On May 6, Acting Associate Chief of the Forest Service, Christopher French, testified before the Senate Agriculture Committee during its legislative hearing on the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act, which aims to reduce catastrophic wildfire risk and improve forest health through expanded management tools and interagency coordination.
Acting Associate Chief French testified that the Forest Service supports the core provisions of the bill, including the establishment of a Wildfire Intelligence Center, the use of fireshed data to prioritize treatment areas, expanded categorical exclusions under NEPA to accelerate project approvals, and enhancements to Good Neighbor Authority and stewardship contracting. He emphasized that the bill would provide the agency with tools needed to scale up active forest management and respond more effectively to worsening wildfire conditions.
Acting Associate Chief French also identified several areas where the Forest Service is seeking technical changes to improve implementation. These include clarifying the scope of prescribed fire authority; ensuring liability protections for Tribal and local cooperators; amending the bill to include pile burning within prescribed fire provisions; and restoring House-passed language that would allow retained timber receipts to fund permanent road construction under Good Neighbor Agreements. The agency also flagged the need for flexibility in administering cost-share agreements and coordination with regulatory agencies on air quality and endangered species reviews.
Watch the hearing here. See a one-pager on the Senate version of the Fix Our Forests Act here, and view a summary of provisions particularly impactful for California here.
RCRC continues to advocate for the passage of the Fix Our Forests Act. For more information, contact RCRC Senior Policy Advocate, Staci Heaton.