US Launches $200 Million Plan to Boost Logging in National Forests

Contact Your Elected Officials

The National Active Forest Management Strategy aims to increase timber harvest by 25 percent, reduce wildfire risk, and support rural jobs.

A $200 million plan to expand logging in national forests was announced May 29 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in a bid to grow timber supply, improve forest health, and bolster rural economies.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a statement that the money will launch the Forest Serviceโ€™s National Active Forest Management Strategy, which will raise annual timber harvests on federal land by 25 percent, targeting 4 billion board feet by the 2028 fiscal year.

Officials say predictable, long-term contracts will provide mills and loggers the certainty needed to invest in equipment and jobs.

โ€œPresident Trump is committed to cutting red tape, rolling back burdensome regulations and unleashing the potential of Americaโ€™s abundant natural resources,โ€œ Rollins said in a statement. โ€We are doing just that at USDA with this announcement to invest in timber production. This is a win for consumers who will see better prices with American grown products, and a win for forest management which will help keep our forests safer and reduce wildfire risk.โ€

President Donald Trump signed on March 1 an executive order, titled โ€œImmediate Expansion of American Timber Production,โ€ which directs federal agencies to โ€œeliminate all undue delaysโ€ and treat timber as critical to national and economic security. โ€œTimber production is essential for crucial human activities like construction and energy production,โ€ the order states.

The USDA strategy emphasizes tools such as Good Neighbor Authority agreements with states and tribes and integrated resource contracts that can run 10 years or longer. It also prioritizes emerging wood productsโ€”notably cross-laminated timber, touted for rivaling steel in strengthโ€”and markets for low-value biomass that is often left in the woods.

USDA officials say more active management will thin overly dense stands that feed destructive wildfires, while the added timber volume should ease construction-grade lumber shortages that drove up homebuilding costs in recent years. The Forest Service estimates the initiative will support jobs โ€œfrom the woods to the millโ€ and lessen dependence on imports.

Byย Chase Smith

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

Common Sense Economics and Finance: Value Established for the American Republic

A infection has mutated federal finance into a condition of political inflation, and valueless FED money is proof that the Federal Reserve is the root cause of that condition.

Pastor Corey Brooks is Walking Across America!

Last night I got to fulfill a bucket list item. I got to meet one of my personal heroes of our time (after Donald Trump) Pastor Corey Brooks.

Is Japan About to Be Gifted With Our Greatest Strengthโ„ข?

Japan sees little resistance to new immigrants, but policies provide inadequate support to integrate them into Japanese economy and society.

Cracker Barrelโ€™s Remake Proves Lefty Women Unfit to Lead

โ€œThe customer is always rightโ€ remains true today regardless of whether people like Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Masino opt to respect it and follow it or not.

Walmart on Its Radioactive Shrimp: โ€˜The Health and Safety of Our Customers Is Always a Top Priority’

โ€œNowadays people know the price of everything and the...

California Parole Board Denies Parole for Erik Menendez

CA Board of Parole Hearings rejected the release of Erik Menendez, one of the two brothers convicted in the 1989 killing of their parents in Southern CA.

Intel Has Agreed to Give US Government 10 Percent Stake: Trump

The White House had been seeking an equity stake in the company in exchange for the almost $11 billion in grants from the CHIPS and Science Act.

FBI Searches Home of Former National Security Adviser John Bolton: Reports

FBI searched Maryland home of John Bolton, former national security adviser under President Trump, as part of a classified documents investigation.

5 Takeaways From Fed Chair Powellโ€™s Final Jackson Hole Speech

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell presented his final keynote address at the central bankโ€™s annual Jackson Hole summit on Aug. 22.

Trumpโ€™s Tariffs Will Reduce Deficits by $4 Trillion Over Next Decade, Says CBO Report

A report released by the CBO predicted that President Donald Trumpโ€™s tariffs will reduce federal deficits by around $4 trillion over the next decade.

USDA Issues Memorandum Prioritizing American Energy on National Forest Lands

Secretary Rollins said that the United States will no longer allow foreign-made solar panels or inefficient energy projects to undermine national security.

US Pauses Visas for Commercial Truck Drivers, Citing Safety and Other Impacts

The Trump administration will immediately pause the issuance of all worker visas for commercial truck drivers, Sec of State Marco Rubio said.

Chip Stocks Fall on Reports White House Seeking Equity in Exchange for Grants

Share prices of semiconductor companies fell following reports the Trump admin is considering taking equity stakes in exchange for federal funding.
spot_img

Related Articles