Fong’s Save Our Sequoias Act Passes House Natural Resources Committee

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Vince Fong's (CA-20), Save Our Sequoias (SOS) Act, a bipartisan bill designed to safeguard California's iconic Giant Sequoias, passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee. The legislation passed by a unanimous voice vote and is now eligible for Floor consideration.

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. In the last two years alone, there has been a nearly 20% loss of these trees - a rapid and alarming statistic that highlights the severity of this crisis.

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.

"It has been devastating to see forest mismanagement threaten California's Giant Sequoias," said Congressman Fong. "These ancient groves are a symbol of our state's natural heritage, and we need to take immediate action to preserve them for future generations. My bipartisan bill will return resilience to our forests by streamlining science-based management and enhancing collaboration between state, federal, and tribal partners. We cannot afford to let burdensome regulations prevent us from safeguarding our iconic Giant Sequoias - they are a true national treasure and must be protected."

"Giant Sequoias are American treasures, and we have a responsibility to ensure they are conserved for future generations to enjoy," said Congressman Bruce Westerman, Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee. "Even though these trees are among the most fire-resilient on Earth, decades of misguided management have left Giant Sequoias vulnerable, and they are dying at unprecedented rates. I want to thank the bipartisan group of House co-leads, led by Representatives Fong and Peters, for championing the Save Our Sequoias Act so we can implement urgent management tools to mitigate the extreme risks threatening these ancient wonders."

Specifically, this bill would enhance interagency coordination, accelerate forest restoration efforts, and provide important resources to land managers to guard these ancient trees from further destruction. Co-led by Reps. Fong and Peters, this vital legislation has garnered the support of 28 additional Members from both sides of the aisle, united in their commitment to combatting forest mismanagement.

Several community partners have announced their support for the SOS Act, including the Save the Redwoods League and Tule River Tribe.

"Save the Redwoods League and our federal, state, and tribal partners led significant efforts to restore resilience to the giant sequoias in the past year, yet the existential threat across the range remains severe. It is critically urgent that the National Park Service and USDA-Forest Service have the tools and sustained/permanent funding necessary to implement near-term restoration actions and long-term stewardship of the Giant Sequoia ecosystem. Ensuring a robust future of this iconic species is among the League's highest priorities," said Kirsten Tobey, interim president and CEO of Save the Redwoods League.

"The Tule River Tribe is proud to support the passage of the Save the Sequoias Act," said Shine Nieto, chairman of the Tule River Tribe. "The legislation paves the way to formalize a clear path forward on how we can combine our strengths to safeguard the sequoias. Thank you, Congressman Fong, the Tule River Tribe truly appreciates your efforts."