Hirono, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Promote Wildfire Mitigation Through Wildlife Grazing

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), and James Lankford (R-OK) in introducing the bipartisan Wildfire Resilience Through Grazing Research Act, legislation to promote research on how grazing can support wildfire mitigation, fuels reduction, and post-fire recovery.

“As the people of Lahaina continue to recover from the devastating wildfires in 2023, we recognize just how necessary it is to pre-emptively reduce wildfire risk,” said Senator Hirono. “As wildfires occur with increasing frequency across the country, this legislation is a crucial step to help strengthen community resilience by studying the implementation of grazing as a strategy for reducing vegetation that can fuel wildfires. I’m glad to join my colleagues in introducing this important bill to help prevent wildfires and protect our communities.”

Several states have implemented pilot programs in which animals like goats and cattle, called “ungulates,” have grazed on prescribed areas of land containing highly flammable grasses and shrubs to mitigate fire risk. These pilot efforts have successfully reduced vegetation that can fuel rapid fire growth. However, limited scientific research has been conducted on optimal grazing land management techniques that also protect against other environmental harms. To address this critical research gap, the Wildfire Resilience Through Grazing Research Act would add the “Grazing for Wildfire Mitigation Initiative” to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s High-Priority Research List.

Specifically, the Wildfire Resilience Through Grazing Research Act would:

• Support research and development of grazing land management techniques for wildfire mitigation and recovery by driving research at land-grant colleges and universities like the University of California system, Kansas State University, University of Hawaii at Manoa, and Oklahoma State University.

• Promote the dissemination of information on these wildlife grazing land management techniques to public and private landowners, land managers, and livestock owners, including land management activities that protect against negative environmental impacts and improve soil health.

This legislation is endorsed by the Environmental Defense Fund and The Nature Conservancy.

The full text of the legislation is available here.

Following the devastating Maui wildfires, Senator Hirono has worked to support Lahaina in their recovery and rebuilding efforts, while also strengthening Hawaii’s natural disaster response. In May 2024, Senator Hirono announced that the U.S. Forest Service is awarding more than $5.6 million to help plan for and prevent wildfires in Hawaii. The announcement follows a letter Senator Hirono sent to U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore in November 2023 in strong support of Hawaii’s applications for CWDG funding. In March 2024, Senator Hirono led the Hawaii Congressional delegation in urging the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner, Danny Werfel, to extend the 2023 federal tax filing and payment deadlines for individuals and businesses impacted by the Maui wildfires. In January 2024, Senator Hirono joined a group of her colleagues in introducing bipartisan legislation to develop guidelines for state and local governments to improve emergency evacuation preparedness. The Emergency Vehicle and Community (EVAC) Planning Act would direct the Department of Transportation (DOT), in consultation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to develop and publicly disseminate guidance and best practices for states, territories, Tribes, and local governments to utilize when conducting transportation infrastructure planning.

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