Democratic and Republican senators introduced the Fix Our Forests Act on April 11, aimed at combating wildfires, restoring forest ecosystems and making federal forest management more efficient.
Sens. John Curtis (R-Utah), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) introduced the legislation, which passed the House in January.
The Fix Our Forests Act would establish and update programs to reduce wildfire risks, expand tools for forest health projects, and expand research for wildfire prevention, detection, and mitigation technologies.
The act also plans to establish a Wildfire Intelligence Center that would facilitate coordination and information sharing across federal and state departments about wildfires.
The National Association of Home Builders supports the bill and says it will help strengthen the nation’s housing supply chain and promote affordable housing opportunities.
NAHB says the Fix Our Forests Act will improve the U.S. forest management system by expediting environmental reviews and reducing litigation, thereby increasing the supply of federal timber products.
Read the full bill here.
