Sen. John Barrasso - Ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee | Official U.S. Senate headshot
Sen. John Barrasso - Ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee | Official U.S. Senate headshot
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR), joined republican leaders to call on the Biden administration to explain its rationale for creating a special definition for “old growth and mature forests” on federal lands.
U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-WY) and John Boozman (R-AR), along with U.S. Representatives Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) and Bruce Westerman (R-AR), have asked U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to address concerns regarding the administration's actions related to old-growth forests. The group has requested information on the process that led to this new definition and its potential impacts on federal land management.
In a letter to Secretary Vilsack, the members raised questions about the administration's authority and rationale behind the creation of a special definition for old growth forests. They expressed concerns about the potential conflicts with existing laws and the impact on forest health and wildfire risk on federal lands.
The members highlighted their concerns, stating, "[W]e question what existing statutory authority or Congressional mandate permits or directs the administration to ‘institutionalize climate-smart management and conservation strategies’ to address threats to undefined categories of federal lands." They also expressed worries about the proposed amendment to all 128 Forest Plans within a short timeframe and its potential conflicts with environmental laws.
The group of lawmakers has requested USDA to provide detailed responses to several specific questions by a set deadline to ensure transparency and compliance with statutory requirements. The questions cover a range of topics, including the number of updated Forest Service Land Management Plans, compliance with statutory requirements, and the potential impacts of the proposed national plan amendment on existing laws governing NFS lands.
The lawmakers emphasized the importance of fulfilling oversight responsibilities and ensuring that the administration is acting within its legal authority concerning the management of federal lands. They look forward to receiving a prompt response from Secretary Vilsack by the specified deadline.
The full letter containing the detailed questions posed to USDA can be found for reference.
Alerts Sign-up