H.R. 4075

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4075 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4075

To direct the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administrator to improve fire weather and fire environment forecasting, 
detection, and local collaboration, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 23, 2025

Mr. Crank (for himself, Mr. Begich, Ms. Rivas, and Mr. Hurd of 
Colorado) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To direct the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administrator to improve fire weather and fire environment forecasting, 
detection, and local collaboration, 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 ``Fire Weather Development Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. FIRE WEATHER FORECASTING AND DETECTION.

(a) Establishment.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, shall establish a program (in this Act 
referred to as the ``Program'') to improve fire weather and fire 
environment forecasting, detection, and delivery of products or 
services through collaboration with Federal and State agencies or 
departments, local emergency mangers, and relevant entities.
(b) Goals.--The goals of the Program shall be to develop and 
improve accurate fire weather and fire environment forecasts and 
warnings in order to reduce loss of life, reduce injuries, protect 
property, and reduce damage to the economy from wildfires. The Program 
shall seek to improve the assessment of fire weather and fire 
environments, the understanding and prediction of wildfires, and the 
communications regarding such assessments with State and local 
emergency officials in a timely and streamlined fashion, with a focus 
on improving the following:
(1) The prediction of ignition, intensification and spread 
of wildfires.
(2) The observation and monitoring of fire weather and fire 
environments.
(3) The forecast and communication of smoke dispersion from 
wildfires.
(4) Information dissemination and risk communication to 
develop more effective watch and warning products relating to 
wildfires.
(5) The early detection of wildfires, including pre-
ignition analysis and ground condition characterizations.
(6) The development, testing, and deployment of novel tools 
and techniques related to understanding, monitoring, and 
predicting fire weather and fire environments.
(7) The unique characteristics, including observation or 
modeling requirements, related to fires at the wildland-urban 
interface.
(8) The forecasting and understanding of the impacts of 
prescribed burns (as such term is defined in section 2 of the 
Prescribed Burn Approval Act of 2016 (16 U.S.C. 551c-1 note)).
(c) Collaboration With Stakeholders.--In developing the Program 
required under this section, the Administrator of the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration shall solicit and take into 
consideration input from the weather industry, such academic entities 
as the Administrator considers appropriate, and other relevant 
stakeholders.
(d) Activities.--To achieve the goals specified in subsection (b), 
the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration may conduct research, development, testing, 
demonstration, and operational transition activities related to fire 
weather and fire environments, including regarding the following:
(1) Tools and services to inform, support, and complement 
active land management, local emergency personnel, the United 
States Forest Service, and State, local, and Tribal entities 
during their response and mitigation efforts.
(2) Sensing technologies, such as infrared, microwave, and 
active sensors suitable for potential deployment on spacecraft, 
aircraft, and unmanned aircraft systems, to improve the 
monitoring and forecasting of fire fuel and active wildfires, 
wildfire behavior models and forecasts, mapping efforts, and 
the prediction of wildfires and the impacts of such.
(3) Grid-based assessments and outlooks of fuel moisture 
and danger levels.
(4) Social and behavior sciences related to fire weather 
and fire environment warning products.
(5) Advanced satellite detection products coupled with 
atmosphere and fire weather modeling systems.
(6) Education and training to expand the number of students 
and researchers in areas of study and research related to 
wildfires, fire weather, and fire environments.
(7) Modeling systems to link long-term climate predictions 
to localized or general land management decisions.
(8) Communication and outreach to communities, energy 
utilities, owners and operators of critical infrastructure, and 
other relevant stakeholders regarding fire weather and fire 
environment risk.
(9) Stewardship and dissemination, to the extent 
practicable, of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
scientific data and related products and services in formats 
meeting shared standards to enhance the interoperability, 
usability, and accessibility of such data in order to better 
meet the needs of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, other Federal agencies, and relevant 
stakeholders.
(10) Improvement of spatial and temporal resolution 
observations.
(11) Any other topic or activity the Administrator 
determines relevant.
(e) Novel Tools for Monitoring and Prediction.--The Administrator 
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in consultation 
with the heads of the agencies specified in section 3, or other 
appropriate stakeholders, including commercial partners, shall develop 
novel tools and technologies to support the activities of the Program 
and which may be applied to broader wildland fire research, monitoring, 
and mitigation activities, as practicable and appropriate.
(f) Extramural Research.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration shall collaborate with and support the 
non-Federal wildland fire research community, which includes 
institutions of higher education, private sector entities, 
nongovernmental organizations, and other relevant stakeholders, by 
making funds available through competitive grants, contracts, and 
cooperative agreements.
(g) Commercial Data.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in consultation with 
the heads of other Federal agencies and relevant stakeholders, 
may enter into contracts with one or more private sector 
entities to obtain additional airborne and space-based data and 
observations that may enhance or supplement the understanding, 
monitoring, and prediction, of fire weather and fire 
environments, and the relevant Program activities under this 
section.
(2) Consultation.--In carrying out activities under 
paragraph (1), the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration shall consult with private sector 
entities through the National Advisory Committee on Wildfires 
under section 4 to identify needed tools and data that can be 
best provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration satellites and are most beneficial to wildfire 
and smoke detection and monitoring.
(h) Nonduplication.--To the maximum extent practicable, the 
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
shall consult with the National Interagency Fire Center, including the 
Joint Fire Science Program, to avoid duplication of activities under 
this section and ensure the Administration's focus on unique research 
activities best suited for transition to operations.
(i) Unmanned Aircraft Systems.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration shall--
(A) assess the role and potential benefits of 
unmanned aircraft systems to improve data collection in 
support of fire weather and fire environment modeling, 
meteorological observations, predictions, and 
forecasts;
(B) identify objectives for testing such systems' 
use for obtaining fire weather and fire environment 
observations, and other relevant activities; and
(C) transition unmanned aircraft systems 
technologies from research to operations as the 
Administrator considers appropriate.
(2) Briefing.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
enactment of the Act, the Administrator of the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration shall brief the appropriate 
committees of Congress on the activities under paragraph (1).
(3) Pilot programs.--Not later than 18 months after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may conduct 
pilot programs of unmanned aircraft systems for fire weather 
and fire environment observations, including relating to the 
following:
(A) Testing of unmanned aircraft systems in 
approximations of real-world scenarios.
(B) Assessment of the utility of meteorological 
data collected from fire response and assessment 
aircraft.
(C) Input into appropriate models of collected data 
to predict fire behavior, including coupled atmosphere 
and fire models.
(D) Collection of best management practices for 
deployment of unmanned aircraft systems for fire 
weather and fire environment observations.
(4) Prohibition.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided under 
subparagraphs (B) and (C), the Administrator of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may not 
procure any unmanned aircraft system that is 
manufactured or assembled by an entity in a foreign 
country of concern.
(B) Exemption.--The prohibition under subparagraph 
(A) shall not apply to the Administrator of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration if the 
Administrator determines, in consultation with the 
Secretary of Homeland Security, that the procurement of 
an unmanned aircraft system is necessary for the sole 
purpose of marine or atmospheric science or management.
(C) Waiver.--The Administrator of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may waive the 
prohibition under subparagraph (A) on a case-by-case 
basis--
(i) with the approval of the Secretary of 
Homeland Security; and
(ii) upon written or electronic 
notification to appropriate committees of 
Congress not later than 30 days after any such 
waiver.
(5) Airspace operations system.--The Administrator of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in cooperation 
with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, shall utilize the capabilities of unmanned 
aircraft systems as appropriate for fire weather and fire 
environment observations, and may use a wildfire airspace 
operations system that accounts for piloted aircraft, unmanned 
aircraft systems, and other new and emerging capabilities after 
such airspace operations system is developed and determined 
ready for operational use by the Administrator of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration.
(6) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
to be appropriated $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 to carry out 
this subsection.
(j) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on Homeland 
Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate.
(2) Critical infrastructure.--The term ``critical 
infrastructure'' has the meaning given such term in section 
1016(e) of Public Law 107-56 (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)).
(3) Foreign country of concern.--The term ``foreign country 
of concern'' has the meaning given such term in section 9901 of 
the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (15 U.S.C. 4651).
(4) Institution of higher education.--The term 
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such 
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1001).
(5) Unmanned aircraft system.--The term ``unmanned aircraft 
system'' has the meaning given such term in section 44801 of 
title 49, United States Code.
(6) Weather industry.--The term ``weather industry'' has 
the meaning given such term in section 2 of the Weather 
Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 
8501).

SEC. 3. INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COMMITTEE ON WILDFIRES.

(a) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy shall establish an interagency coordinating committee 
to be known as the ``Interagency Coordinating Committee on Wildfires'' 
(in this section referred to as the ``Committee''). The chair of the 
Committee shall be the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration.
(b) Purpose.--The Committee shall coordinate the development of 
accurate and timely wildfire forecasting, detection, monitoring, and 
delivery of related products or services that best assist State and 
local emergency officials while avoiding duplication of activities.
(c) Membership.--In addition to the chair, the Committee shall be 
composed of the heads or appropriate designees of the following program 
agencies:
(1) The Federal Emergency Management Agency.
(2) The United States Fire Administration.
(3) The United States Forest Service.
(4) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
(5) The Department of the Interior.
(6) The Department of Agriculture.
(7) The United States Geological Survey.
(8) The Office of Science and Technology Policy.
(9) Any other Federal department or agency the Director of 
the Office of Science and Technology Policy considers 
appropriate.
(d) Strategic Plan.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Committee shall submit to Congress a 
strategic plan for the Program that includes the following:
(1) A description of short-term, mid-term, and long-term 
objectives to achieve the purpose specified in subsection (b).
(2) A description of how agencies specified in subsection 
(c) will collaborate with stakeholders and take into account 
stakeholder needs and recommendations in developing such 
objectives.
(3) A description of existing and new observational and 
data infrastructure needed to accomplish such objectives.
(4) A description of the role of each such agency in 
achieving such objectives.
(5) Guidance regarding how the Committee's recommendations 
are best used in planning for Federal, State, local, Tribal, 
and territorial entities.
(e) Interagency Agreements.--The heads of agencies specified in 
subsection (c) may enter into one or more interagency agreements 
providing for cooperation and collaboration in the development of 
wildfire forecasting, detection, and monitoring tools, instruments, 
technologies, and research to accomplish the purpose described in 
subsection (b).
(f) Collaboration.--The head of each agency specified in subsection 
(c) shall, to the extent practicable, increase engagement and 
cooperation with international, academic, State, and local communities 
regarding the infrastructure, data, and scientific research necessary 
to best advance the forecasting, detection, and monitoring of and 
preparation for wildfires.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON WILDFIRES.

(a) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the 
submission of the strategic plan required by section 3(d), the 
Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall 
establish a national advisory committee to be known as the 
``National Advisory Committee on Wildfires'' (in this section 
referred to as the ``Advisory Committee''). The Advisory 
Committee shall consist of not fewer than seven and not more 
than 15 members who are qualified to provide advice regarding 
wildfire forecasting, detection, monitoring, and delivery of 
related products or services, including from the following 
entities:
(A) Research and academic institutions.
(B) Public communication or broadcast entities.
(C) Emergency management agencies.
(D) State, local, or Tribal governments.
(E) The National Association of State Foresters.
(F) Business communities.
(G) Other entities as designated by the Director of 
the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
(2) Prohibition.--Members of the Advisory Committee may not 
be employees of the Federal Government.
(b) Assessment.--The Advisory Committee shall offer assessments and 
recommendations relating to the following:
(1) Tailored forecasting, detection, and monitoring 
products and tools.
(2) Communication and delivery methods of wildfire 
forecasting, detection, and monitoring information.
(3) Opportunities to streamline Federal forecasting, 
monitoring, and detection information to local emergency 
personnel and communities.
(4) The management, coordination, implementation, and 
activities of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on 
Wildfires under section 3.
(5) The effectiveness of the Interagency Coordinating 
Committee on Wildfires in meeting its purposes.
(c) Compensation.--Members of the Advisory Committee shall serve 
without compensation.
(d) Reports.--Not less frequently than biennially, the Advisory 
Committee shall report to the Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy on the assessments carried out under subsection (b) 
and its recommendations for ways to improve the coordination and 
dissemination of wildfire forecasts, warnings, and detection and 
monitoring information.
(e) Charter.--Notwithstanding section 1013(b)(2) of title 5, United 
States Code, the Advisory Committee shall not be required to file a 
charter subsequent to its initial charter, filed under section 1008(c) 
of such title, before the termination date specified in subsection (f) 
of this section.
(f) Termination.--The Advisory Committee shall terminate on 
September 30, 2029.
(g) Conflict of Interest.--An Advisory Committee member shall 
recuse himself or herself from any Advisory Committee activity in which 
he or she has an actual pecuniary interest.

SEC. 5. ESTABLISHMENT OF FIRE WEATHER TESTBED.

(a) In General.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration shall establish a fire weather testbed to 
enable engagement across the Federal Government, State and local 
governments, academia, private and federally funded research 
laboratories, the private sector, and end-users in order to evaluate 
the accuracy and usability of technology, models, fire weather products 
and services, and other research to accelerate the implementation, 
transition to operations, and use of new capabilities by the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Federal and land management 
agencies, and other relevant stakeholders.
(b) Resources.--In carrying out this section, the Administrator of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may not transfer or 
reprogram any funds, detail any personnel, or make use of any 
infrastructure from cooperative institutes of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration in existence as of the date of the enactment 
of this Act for the fire weather testbed established under subsection 
(a).
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029 to 
carry out this section.

SEC. 6. INCIDENT METEOROLOGIST WORKFORCE.

(a) Workforce and Training Assessment.--Not later than six months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall submit to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate the results of an assessment of National 
Weather Service workforce and training challenges for Incident 
Meteorologists, and a roadmap for overcoming such challenges. Such 
assessment shall take into consideration information technology 
support, logistical and administrative operations, anticipated weather 
and climate conditions, and feedback from relevant stakeholders, and 
shall include, to the maximum extent practicable, an identification by 
the National Weather Service of the following:
(1) The expected number of Incident Meteorologists needed 
over the next five years.
(2) Potential hiring authorities necessary to overcome any 
identified workforce and training challenges.
(3) Alternative services or assistance options the National 
Weather Service could provide to meet operational needs.
(b) Overtime Pay.--
(1) In general.--Any premium pay for services performed by 
Incident Meteorologists of the National Weather Service that 
are determined by the Secretary of Commerce to be primarily 
related to emergency wildland fire suppression activities shall 
be disregarded in calculating the aggregate of such employee's 
basic pay and premium pay for purposes of a limitation under 
section 5547 of title 5, United States Code, or under any other 
provision of law.
(2) Rates.--Section 5542(a)(5) of title 5, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting ``, the National Weather 
Service,'' after ``Interior''.

SEC. 7. RESEARCH ON WILDLAND FIRE COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION 
DISSEMINATION.

(a) In General.--
(1) Public safety research.--Not later than 60 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director, acting 
through the head of the Public Safety and Communications 
Research Division and in consultation with the Fire Research 
Division and technology manufacturers, shall carry out research 
on the following:
(A) Public safety communication coordination 
standards among Federal, State, Tribal, and local 
wildland firefighters, fire management response 
officials, and member agencies.
(B) Improving and integrating existing 
communications systems to transmit secure real-time 
data, alerts, and advisories to and from fire 
management response officials and wildland 
firefighters.
(2) Field testing and measurement of information 
dissemination and technology.--The Public Safety and 
Communications Research Division, in consultation with the Fire 
Research Division and member agencies, shall conduct both live 
and virtual field testing of equipment, software, and other 
technologies to determine current times of information 
dissemination and develop standards for the delivery of useful 
and secure real-time data among member agencies, fire 
management response officials, and wildland firefighters, based 
on findings from research under paragraph (1).
(b) Recommendations.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall develop and publish 
recommendations to improve public safety communication 
coordination standards among wildland first responders and fire 
management response officials.
(2) Transmittal.--The Director shall transmit the 
recommendations under paragraph (1) to the Office of Management 
and Budget and the Office of Science and Technology Policy for 
member agencies to implement.
(3) Reporting requirements.--
(A) In general.--The Director shall submit to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report 
containing the recommendations published under 
paragraph (1).
(B) Implementation.--Not later than 1 year after 
the date of the publication of the Director's 
recommendations under paragraph (1), the Comptroller 
General of the United States shall submit to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report on 
the extent to which member agencies have implemented 
such recommendations.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
(2) Member agency.--The term ``member agency'' means a 
member agency of the National Interagency Fire Center, 
including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land 
Management, National Park Service, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Forest Service, United States Fire Administration, and the 
Department of Defense.
(3) Wildland firefighter.--The term ``wildland 
firefighter'' means any person who participates in wildland 
firefighting activities.
(4) Fire management response officials.--The term ``fire 
management response officials'' means regional fire directors, 
deputy regional fire directors, agency officials who directly 
oversee fire operations, fire management officers, and 
individuals serving on incident management teams.
(5) Technology manufacturers.--The term ``technology 
manufacturers'' means private sector entities that manufacture 
communications technologies used by Federal, State, Tribal, or 
local wildland fire authorities.

SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Fire environment.--The term ``fire environment'' 
means--
(A) the environmental conditions, such as soil 
moisture, vegetation, topography, snowpack, atmospheric 
temperature, moisture, and wind, that influence--
(i) fuel and fire behavior; and
(ii) smoke dispersion and transport; and
(B) the associated environmental impacts occurring 
during and after fire events.
(2) Fire weather.--The term ``fire weather'' means the 
weather conditions that influence the start, spread, character, 
or behavior of wildfires or fires at the wildland-urban 
interface and relevant meteorological and chemical phenomena, 
including air quality, smoke, and meteorological parameters 
such as relative humidity, air temperature, wind speed and 
direction, and atmospheric composition and chemistry, including 
emissions and mixing heights.
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