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Legislative Updates
Federal Lands
In June, the U.S. Forest Service released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) discussing their plan to amend 128 Federal Land Management Plans to provide a consistent approach to protecting old-growth on National Forest System lands. Our counterparts at the Forest Resources Association (FRA) will submit substantive comments on the effort, prepare talking points, and set up an Action Alert for members interested in submitting comments.
Furthermore, the U.S. Forest Service announced that the DEIS for the amendment to the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) will be delayed. They anticipate that the DEIS will be released in October with a 90-day comment period commencing upon the release. FRA Western Region Manager Lindsay Warness, a member of the Federal Advisory Committee, collaborated with other interests in developing the proposed action for the amendment that reduces the red tape across the NWFP area to improve timber management.
H-2B Visas
The Department of Labor has certified over 35,000 H-2B Visa positions as of August 31. It is anticipated that the first half visa cap will be met the week of September 16. Once the cap is met, FRA will reach out to members of Congress to encourage them to release supplemental visas. The release of additional visas for the first half of fiscal year 2025 is dependent on Congress passing a continuing resolution prior to October 1.
Farm Bill
FRA recently met with committee staff on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee to discuss provisions of interest to our sector in the Farm Bill and prospects for a reauthorization bill passing later this year. Ranking Member Boozman (R-AR) continues to tell groups that a Farm Bill rewrite is possible in the Lame Duck session of Congress following the election. However, the actual legislative text has not been shared between Democrats and Republicans on the committee, and it appears that marking up and passing a bill in a short Lame Duck session would be a stretch. The good news is that the summaries that have been provided describing Democrat and Republican proposals that would be included in the next Farm Bill are all positive for our industry. The proposals notably feature robust funding for both the Wood Innovation Grant and Community Wood Grant programs, among other provisions. We will keep you updated regarding developments and the progress of our collective advocacy in this space for the remainder of 2024 and into 2025 if needed.
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