Plain Language Summary
# ACRES Act Summary **What the Bill Does** The ACRES Act requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior to better track and report on wildfire prevention work done on federal lands. Specifically, it mandates that these agencies include annual reports in the President's budget showing how many acres received vegetation management activities aimed at reducing wildfire risk. The bill also requires the agencies to establish standardized methods for collecting and reviewing this data to ensure accuracy and timely reporting. **Who It Affects** This bill primarily affects federal land management agencies and Congress.
Indirectly, it impacts wildfire prevention efforts and the public who depends on these lands for recreation and safety. The bill does not cover contract awards for these projects, only the tracking and reporting of the work itself. **Current Status** The bill has passed the House of Representatives and is now in the legislative process. If signed into law, it would improve transparency and consistency in how the government measures and reports on its wildfire prevention activities across federal lands.
CRS Official Summary
Accurately Counting Risk Elimination Solutions Act or the ACRES ActThis bill establishes requirements regarding reports about hazardous fuels reduction activities and standardized procedures for tracking data for hazardous fuels reduction. Hazardous fuels reduction activities means any vegetation management activities that reduce the risk of wildfire but excludes the award of contracts to conduct hazardous fuels reduction activities.First, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of the Interior must include in the materials submitted in support of the President's budget each fiscal year a report on the number of acres of federal land on which such activities were carried out during the preceding year.Next, USDA and Interior must implement standardized procedures for tracking data related to such activities. The standardized procedures must includeregular, standardized data reviews of the accuracy and timely input of data used to track hazardous fuels reduction activities;verification methods that validate whether such data accurately correlates to such activities;an analysis of the short- and long-term effectiveness of such activities on reducing the risk of wildfire; andfor hazardous fuels reduction activities that occur partially within the wildland-urban interface, methods to distinguish which acres are located within and which located outside the wildland-urban interface.Finally, the Government Accountability Office must (1) conduct a study on this bill's implementation, and (2) submit a report to Congress with the results of the study.
Latest Action
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.