Today, the House Natural Resources Committee will markup Chair Bruce Westerman’s H.R. 8790, the Fix Our Forests Act. While proponents of the bill claim it will address forest management and wildfires, it would primarily undermine environmental laws like the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Endangered Species Act (ESA). Earthjustice joined over 85 environmental organizations and eight civil justice organizations in opposition to the bill. In anticipation of the markup, Earthjustice Senior Legislative Representative Blaine Miller-McFeeley issued the following statement:

“Let’s be clear, this bill isn’t about forestry management and protecting people from wildfires. It’s a blatant attempt by industry to weaken bedrock environmental protections, limit judicial review, silence public input, and remove science from the decision-making process. It contains no standards or provisions to maintain the long-term health and resilience of millions of acres of public lands. Instead, it would leave the areas vulnerable to reckless logging operations and divert resources away from protecting communities from wildfires. We urge Congress to reject these thinly veiled efforts to weaken environmental laws, limit access to justice, and undermine forest management practices grounded in science.”

Read the opposition letter sent by over 85 environmental organizations.

Read the opposition letter sent by eight civil justice organizations.