On March 16, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the Save our Sequoias Act (H.R. 2709). The bill aims to enhance interagency coordination between state, federal, and tribal partners, accelerate forest restoration efforts, and provide science-based resources to land managers to guard these ancient trees from further destruction. The measure now goes to the Senate.
Representative Vince Fong (R-Kings) issued a press release following passage, highlighting broad stakeholder support, including from local officials in affected regions.
“I want to thank Congressman Fong for picking up the mantle on the Save our Sequoias Act. In the wake of the SQF fire that resulted in the loss of 20% of the world’s Giant Sequoias, we all knew we needed to change how we managed these groves. The SOS Act is that change,” said Dennis Townsend, District 5, Tulare County Board of Supervisors. “I’m excited to see that our groves will not only be better protected through efforts like the SOS but reestablished in places where poor management and catastrophic wildfire had previously wiped them out. I urge the Senate to pass the SOS Act as soon as possible so we can get to work on ensuring that these national treasures are alive and well for generations to come.”
On the following day, March 17, Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and John Curtis (R-UT) introduced a companion bill in the U.S. Senate. The legislation includes similar provisions to enhance interagency coordination and expedite forest restoration, including development of a reforestation strategy for wildfire-impacted areas, formalization of emergency authorities to accelerate forest treatments, and codification of the Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition. It would also require a long-term assessment of sequoia health and establish a dedicated fund to support ongoing restoration and protection efforts. Full text of the Senate bill is available here.
For additional information, contact RCRC Senior Policy Advocate, Staci Heaton.