The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a 25% increase in logging and timber production, beginning to dismantle a decades-old environmental review process. Secretary Brooke Rollins stated the initiative addresses the wildfire risks and health degradation affecting 67 million acres of forest lands, representing nearly 59% of the area managed by the U.S. Forest Service. However, the role of climate change in exacerbating these issues was overlooked in the announcement, raising concerns among environmentalists about potential ecological impacts and the administration's proposed solutions.
Healthy forests require work, and right now we're facing a national forest emergency. We have an abundance of timber at high risk of wildfires in our national forests.
I am proud to follow the bold leadership of President Trump by empowering forest managers to reduce constraints and minimize the risks of fire, insects, and disease.
The declaration encompasses some 59% of Forest Service lands, focusing on the urgent need to address wildfire risks and declining forest health.
Environmentalists say the administration's plans to increase timber outputs, simplify permitting, and do away with certain environmental review processes are likely to exacerbate ecological damage.
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