Continental Divide Trail Completion Act

Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act

This bill provides for measures to mitigate wildfires, drought, and other natural and human disasters.

Among the bill's other provisions, it

• sets a minimum rate of pay for federal wildland firefighters and provides parity in pay, benefits, and bonuses for federal structural firefighters;
• requires implementation of a 10-year National Wildfire Plan;
• establishes the Saline Lake Ecosystems in the Great Basin States Assessment and Monitoring Program;
• requires a plan to sustain the survival of critically important fisheries within certain states during periods of extended drought;
• establishes the Open Access Evapotranspiration (OpenET) Data Program for the delivery of satellite-based evapotranspiration data to certain data users;
• authorizes the Colorado River Indian Tribes to enter into agreements for conserved water under specified conditions;
• authorizes, ratifies, and confirms, the Hualapai Tribe water rights settlement agreement;
• adds specified land to the Hualapai Reservation;
• establishes a Natural Disaster Grid Mitigation Map that identifies critical electric grid infrastructure in each state that is vulnerable to natural disasters;
• establishes a grant program to award grants to remove nonnative plant species in riparian areas that contribute to drought conditions;
• establishes four Centers of Excellence for Wildfire Smoke to carry out research on the effects on public health of smoke emissions from wildland fires;
• establishes a National Disaster Safety Board;
• establishes a National Wildland Fire Risk Reduction Program;
• establishes a basic training program to increase the capacity of environmental justice communities to address disproportionately adverse human health or environmental effects in their communities.

Bill 117 HR 5118, also known as the Continental Divide Trail Completion Act, is a piece of legislation introduced in the United States Congress. The purpose of this bill is to designate certain federal lands along the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) as protected wilderness areas in order to complete the trail and ensure its preservation for future generations.

The Continental Divide Trail is a long-distance hiking trail that spans over 3,000 miles from the border of Mexico to the border of Canada, following the Continental Divide of the Americas. While much of the trail is already completed and maintained, there are certain sections that have not yet been designated as protected wilderness areas, leaving them vulnerable to development and other threats.

The Continental Divide Trail Completion Act seeks to address this issue by designating approximately 50 miles of federal lands in Montana and Idaho as protected wilderness areas, ensuring that these sections of the trail remain undeveloped and preserved for recreational use. Additionally, the bill includes provisions for the maintenance and improvement of the trail, as well as the protection of wildlife habitats and natural resources along the route. Overall, the Continental Divide Trail Completion Act aims to complete the Continental Divide Trail and protect its natural beauty and ecological significance for future generations to enjoy. This legislation has garnered bipartisan support in Congress and is seen as a positive step towards preserving America's natural landscapes and promoting outdoor recreation.