Letters

The National Association of State Foresters provided coalition letters in support of fiscal year 2017 appropriations levels for priority USDA Forest Service State and Private Forestry (S&PF) programs.  State and private forests make up more than two thirds of our nation’s forests and provide a host of public benefits including jobs, clean air and water, wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities [read more]

The National Association of State Foresters urges the Senate to pass legislation allowing the USDA Forest Service to sell isolated parcels of land and utilize those funds for acquisition of access and inholdings. HR 1214 passed the House of Representatives and was sent to the Senate for consideration on September 17, 2015. It passed the [read more]

State Foresters joined a broad coalition of forestry partners in urging leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees to retain language included in the House Farm Bill (H.R. 2642) that would codify the EPA’s longstanding Silviculture Rule that looks to state-based Best Management Practices (BMPs) for addressing stormwater runoff associated with forest roads. The [read more]

NASF joined other associations this week in sending a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Scientific Advisory Board on the draft report concerning Connectivity of Streams and Wetlands to Downstream Waters: A Review and Synthesis of the Scientific Evidence. The letter highlights the need for continued cooperation between the states and EPA as the [read more]

NASF joined a host of partners in the forestry community in sending a letter to USDA Forest Service (USFS) Chief Tom Tidwell recognizing the leadership of the USFS in promoting wood as a green building material. The letter seeks a renewed commitment from the Agency to wood as a green building material through a partnership [read more]

Congress took steps last week to restore $600 million to the U.S. Forest Service, which the agency had transferred from other programs to cover the cost of wildfire suppression during this year’s expansive forest fire season. NASF joined partners in a letter this week to encourage the Senate to do the same. This funding, however, [read more]

This week NASF joined a broad coalition of more than 90 organizations in seeking immediate action from Congress to address both the short and long-term impacts of ongoing fire transfers at the USDA Forest Service. As we reported last week, the Forest Service has begun the process of transferring $600 million from non-fire programs within [read more]

NASF joined numerous diverse organizations in a coalition letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy regarding the recent ruling by a U.S. Court of Appeals vacating EPA's Deferral Rule for biogenic carbon emissions under the Tailoring Rule. The letter addressed the uncertainty now faced by biomass and forest products facilities that have begun operations, construction, [read more]

NASF signed on to a letter with partner organizations addressing the need for a fire funding approach that does not pit emergency wildfire preparedness and suppression against proactive forest management programs. The letter, addressed to Office of Management and Budget Director Burwell, Department of Agriculture Secretary Vilsack and Department of the Interior Secretary Jewell, outlined [read more]

NASF joined a multitude of partner organizations by signing letters of support for both USDA Deputy Secretary nominee Krysta Harden and USDA Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment nominee Robert Bonnie.  The letters were directed to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow and Ranking Member Thad Cochran and outlined the [read more]