President Biden’s Build Back Better Act is a once-in-a-generation investment in the effort to tackle the climate crisis. One of the important but lesser known aspects of the package put together by House Democrats is the nearly $3.5 billion in funding to support urban and community forestry and green space development across the country, which are essential efforts for protecting our most vulnerable communities from the worst consequences of the climate crisis.
Today, the Biden administration announced that it will rescind a Trump-era attack on the Tongass National Forest that would have put Alaska’s last vestiges of old-growth forest at risk of destructive logging and road-building.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Trump administration today published a final rule containing rollbacks undercutting the role of science, transparency, and broad public input for decisions involving projects proposed on national forest land. The new rule will pave the way to increased logging, road, and pipeline construction.
OAKLAND-- Two new major fires in California have led to additional deaths, property loss and evacuation orders. The fast growing fires are the latest in what was already a record fire season for the state.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite the ongoing and overwhelming COVID-19 crisis, the U.S. Forest Service has not slowed its push to allow a new wave of logging in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest. Today the agency announced a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) advancing its proposal to eliminate the Roadless Rule in the Tongass, opening vast swaths of irreplaceable old-growth temperate rainforest to clearcut logging.
OAKLAND -- Donald Trump today visited California for a briefing on wildfires burning across the Pacific Northwest. During his remarks, Trump once again promoted his denial of climate science.
WASHINGTON― Sens. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) introduced legislation yesterday that would fast-track unsustainable logging, increase wildfire risk and jeopardize community safety. The measure stands in stark contrast to sensible, science-based legislation sponsored by Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), which would help communities in fire-prone areas without backcountry logging.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, the House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act. The historic bill permanently funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund, guaranteeing $900 million annually for the improvement of our parks. It also provides $9.5 billion over five years to address the nearly $12 billion backlog of maintenance projects across national parks and public lands.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Westerman today introduced the Trillion Trees Act. The bill is one of three components of Republicans’ legislative attempts to address climate change. Trump has endorsed tree planting to fight climate change, despite repeatedly denying the current climate crisis.
The Trump administration today announced plans to gut long-standing protections against logging and road-building in the Tongass National Forest, a cherished old-growth temperate rainforest in Southeast Alaska and homelands of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people. A coalition that includes Alaska Native people and Alaska-based and national organizations opposes the U.S. Forest Service plan, which comes weeks after revelations that President Trump exerted pressure to allow new clear-cuts in the Tongass.
Today a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction that halts, for now, the initial phase of the largest timber sale approved by the U.S. Forest Service in 30 years.
WASHINGTON, DC -- Today marks the end of the public comment period for a U.S. Forest Service proposal to weaken the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Act ensures environmental analysis of projects affecting public lands and forests. The proposed changes clear the way for increased logging, mining and other destructive development in our forests, even as world scientists stress the urgency of protecting and restoring forests to combat the climate crisis.