Restoring Communication in Wildfire Country Key to Saving Lives

By Vice Chair Cliff Bentz (OR-02) 

When you are deep in the forest and a wildfire is racing toward you, a warning sent to your cell phone can save your life. But what if environmental laws and regulations have delayed repair, replacement, or improvement of the very infrastructure needed to send that warning to your phone? You may not make it out alive.
 
This is why I sponsored and carried H.R. 1655, the Wildfire Communication Resiliency Act. This bill, if enacted, would provide an exemption from bureaucratic red tape that otherwise could delay repair and replacement of life saving communication infrastructure damaged by fire for months and even years.
 
This exemption is limited to the footprint of what had been a “declared wildfire disaster.” It’s not about ignoring process; it’s about enabling our communities to recover and prepare, in a timely fashion, without unnecessary and duplicative hurdles that cost money, time, and possibly even lives.

President Trump, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum know the importance of our rural communities and great potential of our American forests. This bill represents a commonsense approach to disaster recovery which is grounded in the reality that our communities face growing threats from increasingly severe wildfires. In times of emergency, people need reliable networks that are up and operational to coordinate rescue efforts, receive emergency alerts, and maintain contact with loved ones. Bureaucratic permitting delays and lengthy environmental assessments should not hinder this urgent restoration process.