Has the logjam finally been broken?

Let’s hope so. For the past 20 to 30 years, timber on national forest land has been tied up by regulations, lawsuits and politics. As a result, fire danger has jumped, while jobs and the timber industry have plummeted.

This morning, the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee will be working on House Resolution 2647, known as the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015. The bill incorporates a previous bill submitted by Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., as well several other bills, and has the aim of speeding up timber harvests and removal of fire fuel.

Under the proposed legislation, it would be possible to streamline timber sales under 15,000 acres if the projects are designed to reduce hazardous fuel, limit disease, protect watersheds or improve critical habitat.

Perhaps even more important, groups that sue the federal government would be required to buy an insurance bond that would cover the costs of the lawsuit should it be unsuccessful. This means that environmental groups will have skin in the game, and will no longer be able to use lawsuits as a weapon to be used to shape policy.

The bill is not going to make wholesale changes in silviculture policy or change the nature of our forests, but will rather recognize the value of the forests to our economy, our Western communities and our country.

Among other elements of the bill, collaborative approaches will be encouraged and new methods of funding Forest Service projects will be created such as “revolving funds” for projects on national forests funded by states.

The bill will also update and modernize the Secure Rural Schools law that provides revenue for communities such as Northwest Montana where forest land represents a vast untaxable resource.

Former Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth is one of the many supporters of these innovative approaches, along with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

As Rep. Zinke noted in his comments Wednesday before the committee, “It is a common sense bill that makes sense. And we’re at the point in our forests where we either need to take action, or continue to allow our forest health to decline... The Forest Service complains that they’re spending all their money fighting forest fires and I agree: The long term solution is healthier forests...

“As a former SEAL commander, it’s time to take action. This a reasonable action... it has bipartisan support and we should understand the importance of the health of our forests.”

We encourage true bipartisan support on this bill, especially from our own congressional delegation and those throughout the West that depend mightily on timber reforms for a secure future.