Bipartisan Bill Prioritizes Forest Landscape-Scale Projects

June 22, 2017 

Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) and Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) recently introduced the Empowering State Forestry to Improve Forest Health Act of 2017 (S. 962). This bipartisan legislation would direct funding toward the highest priority projects, resulting in measurable improvements to non-federal private forests and nearby National Forest System lands. 

The Empowering State Forestry to Improve Forest Health Act of 2017  (S. 962) would:

• Authorize a new USDA Forest Service program which codifies an existing approach the agency is pursuing to support landscape restoration

• Direct resources toward the highest priority forestry projects as identified each state forestry agency’s Forest Action Plan

• Direct the USDA Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to spend a portion of the Hazardous Fuels Reduction Program resources on projects that include work across public and private lands

• Bolster the use of the Farm Bill’s Good Neighbor Authority

SAF is supportive of S. 962 and will work with partners organizations like the National Association of State Foresters and the American Forest Foundation to help build awareness and support in Congress. 

For more details on the bill, click here.