Today, House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) testified before the House Committee on Rules in support of H.R. 8790, the Fix Our Forests Act. 

Below are Westerman's full remarks, as prepared.

America’s forests are in crisis. As we sit here today, more than 7.3 million acres have burned across the country this year, over 1 million acres more than the 10-year average. At its current pace, we are on track for one of the worst wildfire years in our history. 

After decades of mismanagement, our once healthy forests have turned to tinderboxes, simply waiting for someone to strike the match. These ticking time bombs are approaching the final few seconds on the clock, and it’s time for Congress to act to protect the priceless resource that is our nation’s forests.

Devastating megafires were once a generational event, but now “wildfire seasons” are more commonly called “wildfire years.” This month, at least 234 structures have been destroyed by fire in southern California as more than 117,000 acres have burned. This level of destruction, however, has become so routine that if you turn on the news, you likely won’t hear a word or see a clip. We’ve become numb to the apocalyptic levels of wildfires that we see year in and year out. It’s past time for change.

As a forester, I’ve seen firsthand how these invaluable resources can flourish under proper management. A healthy forest allows wildlife to thrive, improves water and air quality, and provides abundant recreation opportunities. I’ve also seen time and again how treating and managing our forests can make all the difference in fighting and preventing catastrophic wildfires. Unfortunately, in our federal forests, we’re just not implementing treatments on the correct scale and simply not completing enough of them. 

Take, for example, the Cameron Peak Fire, a 2020 wildfire in Representative Neguse’s district that became the largest wildfire in Colorado state history. When the fire reached the Shambhala Mountain Center, where previous forest thinning projects had been completed, firefighters felt safe enough to battle the blaze. Cory Carlson, a firefighter who was on the frontlines of the Cameron Peak Fire, watched the fire balloon to more than 100,000 acres by the time it hit the Mountain Center. 

A local paper recounted what happened next: “The front [of the fire] hit the restored forest. It slowed down. There was less fuel to burn. ‘With the fuel treatment and the firefighters on the ground, we were able to pick the fire up there,’ [cory] Carlson said. ‘It was hugely successful.’ Looking back, Carlson wouldn’t have even ordered his team to set up camp on Shambhala’s campus if there hadn’t been restoration work done.” 

This is not an isolated incident. The following year, the Bootleg Fire in Oregon burned over 400,000 acres and was so intense it created its own weather system and “fire-nados,” conditions impossible for firefighters to battle. In a story reported by NPR, the fire’s behavior changed when it hit the Sycan Marsh Preserve. According to the article: “As the massive inferno half the size of Rhode Island roared into the Sycan Marsh Preserve, firefighters said the flames jumped less from treetop to treetop and instead returned to the ground, where they were easier to fight, moved more slowly and did less damage to the overall forest.”

The Oregon forest program director for The Nature Conservancy further stated, “What firefighters were reporting on the ground is that when the fire came into those areas that had been thinned...it had significantly less impact.”

We know what needs to be done, we’re just not doing it because our agencies are getting stuck in the mud with endless environmental reviews and frivolous lawsuits. 

Fortunately, we have an answer. The bipartisan “Fix Our Forests Act” will allow us to revitalize our nation’s forests and begin addressing the forest health crisis we’ve created. 

This bill will simplify and expedite environmental reviews for our most critical forest management projects by codifying existing emergency regulations and expanding existing categorical exclusions under NEPA. These aren’t new authorities. They’re tools that both Republican and Democratic administrations have utilized. We’re just making those tools larger and more efficient so we can meet the scale of this crisis. 

This legislation encourages greater collaboration between our federal land managers, Tribes, states, and local governments by codifying Shared Stewardship and fixing Good Neighbor Authority. Fire knows no bounds, and neither should our forest management projects. 

Using state-of-the-art science, this bill will protect communities by streamlining existing community wildfire protection programs, identifying the communities at the highest risk of wildfire and prioritizing treatments there, and reducing wildfire risk in utility rights-of-way. 

Finally, FOFA encourages technological innovations. From wildfire prevention and detection to creating new markets for products like biochar, this legislation jumpstarts our ability to use technology to confront our wildfire crisis. 

Before I yield back, I’d like to talk about the process this bill has been through to get before you today. In April, we first held a hearing in the Natural Resources Committee on a discussion draft. Then, following two months of gathering feedback from stakeholders across the political spectrum, Congressman Scott Peters and I introduced this bill in June of this year. At our markup of the bill, we accepted amendments from both Republican and Democrat members of the committee. 

Even after the bill was reported out of the committee on a voice vote, Representative Peters and I have worked closely with outside stakeholders to generate support for it from across the political spectrum.

My point is that at every step in this process, we have engaged with anyone willing to work with us to improve this legislation. We have worked across the aisle to perfect this bill and ultimately make it a stronger product for the health of our forests and the benefit of our nation. 

Today, I’m proud to testify in support of this bipartisan, commonsense bill that mitigates catastrophic wildfires, revitalizes private markets, and gives communities essential tools to manage the resources they know best. Its enactment will result in healthier forests and a healthier environment. 

I want to thank my colleague, Congressman Peters, for his thoughtful work across the aisle on this legislation. 

I strongly urge the committee to report an appropriate rule to provide for the consideration of this legislation on the floor of the House. 

Today is our chance to fix our forests. 

Background

The Fix Our Forests Act is a historic and comprehensive legislative package that will encourage active forest management and protect communities in the wildland-urban interface. The bill is a science-focused solution to the growing problems facing America’s federal forests. It will eliminate frivolous litigation and cut the burdensome red tape that has prevented land management agencies from using the tools at their disposal to manage our forests.

The bill will:

• Promote federal, state, tribal and local collaboration
• Improve community resilience to wildfire and incentivize new research
• End frivolous and burdensome litigation that often delays critical forest management projects
• Apply state-of-the-art science and tools to treat forests at the highest risk of wildfire
• Encourage active management to protect powerlines and other critical infrastructure

To learn more, click here.