HB 1380 — An Act amending the act of June 28, 1995 (P.L.89, No.18), known as the Conservation and Natural Resources Act, in Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, further providing for forests.

PRINTER'S NO.   1581

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1380
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY STENDER, ARMANINI, GILLEN, HAMM, E. NELSON, RADER
        AND WATRO, MAY 2, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
        PREPAREDNESS, MAY 4, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of June 28, 1995 (P.L.89, No.18), entitled "An
 2      act creating the Department of Conservation and Natural
 3      Resources consisting of certain functions of the Department
 4      of Environmental Resources and the Department of Community
 5      Affairs; renaming the Department of Environmental Resources
 6      as the Department of Environmental Protection; defining the
 7      role of the Environmental Quality Board in the Department of
 8      Environmental Protection; making changes to responsibilities
 9      of the State Conservation Commission and the Department of
10      Agriculture; transferring certain powers and duties to the
11      Department of Health; and repealing inconsistent acts," in
12      Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, further
13      providing for forests.
14      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
15   hereby enacts as follows:
16      Section 1.    Section 302(d) of the act of June 28, 1995
17   (P.L.89, No.18), known as the Conservation and Natural Resources
18   Act, is amended by adding a paragraph to read:
19   Section 302.    Forests.
20      * * *
21      (d)   Chief Forest Fire Warden.--The Chief Forest Fire Warden,
22   subject to the approval of the secretary, shall have the
23   following powers and duties to:
 1        * * *
 2        (13)    Submit an annual report no later than March 1 of
 3    each calendar year to the chairperson and minority
 4    chairperson of the Environmental Resources and Energy
 5    Committee of the Senate, the chairperson and minority
 6    chairperson of the Environmental and Natural Resource
 7    Protection Committee of the House of Representatives, the
 8    chairperson and minority chairperson of the Veterans Affairs
 9    and Emergency Preparedness Committee of the Senate and the
10    chairperson and minority chairperson of the Veterans Affairs
11    and Emergency Preparedness Committee of the House of
12    Representatives, which shall include the following
13    information:
14               (i)    Activities carried out under fire resource plans
15        in the previous calendar year.
16               (ii)    The amount and locations of wildfires in this
17        Commonwealth in the previous calendar year.
18               (iii)    Actions taken by the Chief Forest Fire Warden
19        or local forest fire wardens to prevent wildfires in this
20        Commonwealth in the previous calendar year.
21               (iv)    The amount and locations of prescribed or
22        controlled burns carried out in this Commonwealth in the
23        previous calendar year.
24               (v)    The estimated Statewide manpower for combating
25        wildfires, including an active list of firefighters
26        submitted by local forest fire wardens in the previous
27        calendar year.
28               (vi)    A list of on-hand equipment for combating
29        wildfires submitted by local forest fire wardens in the
30        previous calendar year.

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1     * * *
2     Section 2.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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