News

Today, NASF joined a coalition letter in support of the addition of Amendment #3350 to the disaster relief package being considered by Congress. The amendment provides supplemental funds to the Wildland Fire Management appropriation by restoring $653 million to the USFS Wildland Fire Management Account. The Coalition shares the interests of Senator Tester and Udall [read more]

NASF joined with other members of the Fire Suppression Funding Solutions Partner Caucus to send a letter  to appropriators as they complete work on FY13 appropriations for Interior, Environment and Related Agencies. The letter thanked appropriators for repaying transferred funds from non-fire accounts used for suppression efforts in FY12 and for making important adjustments to [read more]

The 2012 State Foresters by the Numbers report summarizes biennial survey data reported by state forestry agencies. This report illustrates key information about state and private forests in the United States and the roles State Foresters and their agencies play in conserving, protecting, and enhancing these important natural resources.

NASF delivered comments alongside the NAASF regarding Advice from the FSC related to the evaluation of nurseries under the FSC standard. State forestry agencies responsibilities’ often include the operation and management of nurseries that produce millions of seedlings for reforestation efforts on both public and private forest land.  NASF comments indicated that implementation of the [read more]

On October 3, NASF submitted joint comments with the Association of Clean Water Administrators (ACWA) to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) about their notice of proposed rulemaking regarding revised stormwater regulations specific to permits not being required for stormwater discharges from logging roads. NASF and ACWA comments support EPA’s proposal that multi-sector National Pollutant Discharge [read more]

NASF, working with an exceptionally broad representation of conservation, recreation, retired agency personnel, sportsmen, timber, and wildlife groups (97 in total) - calling themselves the Fire Suppression Funding Solutions Partner Caucus- submitted a coalition letter requesting $400 million in emergency supplemental funding be directed to the US Forest Service FLAME account for 2012, or provide [read more]

ARLINGTON, Va.—The federal accounts that fund 2012 wildfire activities for the U.S. Forest Service ran dry this month, leaving the agencies to remove funding from other important programs to cover wildfire costs. The Federal continuing resolution budget passed includes vitally needed funds for firefighting. The USDA Forest Service wildfire accounts were not sufficiently funded in [read more]

The NAASF and NASF alongside TNC, National Association of Forest Service Retirees, American Forests and others lead efforts to send a letter to the Administration and Congress earlier this week regarding recent plans at the USDA Forest Service to transfer funds from non-fire accounts to pay for wildland fire suppression. The letter is from nearly [read more]

Earlier today, NASF President Randy Dye sent Senators McCain, Feinstein and Nelson, sponsors of the Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act of 2012 (S. 3441) a letter of support on behalf of NASF members. The proposed act will would provide the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) with near-term access to airtankers, while the USDA Large Airtanker Modernization [read more]

Last week NASF and others in the forestry community sent a letter to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee urging consideration of HR 2541. Yesterday, the Committee passed the Silviculture Regulatory Consistency Act (HR 2541), which was drafted in response to a May 2011 decision in the 9th Circuit that determined forest roads used for [read more]