The purpose of this Act is to ensure that parties affected by wildland fires resulting from management activities conducted by the Department of Agriculture on National Forest System land are eligible to receive 100 percent funding for the cost of remediating direct and indirect damages under authorized Federal recovery programs.
(a) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Covered matching requirement
The term covered matching requirement means a requirement under a program of the Secretary for wildland fire recovery for a State, Indian Tribe, locality, or individual to provide matching funds, in cash, for a project.
(2) Covered wildland fire
The term covered wildland fire means a wildland fire that the Secretary determines to be a result of management activities conducted by the Secretary on National Forest System land.
(3) Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture.
(A) In general
The term wildland fire means any non-structure fire that occurs in vegetation or natural fuels.
(B) Inclusions
The term wildland fire includes wildfire, prescribed fire, and any direct or indirect damage resulting in watershed impairment.
(b) Waiver
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may waive any covered matching requirement for a project in response to a covered wildland fire that is in an area affected by that covered wildland fire.