Latest news with #NationalForest
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
House Committee Weighs Budget Bill That Would Allow Boundary Waters Mine, Approve Ambler Road, and Mandate Massive Coal Leases
The House Natural Resources Committee this morning is considering a wide range of legislation that could mandate mining in protected landscapes, require more logging on America's forests, build more water-storage capacity for Western irrigators, and reduce environmental review for most industrial activities on BLM and National Forest land. Together, the committee's actions are intended to wring some $15 billion from natural-resources management while also clawing back unspent funds from federal agencies. Collectively the revenue generation and cost savings are projected to bring nearly $20 billion to the U.S. Treasury. President Trump's budget proposal calls for a combination of tax, agency staffing, and program cuts totaling $163 billion combined with revenue generation from energy and mineral resources to arrive at a discretionary federal budget of $1.7 trillion. The total federal budget proposed by congressional Republicans is $3.7 trillion in 2026 and $4 trillion in fiscal year 2027. Today's committee action is called 'mark-up,' in which individual members can suggest amendments to the committee's recommended budget. Once the committee passes its budget recommendations, the document will go to the full House of Representatives for concurrence before heading to the Senate. Debate over provisions in the bill are a window, visible via a live YouTube feed, into the differences between the Republican leadership of the committee, which is promoting historic natural-resource development and rollback of environmental reviews while forbidding judicial review of extraction permits, and the Democratic minority, which calls the package a give-away to Big Oil and a recipe for environmental catastrophe. One provision that's not in today's mark-up is a provision calling for the outright sale of federal lands. Earlier drafts had called for the sale of public lands 'as a budget pay-for,' notes Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, which last week celebrated the omission of language calling for federal-land sales in the latest version of the bill. But many provisions in today's mark-up bill are still problematic for hunters, anglers, and conservationists. Public land advocates worry that industrializing America's landscapes will result in air and water pollution, and loss of habitat — not only for wildlife but also outdoor recreationists. Here are some of the noteworthy proposals in the committee bill: Allow mining near Minnesota's Boundary Waters. The bill would rescind Biden-era withdrawal of mining permits in the watershed of northern Minnesota's protected Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Proposals to mine copper sulfide in the headwaters of the pristine waterway have been vigorously opposed by recreationists and environmentalists. The committee's bill would not only reinstate 20-year mineral leases but would forbid judicial review of the action. Approve Alaska's Ambler Road. The bill would mandate federal agency approval of a controversial all-season road to the remote Red Dog Mine in Alaska's Brooks Range. Critics of the road claim it would sever migration routes for caribou and accelerate mining activity in the fragile Gates of the Arctic National Preserve. The road's approval 'shall not be subject to judicial review,' according to the bill. Development of Alaska's Coastal Plain and National Petroleum Reserve. The bill would reinstate oil and gas leases in Alaska's North Slope that were issued by the first Trump administration and later withdrawn by the Biden Administration. Acceleration of Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing. The bill would remove regulatory barriers and provide non-competitive leasing to encourage production on public lands. The committee estimates the provisions would 'generate as much as $12 billion in savings and new revenue for the Federal government.' Mandate Massive Coal Leasing. The bill 'shall make available for lease known recoverable coal resources of not less than 4 million additional acres on Federal land west of the 100 th meridian.' Opt-In Environmental Review. The bill contains a controversial proposal that would allow mineral developers to pay an upfront fee of 125 percent of the expected cost of an environmental review to do its own review of extraction projects. Under the provision 'there shall be no administrative or judicial review of an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement for which a fee is paid.' Charge a Fee for Project Protests . The bill would require people protesting resource decisions to pay a fee in order to provide comments to oversight agencies. Rescission of Agency Funding. The bill would claw back unspent funds in the BLM, National Park Service, Forest Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration agencies. Expansion of California Water Storage. While many of the bill's provisions would generate revenue to the federal treasury, one line item would provide up to $2 billion to projects that 'increase the capacity of existing Bureau of Reclamation surface water storage facilities.' The provision would allow more of California's Central Valley to receive irrigation water. Cancellation of BLM Resource Management Plans. The bill would prohibit the implementation of BLM resource management plans in the Rock Springs and Buffalo, Wyoming, field offices, the Miles City, Montana, field office, and plans in North Dakota and Colorado. Those resource management plans, drafted and approved over the last few years, balanced resource extraction with wildlife habitat and land-use protections. Require Accelerated Timber Harvest. The bill requires the U.S. Forest Service and the BLM to increase timber harvest to 'equal or exceed the volume that is 25 percent higher than the total volume harvested on such land during fiscal year 2024.' Logging would be allowed in designated roadless areas though not in federally designated wilderness areas. Provide Funding for America's Semiquincentennial. The bill provides $150 million for 'events, celebrations, and activities related to the observance and commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.' Another $40 million would establish a statuary park, the National Garden of American Heroes, in Washington, D.C. Today's mark-up has been characterized by stark contrast in the bill's framing. Committee Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Arkansas) introduced the package as an 'opportunity to promote access to and harness vast potential of America's natural resources to benefit the American people and impact the budget' and a 'once-in-a-generation potential to unleash the full power of America, bringing production back to America while wisely stewarding our natural resources.' Meanwhile, ranking minority member, Jared Huffman (D-California) called the bill 'the most extreme anti-environment bill in American history' which would 'auction off million acres of pristine public land, giving massive giveaways to billionaires while gutting bedrock environmental protections, turning public lands and waters into industrial sacrifice zones.' Read Next: How Seriously Should We Take the Sale of Federal Lands? Very Seriously, Experts Say The mark-up is expected to extend into tomorrow. The committee's final draft is expected to go to the full House as early as next week. The full House and Senate are scheduled to begin consideration of the Natural Resources draft, in addition to drafts from 12 other committees, by June 10. The federal government's 2026 fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
Business Wire
22-04-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Identity Digital Partners with the National Forest Foundation to Plant 25,000 Trees in 2025
BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Identity Digital ®, a leader in connecting the online world with domain names and related technologies, announced a partnership with the National Forest Foundation to plant 25,000 trees in the U.S. by the end of 2025. This partnership will aid essential reforestation efforts on National Forest lands, ensuring resources are allocated to the most pressing restoration needs to sustain these vital ecosystems. As part of this collaboration, the Identity Digital team will have the opportunity to volunteer alongside the National Forest Foundation and U.S. Forest Service staff on a project within the White River National Forest in Colorado. "Identity Digital believes in contributing positively to the communities where we operate, both online and offline. Our core values drive us to expand our sustainability efforts through this significant partnership with the National Forest Foundation. By supporting these projects, we aim to support healthy ecosystems, encourage sustainable practices, and improve public health," said Ram Mohan, Chief Strategy Officer of Identity Digital. "Furthermore, we are dedicated to investing in responsible technology that prioritizes environmental sustainability—driving both business success and meaningful community impact." 'Identity Digital shares the National Forest Foundation's commitment to ensuring National Forests are healthy and provide recreational opportunities for all. Support from Identity Digital and others means that future generations can experience the awe-inspiring beauty and ecological benefits of National Forests,' said Marcus Selig, the National Forest Foundation's Chief Conservation Officer. 'This partnership is a powerful testament to collective action in preserving the vitality of these ecosystems.' In addition to partnering with the National Forest Foundation, Identity Digital is working with multiple organizations around the world to plant trees – improving biodiversity, offsetting carbon emissions, restoring landscapes, rebuilding habitat for wildlife, and empowering communities to take tangible action towards ecological balance. By the end of 2025, Identity Digital will have planted 35,000 trees worldwide. Identity Digital's efforts also expand across Australia, India and Africa through partnerships with: Trillion Trees Australia to plant 25,000 trees over the next four years in Australia. ActionAid India to support New Delhi environmental initiatives that will provide 3,000 saplings, and local employee volunteering support. Habitats Foundation to plant one tree for every hour volunteered by Identity Digital employees with a goal to reach 1,000 volunteer hours. This Earth Day, Identity Digital recognizes its collective responsibility to implement strategies that benefit businesses, preserve ecosystems, and strengthen its communities. Additionally, the company actively invests in responsible technology solutions such as its Identity Digital Registry Services Provider (RSP) services that prioritize environmental sustainability and a positive community impact. To learn more about the National Forest Foundation, visit its webpage here. For more information about Identity Digital, its RSP services or its dedication to wider sustainability initiatives, contact rsp@ About National Forest Foundation With a vision of maintaining healthy, resilient forests and grasslands, the National Forest Foundation undertakes vitally important work – every year, we treat thousands of acres of forest for wildfire resiliency, we improve thousands of miles of trails for improved recreational experiences, and we plant millions of trees. By working 154 forests at a time our impact is felt locally and nationally, ensuring these awe-inspiring places continue to provide clean water for more than 60 million people, drive local and regional economies, and provide a place of solace and recreation for all. For more information, please visit About Identity Digital Identity Digital Inc. simplifies and connects the online world with domain names and related technologies to empower people to build, market, and own their authentic digital identities. With the world's largest portfolio of TLDs including .info, .pro, .world, and .live, Identity Digital supports over 28 million domains on its innovative registry services platform. In addition, Identity Digital enables customers to discover, register, support, and use high-quality domain names with its registrar, Headquartered in Bellevue, WA, Identity Digital is a global company with approximately 250 employees. For more information, please visit
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Oregon groups concerned over Trump admin plans to log nearly 60% of national forest land
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The Trump administration is taking steps to boost logging in national forests across the United States, raising some concerns for organizations in Oregon. On March 1, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, along with the Forest Service, to issue new guidance on increasing timber production and wildfire resiliency in national forests. Following the order, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins issued a on April 3, designating an 'emergency situation' on national forest lands — opening logging on nearly 60% of Forest Service land, or 176,000 square miles across the United States. 'The United States has an abundance of timber resources that are more thanadequate to meet our domestic timber production needs, but heavy-handed federalpolicies have prevented full utilization of these resources and made us reliant on foreignproducers,' Rollins wrote in the memo. 'It is vital that we reverse these policies and increase domestic timber production to protect our national and economic security. We can manage our forests to better provide domestic timber supply, create jobs and prosperity, reduce wildfire disasters, improve fish and wildlife habitats, and decrease costs of construction and energy,' the USDA secretary continued. Feds add Portland site to list of properties up for 'accelerated disposition' That same day, Christopher French, the acting associate chief of the Forest Service, ordered regional foresters to develop. As those plans are developed, some local organizations are sounding the alarm, including — a group that advocates to restore wildlands, wildlife and waters in Oregon. According to Oregon Wild Conservation Director Steve Pedery, Secretary Rollins' memo is an 'attempt to exploit fear and override environmental safeguards' to benefit the logging industry.' 'Reckless' blue pickup driver linked to infamous Instagram account arrested, identified 'This memo isn't about protecting forests. It is about logging and looting 60% of America's National Forest Lands, 112,646,000 acres, by declaring a fake emergency to justify weakening protections for our clean water, wildlife, and wildlands. When the Secretary of Agriculture says the primary goal is to 'protect timber resources,' it pulls the mask off this manufactured emergency,' Pedery said. According to Oregon Wild, the order would 'gut' the ability of the public to ensure their clean drinking water and local forests are protected from 'poor logging practices. Oregon Wild also raised concerns over a , showing lands covered under the emergency declaration. Oregon Wild described the map as 'vague and misleading,' stating the map includes areas that are off-limits to commercial logging and includes temperate rainforest areas where 'claims of high fire risk or other justifications are dubious at best.' Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'The science is clear, and so is the motive behind this memo. Anyone who cares about clean water, wildlife, and public lands should join us in opposing this reckless scheme to loot our National Forests,' OW said. Meanwhile, the executive order was lauded by groups including the American Forest Resource Council, a trade organization advocating for sustained timber harvests on public land for forest health in the west. 'These are common sense directives Americans support and want from their federal government, which owns about 30 percent of our nation's forests. Our federal forests have been mismanaged for decades. Americans have paid the price in almost every way. Lost jobs, lost manufacturing, and infrastructure. Lost recreational opportunities like hunting and fishing, and access to our lands. Degraded wildlife populations, water, and air. Landscapes and communities devastated by wildfire. Our federal forests are facing an emergency. It's time to start treating it like one by taking immediate action,' AFRC President Travis Joseph said in a press release. TriMet warns of 'drastic' service cuts without funding boost in Oregon transportation package According to AFRC, one-half of one percent of national forest land is harvested for timber every year and estimates that nearly 80 million acres of national forest land need restoration to reduce susceptibility to wildfire, disease and insect infestations. As the Forest Service develops its forest management plans, there's uncertainty around how this will impact national forests in Oregon, according to Michael Coughlan — associate research professor at the University of Oregon, and co-director of the school's Ecosystem Workforce Program. 'For example, how much land is actually going to be available potentially for timber sales. (The USDA memo is) not directing 60% of the forest necessarily, but it's sort of a complex thing and how it would be implemented,' Coughlan told KOIN 6 News. Feds add Portland site to list of properties up for 'accelerated disposition' Coughlan noted that the orders come as the Forest Service faces a major workforce reduction. 'There are huge questions of how this would be implemented within the Forest Service itself. And then there are different factors, like, not all forests are the same, right? And so, the commercial value of timber is a factor, how much the cost of actually removing that timber is a factor, and those things also relate to where are the priorities in terms of wildfire risk reduction?' Coughlan explained. Coughlan agrees that logging can be used as a wildfire resiliency tool, noting there should be balance. Independent Portland bookstore sees ramifications of nationwide funding cuts 'A lot of our national forest lands are in need of active management, which could involve a role for the timber industry in terms of commercial harvesting, if applied correctly,' Coughlan said. 'Commercial timber harvesting is a tool among many that can be used to help restore resilience on national forest lands.' However, Coughlan added, 'Unfortunately, it's not always commercially viable from the timber industry perspective, in terms of the marketability of the actual timber coming of those areas where we need to thin overstocked areas that are potentially vulnerable to wildfire.' 'In the past, when old-growth forests were logged, that decreased the resilience of forests to disturbances, which are natural parts of our ecology. We have endangered species perhaps because of logging, habitat removal, we have decreasing water quality and those kinds of issues that arise from the sort of conventional clear-cut timber operations,' Coughlan said. Hot start to summer predicted for Oregon, Washington; map shows where it'll be warmest When it comes to balancing timber production, wildfire resiliency, and maintaining ecosystems, Coughlan said 'there are a couple things involved.' 'One is, we have to actually rely on expertise of science to try to help define those boundaries, right? We have to trust, and we have to invest in the expertise to try to figure those questions out, so we aren't doing things we later regret. That said, nothing's perfect. So, precautionary principles are always good to have. At the same time, we have threats of climate change, every wildfire season is getting worse it seems for Oregon. So, there's a lot of urgency to act,' Coughlan said. 'It's a hard question to answer without having all of the voices at the table to try to collectively solve our problems. And frankly, I don't think the Trump administration is interested in the opinions of others, and so I don't think they'll probably be successful in solving that problem for us.' Oregon Senate passes bill protecting Oregonians who alert others of their rights KOIN 6 News reached out to Region 6 of the U.S. Forest Service, which covers the Pacific Northwest, about its forest management plans. In response, a spokesperson for the Forest Service stated, 'The USDA Forest Service stands ready to fulfill the Secretary's vision of productive and resilient national forests outlined in the memorandum. In alignment with the Secretary's direction, we will streamline forest management efforts, reduce burdensome regulations, and grow partnerships to support economic growth and sustainability.' The spokesperson continued, 'Active management has long been at the core of Forest Service efforts to address the many challenges faced by the people and communities we serve, and we will leverage our expertise to support healthy forests, sustainable economies, and rural prosperity for generations to come.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump tries to revive timber industry, sparking concerns
(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump is using executive orders to try to revive the American timber industry by increasing logging on public lands and rolling back environmental regulations. More than 175,000 square miles of forest are being targeted in hopes of sparking a timber industry boom in the U.S., prompting urgent concern among environmentalists. In Washington, logging mills are preparing to kick up production. American mills typically produce the majority of the domestic wood supply, but the rest is imported, mostly from Canada, which is now facing a 25% tariff. China vows to 'fight to the end' against Trump's tariffs An industry shift is expected to boost production by 25% and will include getting more timber from public lands. The agriculture secretary just declared a National Forest emergency, making it easier to harvest timber from federal lands, theoretically to reduce the risk of wildfires. In Oregon, more than 53% of the land is publicly owned, and in Washington, it's more than 30%. According to the American Forest Resource Council, logging restrictions have hampered domestic producers and contributed to mill closures in recent years. 'It is frustrating to see the flood of Canadian lumber come into our country, but what's even worse is seeing our forest burn every year,' said Nick Smith, associated with the council. 'Let's get back to responsibly managing our federal lands in a way that Americans expect, both in terms of wildfire mitigation but also for making good, American-made wood products that we all use every day.' Critics worry the changes will lead to widespread deforestation, especially in the Pacific Northwest, where some trees date back more than 1,000 years. Activists fear there will be a free-for-all in old-growth forests, which may inspire a new crop of lawsuits. Keystone pipeline shut down after North Dakota rupture 'It might take 80 to 100 years to regrow [one] tree, but to regrow a complex forest that supports wildlife and people downstream, we're talking generations upon generations upon generations,' said Quinn Read, executive director of Oregon Wild. 'We don't have that kind of time.' Industry veterans say maintenance on federal lands entails thinning and removal of old growth and overgrowth, not clear-cutting. However, environmentalists fear that federal cuts to the Forest Service may mean there is no oversight or checks and balances to prevent damage to forests in the process. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump order opens up all WA national forests for logging
The Brief A new directive from the Trump administration will open up more logging in national forests, including all in Washington state. It exempts affected forests from an objection process that allows outside groups, tribes and local governments to challenge logging proposals at the administrative level. Whether it will result in more lumber production remains to be seen. President Donald Trump's administration has moved to eliminate environmental safeguards on more than half of the nation's national forests, opening up 59% of the land for logging. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the action Friday, citing danger from wildfires as the reason for the change. What we know It exempts affected forests from an objection process that allows outside groups, tribes and local governments to challenge logging proposals at the administrative level before they are finalized. It also narrows the number of alternatives federal officials can consider when weighing logging projects. RELATED: You can eat these 5 invasive animals to help population control, US Fish & Wildlife Service says Logging projects are routinely contested by conservation groups, both at the administrative level and in court, which can drag out the approval process for years. Rollins did not mention climate change in Friday's directive, which called on her staff to speed up environmental reviews. By the numbers Forest Service officials at the regional level were told to come up with plans to increase the volume of timber offered by 25% over the next four to five years. The emergency designation covers 176,000 square miles (455,000 square kilometers) of terrain primarily in the West but also in the South, around the Great Lakes and in New England. Combined, it is an area larger than California and amounts to 59% of Forest Service lands. Local perspective In Washington state, 517,000 acres of forested land showed some level of tree death, defoliation, infestation or disease in the latest statewide survey. Rollins' memo did not name which National Forests will be opened up for emergency logging, but comparing the map referenced in the memo with the USDA map of Forest Service land in the Pacific Northwest, it appears the Trump administration has targeted areas for harvesting in every National Forest in Washington state. This includes trees in the Olympic National Forest, large swaths of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie and Gifford Pinchot National Forests, and seemingly all of the Okanogan-Wenatchee, Colville and Umatilla National Forests. RELATED: Trump to reopen waters for drilling, rolling back environmental protections What they're saying "National Forests are in crisis due to uncharacteristically severe wildfires, insect and disease outbreaks, invasive species and other stressors," Rollins said in her directive, echoing concerns raised by her predecessor under Biden, Tom Vilsack. What we don't know Whether the move will boost lumber supplies as Trump envisioned in an executive order last month remains to be seen. Former President Joe Biden's administration also sought more logging in public forests to combat fires, which are worsening as the world gets hotter, yet U.S. Forest Service timber sales stayed relatively flat under his tenure. The other side Environmentalists rejected the claim that wildfire protection was driving the changes to forest policy. RELATED: Homebuilder unveils 'fire-resilient' neighborhood "This is all about helping the timber industry," said Blaine Miller-McFeeley of the environmental group Earthjustice. "It's not looking at what will protect communities. It's about the number of board feet, the number of trees you are pulling down." The backstory The Forest Service has sold about 3 billion board feet of timber annually for the past decade. Timber sales peaked several decades ago at about 12 billion board feet amid widespread clearcutting of forests. Volumes dropped sharply in the 1980s and 1990s as environmental protections were tightened and more areas were put off limits to logging. Most timber is harvested from private lands. Federal law allows for the harvest of about 6 billion board feet annually — about twice the level that's now logged, said Travis Joseph, president of the Oregon-based American Forest Resource Council, an industry group. Under Biden, the Forest Service sought to more intensively manage national forests in the West, by speeding up wildfire protection work including logging in so-called "priority landscapes" covering about 70,000 square miles (180,000 square kilometers). Much of that work involved smaller trees and younger forests that add fuel to wildfires but are less profitable for loggers. What's next Timber industry representatives said they hope the Trump administration's actions will result in the sales of more full-grown stands of trees that are desired by sawmills. The Source This report includes information from The Associated Press. Seattle driver plummets off multi-story parking garage, 77-year-old rescued Thousands attend Seattle 'Hands Off!' rally against Trump, Elon Musk Tacoma police shoot, kill carjacking suspect Saturday afternoon Sue Bird named to Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Trump tariffs live updates: Global markets plunge as countries scramble to respond USPS mail delivery changes begin: Here's what to know To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.
