Senate Passes Bill to Ease Prescribed Burn Regulations Under Clean Air Act
The U.S. Senate has unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Clean Air Act (CAA) to facilitate prescribed burns, a key tool in preventing larger, uncontrolled wildfires. Under current law, states face administrative burdens in proving that particulate matter pollution from controlled burns qualifies as an 'exceptional event' and does not count towards air quality non-compliance. Senator John Curtis, R-Utah, the bill's lead sponsor, emphasized that prescribed burns are effective in reducing hazardous fuels. The measure requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revise regulations, making it easier for states to demonstrate that a prescribed fire is an exceptional event. This legislative push gained momentum after smoke from western U.S. and Canadian wildfires impacted Washington D.C., highlighting the national threat.
