Fire Suppression and Response Funding Assurance Act
The Fire Suppression and Response Funding Assurance Act would strengthen federal financial support for fire management by guaranteeing a minimum 75 percent federal cost share for eligible fire management assistance under the Stafford Act for newly appropriated funds. It also directs a future rulemaking to establish criteria for when the federal cost share might be increased beyond 75 percent and requires FEMA to update its policy so that predeployment of domestic assets by states, local governments, and tribes can be reimbursed under FMAG. The changes apply only to appropriations made after the act’s enactment, and the rulemaking would be completed within three years. In practical terms, the bill aims to reduce the financial burden on non-federal entities managing wildfire responses by ensuring a sizable federal contribution and by clarifying when FEMA could provide even more aid in the future, while also encouraging earlier deployment of domestic resources in anticipation of fires.
Key Points
- 1The federal share for fire management assistance (FMAG) must be not less than 75 percent of eligible costs for amounts appropriated after enactment.
- 2The changes apply only to new appropriations made after the act becomes law.
- 3Within three years, the President (via FEMA) must conduct rulemaking to set criteria for when the federal cost share could be increased above 75 percent.
- 4FEMA must update FMAG grant policies to allow reimbursement for predeployment of domestic assets by states, local governments, and tribes.
- 5The bill’s title suggests broader intent to bolster fire suppression and response funding, with a concrete focus on cost-sharing structure and deployment assistance.