Defenders Denounces Misleadingly Named Fix Our Forests Act 

Defenders of Wildlife once again denounced the misleadingly named Fix Our Forests Act following debate today in the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Subcommittee on Conservation, Climate, Forestry, and Natural Resources. Billed as a solution to wildfires, in actuality FOFA does more to benefit the logging industry by rolling back critical environmental regulations.

“FOFA is at best a smoke-screen designed to increase profits for the logging industry and at worst is a hollow bill that only pays lip service to what is needed to address the wildfire crisis that is becoming part of everyday life,” said Robert Dewey, vice president of government relations at Defenders of Wildlife. “Eliminating science from decision-making and handing control of our national forests and public lands to private interests will not decrease wildfires in our communities. There are real solutions for wildfire protection, such as home hardening and defensible space initiatives, none of which FOFA provides.”

If passed, FOFA would undermine critical environmental protections like the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act for the benefit of the timber industry. As written, FOFA would delay environmental review of logging projects until after a project has occurred, weaken standards for environmental protection and make it difficult for communities to voice opposition or seek justice in court.

“Decisions on managing public land must come from laws which are informed by research and the best available science,” said Dewey. “Turning power over to the logging industry will not only provide no benefit to the American public but also will do nothing to protect them from future wildfires.”

The House passed its version of FOFA on January 23, 2025.  

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