WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Thursday the House of Representatives approved H.R. 2647, the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015, a comprehensive bill aimed at expediting and improving forest management activities, including those occurring in the Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District.
The Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015 builds upon the work of previous Congresses to address the consequences of catastrophic wildfire, invasive species and disease infestations, along with other ongoing threats to the national forest system. The bill also will return resilience and proper management to overgrown, fire-prone forested lands.
“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,” Conservation and Forestry Subcommittee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson said.
“The Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015 promotes collaborative management between the U.S. Forest Service and private sector. This bill will also allow for states and interested parties to provide funding for projects.”
“Furthermore, H.R. 2647 will allow for commonsense 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,” Thompson added.
Prior to the bill’s passage, Thompson managed debate on the floor of the House of Representatives. His opening remarks can be found here.
The Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015 cleared the House by a vote of 262-167.
