ACWA Helping Lead Support on Congressional Wildfire Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. - ACWA federal advocates recently organized a coalition letter supporting legislation aimed at improving forest health and reducing the intensity of catastrophic wildfires. The Fix Our Forest Act, a bill from last year now being reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the Fix Our Forests Act Jan. 23.

The bill enjoys strong bipartisan support and is co-authored by U.S. Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA-50) and U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR-4), who is Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee. ACWA helped further build support by organizing a coalition letter urging passage of the bill with signatories including the American Farm Bureau, The American Forest Resource Council, ACWA, The California Farm Bureau, the Family Farm Alliance, and the National Association of Counties.

"Forest management resources included in the Fix Our Forests Act are crucial to help control and reduce the severity of wildfires to enhance air quality, wildlife habitat, and more," the coalition letter reads. "For example, this legislation would improve water supply sources such as drinking water and rivers, improve water quality by decreasing runoff, pollutants, and erosion, and save costs by reducing infrastructure repairs to reservoirs, pipelines, and treatment plants."

ACWA's advocacy effort supporting the legislation was led by ACWA Director of Federal Relations Ian Lyle. Shaping federal policy in relation to preventing catastrophic wildfires is a major focus in ACWA's advocacy on headwaters health, among the association's priority issues. ACWA's Headwaters Workgroup in coordination with the Federal Affairs Committee guides this advocacy. The Headwaters Workgroup was led for many years by Chair Willie Whittlesey, General Manager of Yuba Water Agency, it is now headed by Chair Joel Metzger, General Manager at Utica Water and Power Authority.

If passed and signed into law, the Fix Our Forests Act would improve forest management activities and increase wildfire resiliency by: improving federal agency collaboration, authorizing targeted environmental streamlining authorities, providing litigation reform, expanding good neighbor authorities, and invest in research and technology aimed at improving forest health.