This week, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands examined the effects of forest management as a tool to prevent wildfires.  Among the witnesses testifying, Mr. Andy Fecko, of the Placer County Water Agency, shared a brief history of the experiences learned from the catastrophic King fire.  Subcommittee Republicans, including Chairman Tom McClintock, focused their questioning of witnesses on three main points: the need for faster environmental review processes, the need for more Forest Service thinning and fuels reduction projects, and the need for greater protections against aggressive litigation practices.  

While witnesses agreed more could be done in those areas, the panel was unified in their support of the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act.  The bipartisan priority would allow a portion of fire suppression funds to be covered through emergency spending, much like other natural disasters.  Committee Democrats were vocal in their support of this initiative as well.  President Obama included a similar proposal in his most recent budget request to Congress.  Representative Doug LaMalfa specifically highlighted excerpts from a submission made to the Subcommittee by the California Forest Watershed Alliance (CAFWA), the broad-based forestry advocacy coalition of which RCRC is a charter member.  The complete CAFWA submission to the Subcommittee can be accessed here.