House farm bill forestry title potentially disastrous for national forests
Olympic National Forest, WA
Mason Cummings, TWS
Draft would threaten the health of forests and the communities that depend on them
Washington D.C. (May 17, 2024) -- Today, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Thompson (R-PA) released a draft of the Farm Bill.
The Wilderness Society released the following statement from Mary Olive, Senior Government Relations Representative:
"The Farm Bill is one of the most important pieces of legislation governing our national forests, and the current text from the House of Representatives attacks bedrock environmental laws, such as the Endangered Species Act and National Environmental Policy Act, which are often the last lines of defense against corporate interests trying to mine, drill and log. We need a Farm Bill that promotes a resilient network of connected and healthy forests, especially those containing old-growth trees, at a time when our forests are increasingly threatened by the impacts of climate change.
“Together, a Farm Bill with healthy forests components and the Forest Service's proposed National Forest Plan Amendment can secure protections for old-growth and future old-growth forests across the country so they can do what they do best: provide clean air and water to communities, trap carbon pollution, and contain key habitat and migration corridors for thousands of wildlife species across the nation."
Contact: Emily Denny, Communications Manager, edenny@tws.org
