H.R. 204: Accurately Counting Risk Elimination Solutions Act

This bill, known as the Accurately Counting Risk Elimination Solutions Act (or ACRES Act), aims to improve the reporting and transparency of hazardous fuels reduction activities carried out on federal lands by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior. The key points of the bill include:

Accurate Hazardous Fuels Reduction Reports

• The Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior will be required to include detailed reports in the President’s budget submissions. These reports will detail the number of acres of federal land where hazardous fuels reduction activities were conducted in the previous fiscal year.
• Specific information must be recorded about:
  • The total number of acres where activities were completed, ensuring that each acre is only counted once irrespective of the number of activities performed on it.
  • Which of those acres are located within the wildland-urban interface.
  • The wildfire risk categorization (high, moderate, or low) on the first and last days of the reporting period.
  • The types of hazardous fuels activities conducted, distinguishing between activities managed for resource benefits and those carried out through planned projects.
  • The cost per acre for activities carried out during the reporting period.
  • The specific regions where the activities occurred.
  • The effectiveness of these activities in reducing wildfire risk.
• All reports submitted will be made available to the public on the websites of the respective departments.

Data Collection Standards

• Within 90 days of the bill's enactment, the Secretaries must implement standardized procedures for tracking hazardous fuels reduction activities.
• The procedures must include:
  • Regular reviews to ensure data accuracy and timely entry.
  • Verification methods to validate the correlation between recorded data and actual activities.
  • An analysis of the effectiveness of these activities in reducing wildfire risks over time.
  • Methods to differentiate between activities taking place within and outside of the wildland-urban interface.
• A report describing these procedures and any recommendations for improvement must be submitted to Congress within two weeks of implementation.

GAO Study

• Within two years of the bill's enactment, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) will conduct a study to examine the implementation of the bill and any limitations in reporting and tracking data regarding hazardous fuels reduction activities.
• A report detailing the findings of this study will be submitted to Congress.

Definitions

• Hazardous fuels reduction activity: Refers to vegetation management activities aimed at reducing wildfire risk, which can include mechanical treatments and prescribed burning, but excludes awarding contracts for such activities.
• Federal lands: Lands under the jurisdiction of the Secretaries of Agriculture or the Interior.
• Wildland-urban interface: Refers to areas where residential and wildland areas meet, as defined in existing legislation.

Funding Provisions

• The bill states that no additional funds are authorized for carrying out its requirements, meaning all activities must operate within previously allocated budgetary resources.

Relevant Companies

• None found