Summary
Allows air quality data affected by wildfires or fire prevention activities to be excluded from certain federal air pollution measurements.
What problem does this solve?
States can be punished for poor air quality caused by uncontrollable wildfires or by prescribed burns used to prevent them. This bill creates a clearer process for states to ask the government to ignore this specific data so they are not unfairly penalized.
Who does this affect?
- State environmental agencies
- Residents in wildfire-prone areas
- Federal Environmental Protection Agency
What does this bill do?
Expands the definition of an 'exceptional event'
Broadens the term to include human activities that copy natural events, like prescribed burns, or are unlikely to happen again. This allows more events to qualify for data exclusion.
Defines actions to mitigate wildfire risk
Adds a specific definition for actions like prescribed fires that are done to reduce the risk and severity of future wildfires.
Requires updated regulations
Directs the head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to update the rules for handling air quality data from these events within 18 months.
Mandates regional analysis for large events
Requires the EPA to perform regional modeling when a single event, like a large wildfire, affects air quality in multiple states.
Increases public transparency
Requires the EPA to create a public website within 12 months to track the status of all state requests to exclude air quality data.
Simplifies the approval process
States only need to show a 'reasonably expected' link between an event and high pollution levels, rather than proving a definite causal relationship.
What is the real world impact?
•
Supports proactive wildfire management
Allows states to conduct prescribed burns and other fire prevention activities without fearing that the resulting smoke will cause them to violate federal air quality standards and face penalties.
When does this start?
Sets new deadlines for the Environmental Protection Agency to update regulations and create a public website after the bill becomes law.
Deadline for new regulations
The EPA must issue revised regulations for exceptional events and wildfire mitigation actions within 18 months of the bill becoming law.
Deadline for public website
The EPA must launch a public website tracking the status of all petitions within 12 months of the bill becoming law.