Wildfire mitigation bill advances in House committee

21 February 2020

Published by https://www.coloradopolitics.com

USA – Communities in wildfire-prone areas would be able use a new source of money to apply for federal risk-mitigation grants, according to a new proposal that passed the state House Committee Energy and Environment on Thursday.

“Nearly half of Coloradans live in areas at risk from wildfires, a threat that won’t go away unless we act,” said one of the bill’s sponsors, Rep. Lisa Cutter, D-Littleton. “I’ve seen the heartbreaking toll on families who have lost everything while we continue to leave millions of federal dollars on the table that could help.”

House Bill 1142 would levy a 0.05% fee on certain property and risk insurance. A new hazard mitigation enterprise, or government-owned business exempt from the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, would award grants from the revenue generated to assist communities in applying for federal grants to mitigate disaster risk. The entity would also educate the public about risk mitigation and assist local governments technically.

The bill’s sponsors specifically contemplate competing for grants under the new Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. BRIC will set aside 6% of FEMA’s disaster relief money for funding public infrastructure projects, of which localities will need to partially match the expenditure. The agency points to conservation of open space, encouraging the use of noncombustible building materials and enclosing the foundation of homes as some of the wildfire mitigation strategies.

The committee vote was 7-4, with all Democrats voting in favor and all Republicans voting against. Committee member Lori Saine, R-Dacono, said afterward that she did not hear a guarantee that the funds raised would go toward wildfire mitigation.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated.