The Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015 would, if implemented, give managers of federal lands the tools necessary to improve forest resiliency via active management and collaboration, according to a letter sent to Congress in support of the bill signed by the National Wood Flooring Association and 58other wood industry associations across the nation.
The NWFA also encourages members to send copies of the letter with a personal note to their representatives, or to contact them with a pre-drafted email via the Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities (HFHC) website before the bill is debated in the House of Representatives in August.
The letter sent July 2 spelled out the NWFA and other organization’s reasons for supporting the bill, H.R. 2647
“The bill will help expedite needed forest management treatments to improve the health and vitality of our federal forests,” the letter, sent July 2, stated.
H.R. 2647 will expedite the processing of routine, collaborative projects when the effects to the environment are known and neutral in nature. These routine projects are often repeated, so the current Forest Service requirement of filing environmental impact statements and assessments for each one no matter the similarities to previous projects wastes time and resources, the letter said.
For example, a project that meets the requirements for speedy processing under H.R. 2647 could be completed in six months on average. It takes the Forest Service 37 months for projects that require an environmental impact statement, the letter said.
The bill also contains a provision that would require those who file lawsuits against CE projects to pay the government to cover the cost of defending the project in court. The provision was included to discourage frivolous lawsuits.
H.R. 2647 cleared both the Natural Resources and Agricultural Committees with bi-partisan support. It is expected to reach the House floor before the August break.
