Huffman, Matsui Express Concerns For Increased Logging On Public Lands

Huffman, Matsui Express Concerns For Increased Logging On Public Lands

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Representatives Jared Huffman (CA-02) and Doris Matsui (CA-07) led 37 of their colleagues in a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, expressing concerns regarding President Trump's Executive Order that calls for a fast-tracked expansion of U.S. timber production.

"We urge you to consider the devastating and long-lasting impacts that increased logging will have on our federal forests and future generations of Americans. Federal forests provide a multitude of services for all Americans, and unchecked expansion of logging on these lands threatens our access to clean air, clean water, and the iconic recreational spaces that millions of Americans visit every year. By issuing E.O. 14225, President Trump is prioritizing timber production over all other uses of public lands-regardless of ecological impacts or wildfire mitigation," the lawmakers wrote.

"We are particularly concerned that the President's push to expand timber production will target older trees," the lawmakers continued. "Mature and old growth forests are a vital resource, providing important habitat for endangered species, mitigating climate change through the absorption and long-term storage of carbon, and protecting vital watersheds that many Americans depend on. Older trees are often more resilient to wildfires because of their thick protective bark and higher canopies. Clearing the way for the destruction of precisely the type of tree that is the best at resisting wildfires is counterproductive and ironic."

In addition to Reps. Huffman and Matsui, the letter was signed by Reps. Betty McCollum, Sean Casten, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Rashida Tlaib, Jill Tokuda, Donald S. Beyer Jr., Jerrold Nadler, Pramila Jayapal, Maxine Waters, Kevin Mullin, Steve Cohen, James P. McGovern, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Adriano Espaillat, Jan Schakowsky, Sara Jacobs, Shri Thanedar, Nanette Diaz Barragán, Julia Brownley, Mark DeSaulnier, Andrea Salinas, Diana DeGette, Salud Carbajal, Mike Quigley, Emanuel Cleaver, II, Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr., Zoe Lofgren, Paul D. Tonko, Judy Chu, Becca Balint, Ted W. Lieu, Melanie Stansbury, Mike Levin, Suzanne Bonamici, and Joe Neguse.

Read the full letter here.

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