H.R. 9999: Mountain Pine Beetle Coordination Act

This bill would let the U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the Forest Service, make cooperative agreements with states, local governments, and federally recognized Indian Tribes to help deal with mountain pine beetle outbreaks and the wildfire risks linked to them.

What the agreements could cover

• Monitoring and data sharing: Coordinating surveys and sharing information about where beetles are spreading.
• Joint planning: Working together on projects to respond to infestations.
• Processing trees: Expanding the ability to remove or process trees killed or damaged by beetles.
• Reducing hazards: Taking steps to lower dangers in affected areas, such as fuel buildup that can increase fire risk.
• Other related actions: Any other activities the Forest Service and the partner entity determine are needed to reduce wildfire risk from the infestations.

Federal technical assistance

If a state, local government, or Tribe is part of one of these agreements, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service would have to provide technical help on request. That help could cover:

• how to detect mountain pine beetle infestations,
• how the beetles spread, and
• ways to manage or reduce the infestations.

Who counts as a partner

The bill defines eligible partners broadly. A covered entity includes the governor or other chief executive of a state, the chief executive of a political subdivision such as a county or municipality, and the chief executive of a federally recognized Indian Tribe. For this bill, State includes the 50 states, Washington, D.C., U.S. territories and possessions, and federally recognized Indian Tribes.

Practical effect

In plain terms, the bill would create a federal partnership tool for dealing with mountain pine beetles, with an emphasis on coordinating response efforts, improving information sharing, and reducing the chance that beetle-damaged forests contribute to wildfire risk.

Relevant Companies

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