House Advances Bill Aimed at Simplifying Wildfire Mitigation

The House passed a measure Tuesday to commission a study on ways to enhance wildfire hazard mitigation activities that are conducted across land ownership boundaries.

The legislation (H.R. 3922, which passed by voice vote, would direct the Government Accountability Office to conduct the study and report to Congress within two years of enactment.

The GAO would have to examine existing laws and programs that either enable or inhibit preemptive cross-boundary mitigation efforts and recommend any changes that could help protect communities from wildfires and improve cooperation between federal, state, tribal, and local forestry managers.

Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), ...