A Senate subcommittee will take testimony this week on legislation to step up forest thinning and other work to reduce wildfire risks on federal land.
The “Fix Our Forests Act,” H.R. 471, which passed the House, would target increased timber harvesting, prescribed fire and other work on “firesheds” designated by the Forest Service, in part by loosening environmental restrictions.
While the House bill proposed by Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and Democratic Rep. Scott Peters of California has overcome some partisan divides, environmental organizations call it a logging promotion bill disguised as wildfire legislation.
The matter comes to the Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources and Biotechnology on Thursday, as supporters seek backers in the Senate.
