The U.S. government has rolled back environmental protections for logging in over 176,000 square miles of national forests, citing wildfire risks in an emergency declaration. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins ordered expedited environmental assessments and eliminated the appeals process for logging proposals, impacting 59% of forest service territory. The measure addresses high wildfire risks amidst declining forest health due to pests and diseases. Although former President Biden’s administration aimed to increase logging for fire risk management, timber sales largely remained the same during his tenure. Rollins attributes the “forest health crisis” to dense forests and long-term fire suppression policies, advocating for increased logging as a solution.
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US Reduces Environmental Protections in National Forests Amid Wildfire Concerns
By Terrain News
