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S5045119th CongressWALLET

Wildfire Emissions Prevention Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Senator Curtis, John R. [R-UT]

Passed Senate

Summary

Recognize prescribed fires as exceptional events and fund smoke protections for community buildings. This bill would revise Clean Air Act rules to make it easier for States to qualify prescribed fires as "exceptional events" and would create a competitive grant program to reduce wildfire smoke exposure in schools and other public buildings.

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  • Families and schools: Would fund competitive grants for assessment, prevention, control, or abatement of wildfire smoke in community buildings, including school buildings. Federal grants could cover up to 90 percent of project costs and no more than 25 percent of annual funding could go to recipients in any one State.
  • State, local, and Tribal authorities: Would require the EPA to propose regulatory revisions within 270 days and finalize them within 180 days after proposal. State petitions on exceptional events must be approved, disapproved, or partially approved within 1 year or are deemed approved.
  • Tribal and regional fire practices: Defines "prescribed fire" to include tribal cultural burning and directs the EPA to lead or collaborate on regional or multijurisdictional exceptional-event analyses when multiple agencies request them.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Grants to reduce wildfire smoke in schools

If enacted, EPA would run competitive grants to cut wildfire smoke in community buildings, including schools. States, tribes, and eligible local entities would be able to apply. The federal share would be up to 90% of project costs, and EPA would be able to waive the local share for facilities in economically distressed communities. No more than 25% of yearly funds would go to any one State. Funding would depend on future Congressional appropriations.

Quicker air-quality rulings on wildfires

If enacted, the bill would change how EPA treats wildfire-related smoke in air rules. Prescribed fires, including tribal cultural burning, would be clearly eligible as “exceptional events.” EPA would need to propose rule changes within 270 days and finish them within 180 days after proposal. States would get a decision on petitions within one year, or the petition would be treated as approved unless later reversed. EPA would be able to lead multi‑state reviews. This could let more smoke spikes be left out of compliance counts, which could reduce pressure to cut other pollution. It would not let past industrial emissions be reclassified as exceptional.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Curtis, John R. [R-UT]

UT • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 7/21/2026

  • Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV]

    WV • R

    Sponsored 7/21/2026

  • Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 7/21/2026

  • Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR]

    AR • R

    Sponsored 7/21/2026

  • Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 7/21/2026

  • Sen. Marshall, Roger [R-KS]

    KS • R

    Sponsored 9/15/2026

  • Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 9/15/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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