Comments

The National Association of State Foresters submitted comments in response to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to amend all land management plans for units of the National Forest System to include consistent direction to conserve steward and recruit future old-growth [read more]

NASF submitted official comments to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed Revisions to the Air Emissions Reporting Requirements (AERR). In the letter, NASF emphasizes the burden to State Forestry agencies that the proposal would create for the collection and reporting of prescribed fire data. Ensuring that the use of prescribed fire remains in the toolbox [read more]

NASF submitted comments on the Council of Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) proposed “Bipartisan Permitting Reform Implementation Rule” to revise its regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In the letter, NASF states that NEPA should be implemented in “ways that are more productive by (1) utilizing landscape scale planning, (2) [read more]

NASF submitted official comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in response to the proposed Endangered Species Act (ESA) rule changes. “Forests provide a habitat for a host of rare, threatened, or endangered species of plants and animals. They also ensure important water quality and quantity requirements for aquatic species…NASF has a significant interest [read more]

NASF submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Agriculture on the Federal Strategy to Advance Measurement and Monitoring Greenhouse Gas Measurement and Monitoring for the Agriculture and Forest Sectors. “The USDA Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program provides crucial information to federal and state forestry agencies, industry, academic, and conservation organizations on a [read more]

NASF, in partnership with the National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO), the Society of American Foresters (SAF), and the Forest Landowners Association (FLA), submitted official comments to the EPA in response to the Reconsideration of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter. The comments stress the importance of avoiding undue or unintended restrictions [read more]

Today, the National Association of State Foresters (NASF) submitted comments on the joint USDA Forest Service-DOI Bureau of Land Management request for information on federal old-growth and mature forests. The management of federal forest lands greatly influences the resilience and health of all America’s forests and the full range of social, economic, and environmental benefits [read more]

The National Association of State Foresters has provided official comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) regarding the agency's proposal to change the listing status of the northern long-eared bat (NLEB) from threatened to endangered. Over the decades since the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was enacted, NASF has observed how ESA provisions affect [read more]

In official comments sent to the USDA, the National Association of State Foresters responded to the Executive Order "Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad." America’s trees and forests are a strategic national resource with vast potential as solutions for climate change, public health, and economic challenges. Wildland fire is a national crisis – [read more]

The National Association of State Foresters has submitted formal comments to the USDA Forest Service regarding its guidebook chapter on Good Neighbor Authority (GNA). States are an essential partner in realizing GNA accomplishments; and NASF continues to appreciate the efforts by the Forest Service to embrace coordinating with state forestry agencies on GNA policy and [read more]