Bill Overview
Title: Continental Divide Trail Completion Act
Description: 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.
Sponsors: Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2]
Target Audience
Population: People in the United States affected by wildfires, drought, and related natural disasters
Estimated Size: 50000000
- The bill addresses wildfires, drought, and natural disasters, which can affect large numbers of people living in areas prone to such events.
- Federal wildland firefighters and structural firefighters will be impacted by changes in pay and benefits.
- People living in areas affected by wildfire smoke can benefit from research on its health impacts.
- Communities relying on the water rights and agreements for survival, especially the Colorado River Indian Tribes and the Hualapai Tribe, will be directly affected.
- The bill will impact those relying on sustainable fisheries in specified regions.
- Individuals engaged in agriculture and living in riparian areas affected by drought conditions exacerbated by nonnative plant species will be impacted.
- Electric grid infrastructure affected by natural disasters is critical to individuals reliant on stable electricity access.
- People living in environmental justice communities may see impacts from enhanced capacity to address adverse effects.
Reasoning
- Simulated interviews should reflect the diverse impact of the bill across different demographics and regions.
- Wildland firefighters and structural firefighters are a direct target group due to pay and benefits enhancements, requiring at least one interview from this group.
- Residents of drought and wildfire-prone areas, including those from environmental justice communities, need representation as they may derive significant indirect benefits.
- Tribal members whose water rights are affected by the bill should be included to reflect cultural and survival impacts.
- Consider geographic diversity, with inclusion of both urban (firefighter focus) and rural (agriculture and tribal focus) populations.
- Vary the age, gender, and occupations to reflect common demographics in affected regions.
- The simulated interviews will show varying levels of impact, from high to no impact, depending on personal and regional circumstances.
- Include perspectives from individuals that both benefit and see less relevance from the bill, such as those not directly affected by wildfires or drought.
- Consider potential shifts in wellbeing over immediate (1-5 years) and longer-term (10-20 years) horizons due to policy sustainability.
Simulated Interviews
Wildland Firefighter (California)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy's increase in pay and benefits for firefighters is a long overdue improvement.
- Establishing a 10-year wildfire plan gives me hope for job stability and effectiveness in fire mitigation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 4 |
Farmer (Nevada)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am cautiously optimistic about the Saline Lake Ecosystems program and evapotranspiration data program addressing our water concerns.
- Efforts to remove nonnative plant species could potentially improve water availability on my farm.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 3 |
Tribal Leader (Arizona)
Age: 47 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The settlement agreement for water rights will significantly benefit our community.
- Adding land to our reservation is a step towards sustaining tribe members.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Environmental Scientist (Colorado)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The new research initiatives will advance our understanding and provide actionable insights for health impacts from wildfire smoke.
- A National Wildland Fire Risk Reduction Program is critical to reducing future devastating fires.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Retiree (Northern California)
Age: 62 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope the National Disaster Safety Board will lead to better preparedness in reducing local risks and hazards.
- Wildfire smoke research is reassuring, given the increasing poor air quality during fire events.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Elementary School Teacher (Oregon)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 17/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The bill's focus on environmental justice communities could help us prepare students better for dealing with these unique challenges.
- Worried about the reliability of implementation given budget constraints.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Electric Utility Engineer (Arizona)
Age: 54 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- A Natural Disaster Grid Mitigation Map is necessary for preemptive handling of grid issues.
- Concerns about execution speed and matching pace with climate change.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Student (Utah)
Age: 25 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm interested in the new basic training program and its impact on communities disproportionately affected by environmental challenges.
- Feels the allocation may not be sufficient for all intended benefits of the bill.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Rancher (Montana)
Age: 33 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The initiatives for drought resilience and invasive species removal give hope for improved conditions.
- Skeptical about long-term effects without continuous policy support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 3 |
Structural Firefighter (New Mexico)
Age: 44 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Parity in pay with wildland firefighters is a positive step.
- The introduction of a National Disaster Safety Board could help integrate more localized learnings.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1200000000 (Low: $1000000000, High: $1500000000)
Year 2: $1100000000 (Low: $900000000, High: $1400000000)
Year 3: $1000000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1300000000)
Year 5: $950000000 (Low: $750000000, High: $1200000000)
Year 10: $900000000 (Low: $700000000, High: $1100000000)
Year 100: $750000000 (Low: $600000000, High: $1000000000)
Key Considerations
- Implementation efficiency of the National Wildfire Plan will significantly influence costs.
- The effectiveness of the proposed R&D centers and data programs in achieving objectives could shift costs over time.
- External factors such as climate change and economic shifts could alter the scale and scope of required interventions.
- Engagement with affected tribes and communities is crucial for the success of water rights settlements and ecological programs.