Forest management legislation is finally on the move in Congress. This week, the House took steps to include HR 2467, the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015, in the House national energy policy reform bill heading to conference with the Senate. The Resilient Federal Forests Act, authored by Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR), would allow the U.S. Forest Service to access disaster funds should all annually appropriated funds run out during a fire season. The bill also expedites forest management projects and reforms policy for post-fire activities on federal land.
The bill’s inclusion in the energy bill places political pressure on the Senate to negotiate on the issue. A sign that the political pressure may already be working, Senate Energy and Natural Resources leaders introduced a draft bill of their own on forest management policy and wildfire budget reform. The draft bill would also authorize $500 million for at-risk communities to fire-proof and otherwise protect the communities from the hazards of wildfire. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has not scheduled a hearing for the draft bill and indications from Committee Democrats show an unwillingness to negotiate forest management policy in the same legislative vehicle as national energy policy.