House Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman’s latest effort to step up forest thinning on federal lands is heading to a vote in his committee Wednesday.
Westerman’s bill, the “Fix Our Forests Act,” H.R. 8790, would establish “firesheds” in federally managed forests that would receive priority treatment for thinning, prescribed fire and other methods of reducing thick, dead or diseased vegetation.
Westerman, an Arkansas Republican, and Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.) co-wrote the latest version of the legislation, which has endorsements from some conservation organizations, hunting groups and the timber industry.
With support from the other side of the aisle, Westerman aims to advance the bill as a less environmentally controversial proposal than other forest legislation proposed by Republicans.