Bill > HR2026

This bill establishes a comprehensive approach to addressing environmental and wildfire risks along the U.S.-Mexico border, primarily focusing on federal lands. The Ending Major Borderland Environmental Ruin from Wildfires (EMBER) Act creates a Southern Border Fuels Management Initiative, which requires the Secretary of the Interior to develop a program to reduce wildfire risks and improve border management through vegetation management, including reducing hazardous fuels, addressing invasive species, and installing fuel breaks. The bill also mandates that federal agencies develop policies to mitigate environmental damage caused by unauthorized border crossings, requiring a detailed report to Congress documenting incidents of environmental degradation and wildfires linked to individuals without legal immigration status. The initiative is funded with $3,660,000 annually from fiscal years 2026 to 2032 and will terminate seven years after enactment. Additionally, the Comptroller General is tasked with updating a previous report on federal wildland fire management, now specifically including border states. The bill defines key terms like "covered Federal lands" and "southern border" and involves coordination between multiple federal agencies, including the Department of the Interior, Forest Service, and Border Patrol.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2026/all-info