The Passage of the Bipartisan “Fix Our Forests Act” in the House Represents Progress in Addressing Wildfire Risks, and HECHO Urges the Senate to Vote in Favor.
By Max Metz Jr., Conservation Program Director, HECHO .
On January 23, 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 471, the Fix Our Forests Act, in a bipartisan vote of 279(R)-141(D). This legislation, introduced by Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman (R-AR-04) and Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA-50), represents an important step toward addressing wildfire risks through more efficient forest management practices.
As an organization committed to the conservation of public lands and the communities connected to them, HECHO acknowledges the importance of sound forestry management to reduce wildfire threats. Provisions such as the designation of high-risk firesheds and the creation of the interagency Fireshed Center have the potential to improve wildfire prediction, prevention, and response, particularly in fire-prone states like Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, and Utah.
Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV-04), a supporter of the bill, stated, “The Fix Our Forests Act allows federal agencies to more effectively manage forests on public lands to prevent fires. Last year, wildfires in the U.S. burned nearly 9 million acres, but with better prevention and maintenance, that number could’ve been smaller."
However, concerns about the lack of funding to implement the key components of the bill were raised by members and House Natural Resources Ranking Member Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA-02), who remarked, “If you scratch beneath the surface of H.R. 471, you start seeing problems starting with the fact that the beneficial provisions are totally unfunded. There is simply no money. No resources to help any of the good things actually happen. There are also several poison pills that have the potential to undermine science-based management and public engagement.”
As HECHO, we remain cautiously optimistic about the bill's provisions that expedite or exempt forest management activities from critical environmental protections under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Endangered Species Act, and hope that these provisions support the intended goal of better forest management leading to fewer catastrophic wildfires. These laws are among our nation’s bedrock environmental laws that play a vital role in safeguarding ecosystems and ensuring community voices are heard in public lands decision-making. HECHO supports efforts to streamline forest restoration and stewardship, and we urge Congress to ensure that even as we surgically remove impediments to fixing our forests that we also maintain the integrity of these bedrock laws that ensure robust environmental safeguards and community engagement.
The bipartisan support for this bill highlights the shared commitment to addressing the growing threat of wildfires. Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02), who voted in favor of the bill in 2024 and 2025, explained in a press release in 2024, “We need to use every tool in our toolbox to lessen the frequency and severity of wildfires. Livestock grazing can help us accomplish that goal. Grazing targeted areas can help slow the spread of an intense burn and control the temperature of a fire by reducing the amount of flammable organic fuel. In New Mexico, we know the cost of fighting wildfires is astronomical, so we must use every available resource to prevent future natural disasters.”
HECHO looks forward to working with legislators to ensure that future efforts balance the need for active forest management with the protection of public lands, cultural heritage, and the biodiversity that sustains them.
Together, we can advance solutions that strengthen both our forests and the communities connected to them. The bill now moves to the U.S. Senate, where it will be considered by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
