The United States government has reduced environmental protections for logging across more than half of the country’s national forests, citing wildfire risks in an emergency declaration issued on Friday.
As part of the announcement, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins directed officials to fast-track environmental assessments to accelerate logging operations.
The new policy eliminates the administrative appeal process that previously allowed external organisations, indigenous tribes and local authorities to contest logging proposals before finalisation. Additionally, it reduces the range of options federal officials must evaluate when assessing logging projects.
The emergency measure affects 176,000 square miles (455,000 square kilometers) of land, spanning the Western regions, Southern states, Great Lakes area and New England. This total area, exceeding California’s size, represents 59% of forest service territory.
These designated forests predominantly face high wildfire risks, whilst many are deteriorating due to pest infestations and diseases.
Despite similar efforts by former president Joe Biden’s administration to increase logging activities to combat intensifying fire risks in a warming climate, forest service timber sales remained largely unchanged during his leadership.
“National forests are in crisis due to uncharacteristically severe wildfires, insect and disease outbreaks, invasive species and other stressors,” saidd Rollins in her directive, reinforcing concerns previously raised by her predecessor under Biden.
Rollins, formerly a conservative legal advocate and leader of a Trump-aligned organisation, suggests increased logging could address the “forest health crisis” resulting from dense forests, residential expansion into wild areas, and long-term fire suppression policies.
