U.S. House Passes Congressman Fong’s Save Our Sequoias Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed Congressman Vince Fong's (CA-20) H.R. 2709, the Save Our Sequoias (SOS) Act. Introduced alongside Congressman Scott Peters (CA-50), this bipartisan bill would enhance interagency coordination between state, federal, and tribal partners, accelerate forest restoration efforts, and provide important, science-based resources to land managers to guard these ancient trees from further destruction. You can watch Congressman Fong's remarks supporting the passage of the SOS Act on the House Floor here.

"By passing my Save our Sequoias Act, the House has taken much-needed action to protect our ancient Sequoia groves in the Central Valley and return resilience to our forests," said Congressman Fong. "Our iconic Giant Sequoias are a true national treasure - we cannot afford to let burdensome regulations prevent us from safeguarding them. I thank my colleagues for supporting this important bipartisan bill and am hopeful the Senate will soon act so we can ensure California's remaining Sequoias endure for generations to come."

"California's giant sequoias are the largest trees on Earth and among our most irreplaceable natural treasures, but catastrophic wildfires are wiping out groves that have stood for thousands of years," said Rep. Peters. "The Save Our Sequoias Act would reduce dangerous fuel buildup, protect wildlife habitat, and cut through red tape so that paperwork doesn't get in the way of saving these ancient trees."

Giant Sequoias, the world's largest trees, are found in 70 groves across 37,000 acres in California. Over the last century, fire suppression practices and forest mismanagement have led to a dangerous build-up of fuels, which, in combination with increasingly intense wildfires, has caused the unparalleled destruction of Giant Sequoia groves. At its current pace, it would take the U.S. Forest Service 52 years to treat just the 19 most at-risk Giant Sequoia groves. By speeding up science-based forest treatments, the SOS Act would reverse the damage caused by catastrophic wildfires and restore the resilience of Giant Sequoia groves, improving air and water quality and protecting vital habitats.

You can read widespread support for the bill below:

"The Tule River Tribe is thankful to the House of Representatives for the positive vote, and to Congressman Fong for authoring this critical legislation," said Tribal Chairman Neil Peyron. "The legislation forges a responsive coalition between the Tribe and its longstanding partners - federal, state and local land managers to bring our very best to the table as we work to advance the resiliency of the sequoia groves."

"The passage of SOSA through the House is an important step for giant sequoia conservation," said Paul Ringgold, chief program officer at Save the Redwoods League. "Save the Redwoods and our GSLC partners are meeting the urgency of the moment through science-based stewardship to improve fire resilience and forest health among the most vulnerable groves. We now look to the Senate to continue the positive momentum for SOSA sparked by the House and provide the investment required to revitalize these irreplaceable forests."

"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."

"Catastrophic wildfires fueled by decades of inadequate forest management have put the survival of Giant Sequoias in danger," said Congressman Bruce Westerman, Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee. "The Save Our Sequoias Act provides plans and resources to ensure the survival of this iconic American tree. I look forward to working with the bipartisan champions of the SOS Act to get this important legislation to the President's desk and signed into law."