Trump Signs Presidential Determination Exempting Federal Wildfire Suppression From Clean Water Act Requirements for One Year
The White House on November 10 released a Presidential Determination signed by President Trump exempting federal wildfire suppression activities from requirements under section 313 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1323), for one year from November 10, 2026 to November 10, 2027. The exemption covers federal firefighting operations including the aerial application of fire retardant.
In an accompanying fact sheet, the White House said the determination responds to litigation over the Forest Service's use of retardant: in Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics v. U.S. Forest Service, No. CV-22-168-M-DLC (D. Mont.), court proceedings created compliance uncertainty for federal firefighting. The administration said rapid suppression that protects communities and firefighters should not be blocked by permitting disputes during fire season.
Under the determination, the Secretary of Agriculture is to publish the exemption in the Federal Register. The exemption addresses only the federal-facility compliance requirements of Clean Water Act section 313; it does not change states' own suppression rules or obligations under other environmental laws.
Wildfire is a major annual hazard across the western United States, and the U.S. Forest Service is the backbone of federal wildland firefighting. The White House said the administration is working to reduce wildfire risk through timber management, fuels treatment and rapid-response investment, and that the exemption ensures suppression tools are available ahead of the 2027 fire season. (Source: The White House)
Source: The White House
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 卫星拍摄的野火烟羽（资料图），NASA，公共领域
