MATSUI, HUFFMAN, COLLEAGUES EXPRESS CONCERNS FOR INCREASED LOGGING ON PUBLIC LANDS

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07) and Congressman Jared Huffman (CA-02) led a letter signed by 37 Members of Congress to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, expressing concerns regarding the implementation of President Trump’s Executive Order (E.O.) 14225 calling for a fast-tracked expansion of U.S. timber production.

“We urge you to consider the devastating and long-lasting impacts that increased logging will have on our federal forests and future generations of Americans,” wrote the lawmakers. 

Federal forests provide a multitude of services for all Americans, and unchecked expansion of logging on these lands threatens our access to clean air, clean water, and the iconic recreational spaces that millions of Americans visit every year. By issuing E.O. 14225, President Trump is prioritizing timber production over all other uses of public lands—regardless of ecological impacts or wildfire mitigation. 

“We are particularly concerned that the President’s push to expand timber production will target older trees,” the lawmakers continued. “[…] Mature and old growth forests are a vital resource, providing important habitat for endangered species, mitigating climate change through the absorption and long-term storage of carbon, and protecting vital watersheds that many Americans depend on. Older trees are often more resilient to wildfires because of their thick protective bark and higher canopies. Clearing the way for the destruction of precisely the type of tree that is the best at resisting wildfires is counterproductive and ironic.” 

As Co-Chair of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) and Co-Chair of the SEEC Lands, Waters, and Nature Task Force, Congresswoman Matsui has long been a champion of protecting public lands and critical habitat, preserving the environment, and advancing nature-based approaches to addressing climate change. This letter follows a series of letters the Congresswoman led in April 2023, April 2024 and September 2024, urging the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to take additional measures to protect old-growth forests.

A copy of the letter can be found below and HERE.

Dear Secretary Rollins and Secretary Burgum,

We write to express our concerns regarding the implementation of President Trump’s Executive Order (E.O.) 14225 calling for a fast-tracked expansion of U.S. timber production. Our federal forests provide a multitude of services for all Americans, and unchecked expansion of logging on these lands threatens our access to clean air, clean water, and the iconic recreational spaces that millions of Americans visit every year. While ecologically appropriate thinning can be important for preventing and reducing the severity of wildfire in some circumstances, E.O. 14225 explicitly prioritizes timber production, regardless of ecological impacts or wildfire mitigation. We urge you to consider the devastating and long-lasting impacts that increased logging will have on our federal forests and future generations of Americans.

All of this comes as the Trump administration is working to dramatically reduce the workforce of federal land management agencies. Efforts to hollow out agencies raise significant concerns about the ability of the remaining personnel to facilitate the requirements of the E.O. while simultaneously preparing for the upcoming wildfire and tourism season. This is especially perplexing, and we encourage you to ensure that the desired focus on timber production does not come at the expense of other critical priorities. 

We are particularly concerned that the President’s push to expand timber production will target older trees. There are alarmingly few old-growth forests left in the United States, and those that remain are found largely on federal lands. Mature and old growth forests are a vital resource, providing important habitat for endangered species, mitigating climate change through the absorption and long-term storage of carbon, and protecting vital watersheds that many Americans depend on. Older trees are often more resilient to wildfires because of their thick protective bark and higher canopies. Clearing the way for the destruction of precisely the type of tree that is the best at resisting wildfires is counterproductive and ironic.

Furthermore, E.O. 14225 entirely ignores the legal mandate from Congress to manage these public forests for multiple uses, not just timber production, in the National Forest Management Act. We are deeply concerned it directs agencies, including your own, to undermine both the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Endangered Species Act (ESA) in order to fast-track timber harvesting. NEPA guarantees that communities have a seat at the table to work in an informed and cooperative manner with the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to generate the best alternatives for achieving desired conditions in our forests. Any policy changes directed by E.O. 14225 must not come at the expense of public involvement in decision making. 

We are equally concerned about the direction to exploit ESA emergency provisions and the Endangered Species Committee; this seemingly attempts to allow logging projects to bypass essential protections for endangered species and worsen the ongoing biodiversity crisis.

Given the potentially devastating effects on the environment and human health of this rash and short-sighted E.O, we urge you to consider the long-term consequences. Our forests are essential to protect our climate, safeguard biodiversity, maintain our clean water supply, and provide the kind of recreation opportunities that have long been central to the American way of life. 

We look forward to ongoing coordination and communication as your respective Departments interpret and implement the directives E.O. 14255.

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