What They Are Saying: The Fix Our Forests Act

Last week, House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and U.S. Rep. Scott Peters (R-Calif.) reintroduced the Fix Our Forests Act.

"We represent a broad coalition of stakeholders that includes water providers, farmers, utilities, forestry professionals, and local governmental entities. We are deeply committed to advancing forest and watershed health. We support the Fix Our Forests Act and its comprehensive approach to improving forest and watershed health. Enacting this legislation will help protect our communities and address forest health needs by fostering collaboration between federal agencies, local communities, and tribal nations, authorizing common sense environmental streamlining authorities, providing targeted litigation reform, expanding good neighbor authorities, and investing in data sharing, research, and technology." - American Farm Bureau Federation, American Forest Resource Council, Association of California Water Agencies, California Farm Bureau Federation, Family Farm Alliance and National Association of Counties

"[t]he House of Representatives has an historic opportunity to quickly advance strongly bipartisan legislation that will strengthen wildfire resilience and safeguard our communities through innovative, technology-driven approaches. While much groundwork was laid in the last Congress, we believe the improved and reintroduced bill represents an important step forward to protect our wildlands and communities from devastating wildfires like those still impacting Los Angeles." - Association of Firetech Innovation

"The American Loggers Council fully supports the Fix Our Forests Act. The need could not be any more evident. The health of U.S. forests are suffering and being managed by fire, disaster, and invasive species. Everyone that supports healthy forests and wants to mitigate the annual wildfire impacts to property and lives must support this comprehensive bill. The alternative is more of the same demonstrated failed forest management policy. The American Loggers Council appreciates the bipartisan support of this Bill and looks forward to partnering with national land managers to begin taking care of our forests instead of suffering the consequences of neglect." - Scott Dane, executive director, American Loggers Council

"We write to encourage swift consideration and passage of the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act, reintroduced by House Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Representative Scott Peters (D-CA). We strongly support this legislation that would increase the nation's resiliency to catastrophic wildfires, improve land use planning and forest management, and better protect communities in wildfire prone regions." - American Property Casualty Insurance Association, Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers, Inc., National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies and Reinsurance Association of America

"This critical legislation addresses the urgent need to restore forest health, enhance landscape resilience, and protect communities from catastrophic wildfires that devastate lives, property, and ecosystems. Livestock producers are deeply invested in sound stewardship of our natural resources, and as resource managers and business owners, they play a core role in the socioeconomic stability of the rural communities that are most deeply impacted by the wildfire crisis." - American Sheep Industry Association, National Cattlemen's Beef Association and Public Lands Council

"While the devastating wildfires in southern California renewed national discussions surrounding the crisis facing our forests, as organizations directly invested in the health of our forests and the wildlife that depend on them, we know firsthand this crisis is not new and that meaningful solutions have eluded Congress due to partisan gridlock. For this reason, we are encouraged by the U.S. House of Representative's strong, bipartisan passage of FOFA last Congress and prioritization of FOFA this Congress." - America's Wildlife Conservation Partners

"As wildfires continue to harm our communities and forests, immediate action is needed. The "Fix Our Forests Act" removes barriers to managing healthy forests and supports proactive engagement in wildland urban interface regions. Healthy forests are vital to protecting healthy markets that support local economies and rural jobs across the nation. This Act will support responsible forest management through incentives, collaboration, emergency tools and technology focused on restoring forests and preventing catastrophic wildfires. We are thrilled to endorse this Act and work with Representatives Westerman and Peters to help our forests, markets and local economies thrive." - Jackson Morrill, president and CEO, American Wood Council

"BPC Action applauds the bipartisan leadership of House Natural Resources Committee Chair Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA) on the introduction of the Fix Our Forest Act. By streamlining and improving forest and hazardous fuels management activities on public and Tribal lands, this legislation will help reduce wildfire risks, improve forest health, and protect communities in fire-prone areas. The Fix Our Forests Act also addresses critical needs to enhance the domestic supply chain of seeds and advance biochar commercialization, which will deliver substantial economic and environmental benefits." - Michele Stockwell, president, Bipartisan Policy Center Action

"While we cannot prevent every wildfire, the Fix Our Forests Act takes important steps to mitigate wildfires, improve forest health, and protect local communities. Through incentivizing and streamlining the active management of our forests, while preserving and strengthening important environmental and community protections, the bill will make our forests and communities more resilient to wildfires." - Citizens' Climate Lobby

"An antiquated NEPA review system delays environmental progress, whether it is protecting our natural resources from forest fires or deploying innovative technologies. This bill takes important steps to address those obstacles that hinder effective land management. For too long we have tiptoed around meaningful and impactful reforms, leading to habitat and human loss in the process. That is why CRES is proud to support the Fix Our Forests Act, led by Chairman Bruce Westerman and Rep. Scott Peters, to make important strides in addressing tedious regulatory hurdles." - Heather Reams, president, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions

"The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation (CSF) is grateful for the continued leadership of Chairman Westerman and Congressman Peters for championing policy improvements that support the active management of our federal public lands by reintroducing the Fix Our Forests Act. This legislation addresses the wildfire crisis head on through reforms that curtail litigation, improve the NEPA analysis process, and strengthen tools and authorities to increase the pace of implementing science-based forest health improvement projects at scale to reduce fuel loads and improve wildlife habitat. We look forward to working with Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Westerman and Rep. Peters to advance this legislation." - Jeff Crane, president and CEO, Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation

"We appreciate the bipartisan leadership Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman and Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA) have demonstrated on forest management issues. With the wildfires in Southern California providing a preview of what is likely to be a difficult summer fire season, we urge Congress to act quickly to pass this bill so Federal land managers can start using it's provisions quickly. The Fix Our Forests Act includes key reforms that have been approved on a bipartisan basis by the Natural Resources Committee, including common sense reforms that will encourage active management of our Federal forests to protect watersheds and communities." - Federal Forest Resource Coalition

"The Intermountain Forest Association applauds the commonsense reforms in the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act. Every year we are reminded of the urgent need for science driven forest management actions on larger, meaningful scales as millions of acres of our national forests burn. The Fix Our Forests Act would bring necessary changes to help the Forest Service begin to address those needs across the nation. We appreciate the work from Chairman Westerman (R-AR) and Representative Peters (D-CA) to bring this legislation forward." - Ben Wudtke, executive director, Intermountain Forest Association

"Chairman Westerman's bill will successfully prioritize and expedite fuels reduction projects that are needed to protect communities from wildfire. This is a critical first step in achieving the goals of the national cohesive wildland fire strategy, and over the long term will allow more resources to transition toward a resilient landscapes focus. Tribes will have input on determining priority projects and will be better able to participate in the Good Neighbor Authority that has been successful for state agencies." - Cody Desautel, president, Inter-Tribal Timber Council

"The heartbreaking images from California, and the knowledge that recovery will be long and difficult for victims, should motivate Congress to address the threat of massive wildfires like these. The Fix Our Forests Act will fundamentally reduce wildfire risk and increase resilience by modernizing forest management to better prevent wildfires and streamlining the process for awarding federal grants to communities seeking to increase mitigation through proven methods like implementing proven fire-resistant building methods, codes, and standards. NAMIC is grateful to Chair Bruce Westerman and Rep. Scott Peters for their commitment to this package and urges Congress to take up and pass the Fix Our Forests Act as swiftly as possible." - Jimi Grande, senior vice president of federal and political affairs, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies

"Over the past decade, PG&E and other utilities have collectively invested billions of dollars to mitigate the risk of utility-caused catastrophic wildfires and strengthen community resilience across our service areas. Trimming and removing trees near powerlines has played a significant role in our wildfire risk reduction efforts. PG&E supports legislation that would expedite permitting and approvals and reduce barriers to the essential work of keeping powerlines clear of vegetation. The Fix Our Forests Act is a comprehensive approach that would restore the health of our wildlands, reduce catastrophic wildfire risk and protect our customers and communities." - Patti Poppe, CEO, PG&E

"The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has long supported reforms of federal policy to actively manage our forests, sagebrush and grasslands for improved wildlife habitat and reduced catastrophic fire risk. That is why we strongly support the passage of the Fix Our Forests Act sponsored by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Representative Scott Peters (D-CA). This bipartisan legislation addresses numerous RMEF priorities to improve forest management throughout the US by expediting and streamlining the review of forest management projects, strengthening Good Neighbor Authority, and removing the duplicative procedural requirements stemming from the Cottonwood decision. This legislation reduces litigation and increases management to protect people from wildfire and ensure the future of elk, mule deer, other big game and wildlife, and their habitat." - Kyle Weaver, president and CEO, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

"The Fix Our Forests Act would implement essential policy reforms, along with tools and resources critical to improving forest health, reducing wildfire risk, and strengthening the resilience of mountain communities. Specifically, H.R. 8790 proposes to streamline the environmental review process for projects like forest thinning, fuel reduction, and prescribed burns, which are proven methods to mitigate wildfire risks. These reforms are grounded in science and represent a sensible policy approach to addressing wildfire threats while reducing bureaucratic delays for high-risk projects." - San Bernadino County Board of Supervisors" - San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors

"As frontline firefighters in the nation's largest county, we see the toll wildfires take on our communities and crews. The Fix Our Forests Act is essential to improving forest health, reducing wildfire risk, and enhancing firefighter safety. By streamlining management and fostering collaboration, this legislation provides the proactive solutions we urgently need." - Jim Grigoli, president, San Bernardino County Professional Firefighters Local 935

"Active forest management is crucial to the health of our forest systems, wildlife populations, and surrounding rural economies. The declining health of our National Forests is a concern for America's hunters and anglers, and we applaud the leadership of Chairman Westerman and Congressman Peters to craft a bipartisan bill that aims to increase the pace and scale of needed management across our forests. TRCP looks forward to working with our partners and members of Congress to refine this bill as it advances into law." - Joel Pedersen, president and CEO, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

"The XR Association applauds Representatives Scott Peters and Bruce Westerman for their forward-looking vision in leveraging emerging technologies, including augmented reality, to improve forest management, enhance community resiliency, and support first responders. Advanced technology has the potential to ameliorate many of today's most pressing challenges - confronting, and ultimately preventing, natural disasters being chief among them. In particular, XR technology can be used for environmental and forest modelling; critical simulation training for firefighters and other first responders; and the continual monitoring, assessment, and management of forested geographies. The prioritization of emerging technologies in the Fix Our Forests Act is notable and certainly most welcome." - XR Association

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