Senate Proposes Detrimental Adjustment to Previously Approved 'Fix Our Forests Act' in the Senate
The Latest Senate Bill Stirs Controversy:
Senator John Curtis (R-UT), together with Senators Tim Sheehy (R-MT), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Alex Padilla (D-CA), have unleashed a new battle in the Senate over the Fix Our Forests Act. Akin to its counterpart in the House, this bill aims to grant unfettered access to public lands for logging operations, by dismantling bedrock conservation laws and disregarding scientific insight.
Robert Dewey, vice president of government relations at Defenders of Wildlife, expressed his opposition, stating, "This misguided Senate bill unwarrantedly devastates our forests and undermines the Endangered Species Act and other cornerstone environmental laws." Dewey further noted that the sponsors are barking up the wrong tree. While the Senate bill does offer some enhancements over the House bill, it still serves to fatten the wallets of the logging industry, under the pretext of fire prevention and delegating authority to boost logging to the administration. This blind trust allows agencies to sacrifice vital old-growth, fire-resistant trees and essential protections for endangered species. Instead, the sponsors of this bill should concentrate on legislation that would more efficiently address the issue and fund initiatives in the wildland-urban interface for home hardening and defensible space.
What Makes This Bill a Problem?
Among its most egregious inclusions, the bill seeks to:
- Abolish Cottonwood, a crucial legal precedent under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) that mandates the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to reevaluate forest or land management plans when a new species is listed, critical habitat is designated, or new information impacting a species or habitat arises. This essential obligation ensures a holistic view and averts extinction by a thousand cuts.
- Chop the Statute of Limitations for challenging projects in court from six years in most cases to a mere 150 days, with confusion surrounding the start date. This drastically shortened timeframe blockades many from exercising their right to be heard in court and thwarts community efforts to protect wildlife.
- Codify Emergency Regulations that currently exist, potentially causing confusion over meaning or intent.
- Increase the Size of Multiple Categorical Exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for logging projects up to 10,000 acres, weakening the environmental review process and encourages the logging of large, old-growth trees, which serve as not only the most fire-resilient but also critical wildlife habitat.
For 75 years, Defenders of Wildlife has maintained a steadfast commitment to shielding all native animals and plants within their natural communities. With a nationwide network of nearly 2.1 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife stands as a leading force for innovative solutions to maintain wildlife for future generations. To gain more insight, please visit https://our website.org/newsroom or find us on X @Defenders.
Media Contact
Zach Klein
- The Fix Our Forests Act, currently under debate in the Senate, is problematic due to its provisions that aim to abolish Cottonwood, a critical legal precedent under the Endangered Species Act, and shorten the statute of limitations for challenging projects in court from six years to 150 days, limiting community efforts to protect wildlife.
- In the realm of environmental science and policy-and-legislation, the ongoing controversy over the Fix Our Forests Act intensifies, as it includes measures that arbitrarily weaken the environmental review process under the National Environmental Policy Act, potentially impacting large, old-growth trees that serve as vital wildlife habitat and key contributors to fire resistance.
