House passes Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015

The House passed the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015 (HR 2647), which is designed to improve forest management, on Thursday.

The bill is part of the overall work of past Congresses as they sought to address the results of disease infestations, catastrophic wildfires, invasive species and other national forest-system threats that remain ongoing problems. The bill also seeks to outline proper resilience and management procedures for overgrown forested lands that are prone to fires.

“The Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015 will provide the Forest Service increased authority to manage our federal forests, particularly when it comes to dealing with constant, arbitrary and capricious litigation,” U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA), chairman of the Conservation and Forestry Subcommittee, said. The comprehensive bill would affect forest management within Thompson’s
Fifth Congressional District, in Pennsylvania’s Allegheny National
Forest.

“The Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015 promotes collaborative management between the U.S. Forest Service and private sector,” Thompson said. “This bill will also allow for states and interested parties to provide funding for projects. Furthermore, H.R. 2647 will allow for common-sense and environmentally sound categorical exclusions, which will help the U.S. Forest Service cut through unnecessary red tape and expedite the planning process so our forests can be properly managed.”