The U.S. Chamber of Commerce (USCC) sees eye-to-eye with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in its support for passing the Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA), legislation that simplifies and expedites environmental reviews for forest management projects.
“The devastating, ongoing wildfires across several western states highlight the need to prepare for the threat of wildfires while enhancing the ability of communities to withstand and recover from such events. The Fix Our Forests Act will help restore forest health and increase resilience to catastrophic wildfires,” said the USCC letter.
According to a USCC report, every $1 invested in resilience and preparedness saves communities $13 in damages, cleanup costs and economic impact.
RMEF maintains active forest management projects such as prescribed fire, forest thinning and other treatments reduce the risk of high-intensity fires and improve overall forest health but also enhance habitat for elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, moose and other wildlife.
Additionally, passing FOFA would reverse the 9th Circuit Court’s 2015 Cottonwood decision, which opens the door for nearly nonstop lawsuits by litigant environmental organizations. Both the Obama and first Trump administrations unsuccessfully tried to overturn it, and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee previously passed a Cottonwood fix on a strong bipartisan vote.
The U.S. House passed FOFA in January by a vote of 279-141. It now resides in the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry where it awaits potential markup.
Established more than a century ago, the USCC calls itself the world’s largest business organization.
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