-term, stable source of funding for federal agencies to conduct the necessary fuel management on national forest lands, while retaining resources to suppress truly catastrophic wildfires.
   
   

FISCAL EFFECT: Non-fiscal

COMMENTS:

1. Author’s statement:

California is home to 21 national forests, many of which are exceedingly overgrown and present an outsize risk of fire to the communities that surround them. Due to many factors, including budget constraints, the USFS is unable to conduct routine maintenance on these lands to prevent fires. For example, in 2012 their “fire borrowing” meant that funds for important fuel reduction projects in the Tahoe and Plumas National Forests were depleted and the projects were cancelled. This type of project deferral happens year after year and results in a severe lack of proper forest management and a heightened risk of devastating, difficult-to-manage wildfires.

2. H.R. 167. Under current budget structures, wildfire suppression is funded through the Interior and Environment Appropriations bill at the 10-year average. When wildfire costs exceed the budgeted amount, the agencies are forced to borrow from other non-fire accounts to pay for fire suppression. This means that funding intended for hazardous fuels removal and other important land management activities gets diverted to fire suppression before those projects can be completed. H.R. 167 would allow for 30 % of fire suppression cost to be funded in annual budget cap adjustments like other natural disasters. According to proponents of H.R. 167, 1% of wildland fires make up 30 % of the costs and that these larger fires are natural disasters. H.R. 167 would benefit California’s fire suppression activities because fuel reduction projects and other fire prevention activities done by USFS in California would be carried out reducing the risk of severe wildfire in California.

3. Severe wildfires. The resolution states there is a great risk posed to California due to the large amount of overgrown national forest lands in the state. According to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research website on climate science, climate change increases the risk of more frequent and higher intensity wildfires. In addition, California’s fourth year of drought also increases the risk of severe wildfire. The author and committee may wish to consider amending the resolution to state climate change and drought in addition to overgrown national forest lands pose a great risk for severe wildfires.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

California Farm Bureau Federation

California Forestry Association

Opposition

None on file

Analysis Prepared by: Michael Jarred / NAT. RES. / (916) 319-2092