The Fix Our Forests Act is a bill with several titles that focus on different aspects of forest management and wildfire risk reduction. It includes programs for landscape-scale restoration, protecting communities in high-risk areas, improving transparency and technology, providing casualty assistance to firefighters, enhancing white oak resilience, and expanding public-private partnerships for water source protection.

This section provides definitions for terms used in the bill, including roles such as the Director of the Fireshed Center and Secretaries of Departments, as well as concepts like firesheds, forest plans, and hazardous fuels management activities. It also clarifies the meaning of geographic areas like National Forest System lands and Indian forest land or rangeland, and identifies entities such as State, special district, and relevant Congressional Committees.

The section establishes guidelines for identifying and managing "fireshed management areas" to reduce wildfire risks. These areas are selected based on wildfire exposure risks, and the selection process includes consultation with relevant authorities and uses mapping updates every five years. The selection is exempt from the National Environmental Policy Act requirements.

The Fireshed Center, established by the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of the Forest Service, will consist of representatives from various federal agencies to assess and manage fire and smoke risks. Its purposes include improving data tools, promoting coordination among different levels of government and organizations, and streamlining processes related to wildland fire management and recovery.

The section requires the Secretary, through the Director of the Fireshed Center, to maintain a publicly accessible Fireshed Registry that includes detailed geospatial data on wildfire risks and management activities for individual firesheds. It also mandates the availability of this data for local communities to aid in developing community wildfire protection plans, as well as the maintenance of a database to track federal environmental reviews and the effectiveness of fireshed management projects.

The section outlines that the Secretary must, within 90 days of receiving a request, make a shared stewardship agreement with a state's Governor or an Indian Tribe to work together on reducing wildfire risks and assessing areas prone to fires. It also mentions that these agreements can be updated to include more areas or to address new wildfire dangers if the Governor or Tribe asks for it.

The section details the process and requirements for conducting fireshed assessments, where the Secretary and state Governors or Indian Tribes evaluate wildfire risks within designated areas and plan projects to manage these risks, prioritizing community safety and environmental protection. Additionally, it allows for local government participation, uses advanced technology and data for assessments, and excludes National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) processes.

The section outlines the initiation and management of fireshed projects by designated officials to reduce wildfire risks through activities like hazardous fuel management, tree removal, and vegetation control. It also expands existing rules and areas for fire management, including new definitions and increased maximum areas for treatment projects under various acts such as the Healthy Forests Restoration Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The authority granted by this section of the law will end 7 years after the law is first put into action.

The proposed changes to Section 8206 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 expand the definition of entities eligible to manage funds from good neighbor agreements to include "special districts" and extend the deadline for using these funds from 2024 to 2029. Additionally, the amendments allow these entities to use the funds for various restoration and road management activities and apply to projects started both before and after the enactment of the new bill.

The text amends the Healthy Forests Restoration Act to ensure forest management contracts can last up to 20 years and introduces provisions that require 10% of the contract value to be paid to contractors if long-term contracts are canceled. A long-term contract is defined as one lasting more than 5 years.

The section establishes intra-agency strike teams to help with reviewing various environmental and historic regulations, preparing sites for fireshed management projects, and carrying out these projects. These teams can be made up of federal employees, private contractors, and volunteers, and the authority for these teams will end seven years after the law is enacted.

The amendment to the National Forest Management Act of 1976 increases the threshold amount from $10,000 to $55,000 and further adjusts this amount annually for changes in the Consumer Price Index starting in 2025. Additionally, it mandates the Secretary to seek bids for fireshed management projects 30 days after the law is enacted.

The Joint Chiefs landscape restoration partnership program in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has been revised to include additional goals such as recovery from wildfires and enhancement of natural resources. It also updates certain priorities and reporting timelines, extending requirements through 2028 for some provisions.

The section updates the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program under the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 by making amendments that include the use of innovative strategies, addressing monitoring questions, supporting collaborative processes, and expanding geographical and ecological considerations for forest management. It also extends the program's authorization through 2029.

The Secretary of Agriculture, through the Forest Service, is tasked with creating a plan to use livestock grazing to help reduce wildfire risks. This includes allowing grazing on more land during emergencies, targeting specific areas for grazing, using temporary permits to manage plant growth, using grazing to help land recover after fires, and applying all relevant legal powers.

The Program to Support Priority Reforestation and Restoration Projects of the Department of the Interior is a plan that requires the Secretary of the Interior, along with other federal agency leaders, to identify and support important reforestation and restoration projects on lands affected by unexpected events like wildfires. This involves creating cooperative agreements, consulting with tribes and local governments, and submitting yearly reports to Congress, and it will expire seven years after the law is enacted.

A bill section outlines rules for courts regarding agency actions related to fireshed management projects. It restricts court interventions unless there is a significant environmental risk and limits judicial reviews to certain conditions, while also setting time frames for filing claims and defining relevant terms like "agency document" and "covered agency action."

The proposed changes to the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act state that no additional consultations are needed when new species are listed or critical habitats are designated, or when new information highlights effects on such species or habitats, as long as these occur after a land or forest management plan has been approved, amended, or revised. This means that ongoing plans do not have to be reviewed each time new species or critical habitats are recognized unless they impact the plan in ways not previously considered.

The Community Wildfire Risk Reduction Program is established by the Secretaries to help reduce wildfire risks and damage in communities, especially those in wildland-urban areas. The program will involve multiple federal agencies, support research and community partnerships for fire resistance, and provide simplified, unified grant application processes, with a planned termination after seven years.

The Community Wildfire Defense Research Program, established under this bill, is an initiative led by the Secretaries to enhance the fire-resistance of buildings and communities through innovative designs and materials. It includes a competition to encourage new ideas, promotes collaboration with the Department of Energy, and will terminate seven years after the law is enacted.

The section amends the Federal Land Policy and Management Act by expanding the distance within which hazard trees must be managed near power lines to 150 feet, requiring consultation with private landowners about tree removal, and establishing a timeline for the plan review process, including automatic approval procedures and detailed correspondence for plans needing modifications.

The section establishes a categorical exclusion for certain forest management activities related to electric utility line rights-of-way, exempting them from environmental assessments unless they occur in protected wilderness areas or places where vegetation removal is prohibited by Congress. It also specifies that permanent roads cannot be built, though existing roads can be maintained, and temporary roads must be removed within three years.

The "Seeds of Success strategy" is a plan, to be developed within two years, aimed at boosting the domestic supply of seeds by enhancing interagency coordination, promoting the use of native plants after wildfires, creating partnerships for plant restoration, expanding seed storage, and improving permit processes. This strategy requires collaboration between the Secretaries and the Secretary of Defense, and they must report progress to the relevant Congressional Committees.

This section of the bill outlines a program for developing and commercializing biochar, a type of carbonized biomass. It sets rules for demonstration projects, provides funding for research, and aims to promote the use of biochar for environmental benefits and job creation, particularly in rural areas. The program will involve partnerships and grants, with activities taking place across various regions and focusing on innovations in biochar applications.

The section mandates that starting the fiscal year after the act is enacted, the Secretary concerned must report to Congress on hazardous fuels reduction activities on federal lands. The report should detail the acres treated, wildfire risk levels, effectiveness of activities, and other specifics, while ensuring accuracy through standardized data collection procedures. Additionally, a GAO study will review the implementation of these reporting requirements, and no extra funds are authorized for these activities.

In this section of the bill, a pilot program is established for testing and demonstrating new technologies to prevent, detect, communicate, and mitigate wildfires. The program involves collaboration between federal agencies and various covered entities, such as private companies and educational institutions, with a focus on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and augmented reality, and will last for 7 years.

The section mandates that the Comptroller General of the United States has 3 years from the enactment of the Act to conduct a study on the Forest Service. This study will evaluate the Forest Service's wildland firefighting effectiveness, budget transparency, and the idea of creating a new federal agency for handling wildland fires. A report of the study's findings must then be submitted to Congress.

The Chief of the Forest Service is required to conduct a study within 5 years to evaluate locations for a new Western headquarters, considering options in at least three states west of the Mississippi River. The study will examine the benefits of this new headquarters, such as better customer service, improved employee recruitment and retention, and operational efficiency. A report on the findings must then be submitted to Congress.

The section outlines duties for the Secretary to ensure forest plans are up-to-date and shared publicly, emphasizing compliance with legal requirements, prioritizing revisions for outdated plans, and establishing a central website for forest plans and reports. Additionally, if the Secretary fails to act quickly and honestly on these tasks due to insufficient funding, these directives become invalid for the affected plans, and a court can expedite plan completion.

The section requires the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to evaluate and report on the use of container aerial firefighting systems for combating wildfires, with input from national aviation committees. The findings must be submitted to specific congressional committees within a specified timeframe.

The section mandates the Secretary of Agriculture, via the Forest Service Chief, to conduct a study on the pine beetle infestation in the northeastern U.S. within one year of the Act's enactment and to present a report on the findings to relevant Congressional Committees.

The Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program aims to support the families of firefighters and wildland fire support personnel who are injured or killed in the line of duty. The program includes notification and financial assistance for travel expenses, management procedures for effective case handling, and collaboration with various government agencies to ensure survivors receive necessary benefits and support.

The White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition is established as a voluntary group involving various governmental and non-governmental entities to enhance the health and growth of white oak trees in the U.S. It aims to improve collaboration, make policy recommendations, and support research and outreach efforts for white oak restoration, with administrative support and potential funding provided by the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture.

The section describes a program where the Secretary of Agriculture will start five pilot projects in national forests to restore white oak trees. At least three of these projects must take place in forests that are reserved from the public domain, and the program will end seven years after the law is enacted.

The Secretary of the Interior is tasked with checking land managed by the Department of the Interior, like wildlife refuges, to see if white oak trees are there and if it's possible to restore them. After reporting the findings to Congress, they will start five projects to help white oak trees grow again, with the option to work with other groups on these projects. This work, including all related authority, will end seven years after the law is enacted.

The "White Oak and Upland Oak Habitat Regeneration Program" is established by the Secretary of Agriculture to improve and regenerate white oak forests across the United States through scientific and collaborative efforts with various agencies and organizations. The program includes initiatives like grants and technical assistance for restoration activities and is set to operate for 7 years from the enactment of the Act.

The section requires the Secretary of Agriculture to create a plan within one year to increase the capacity of tree nurseries across the country to address seedling shortages. The plan should be scientifically based and focus on solving regional seedling shortages, supporting reforestation efforts, enhancing seedling diversity, and overcoming obstacles to nursery expansion.

The section authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to collaborate with Tribes or institutions, including specific land grant colleges, to research various aspects of white oak trees, such as genetic diversity and reforestation techniques. This authority will expire 7 years after the bill's enactment, and allows for consultation with various entities to enhance the research.

The Secretary of Agriculture, through the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Forest Service, will start a program focused on white oak trees to help re-establish forests, improve current ones, assist private landowners, enhance nursery stock, and adapt seedlings. This initiative will last for 7 years after the law is enacted.

The section describes how the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture can use their powers under this law, along with other laws, to complete projects. These projects could include partnerships called "good neighbor agreements" and "stewardship contracting projects" under specific Acts.

The amendment to Section 303 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 introduces a definition for "adjacent land" and emphasizes partnership with local entities for watershed protection projects. It outlines requirements and priorities for these projects, which include improving water supply and quality and enhancing forest health, while highlighting conditions for involving non-federal land. The amendment seeks cooperation with non-federal partners and leverages existing watershed plans to minimize redundancy.

The amendment to Section 304(a) of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 removes the words "protection and" from paragraphs (3) and (5), altering how the legislation addresses certain aspects of watershed condition management.