Fix Our Forests Act

# Fix Our Forests Act – Plain-English Summary

The Fix Our Forests Act is a federal bill focused on improving the health and management of America's national forests and public lands. The legislation aims to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires by making it easier and faster for the U.S. Forest Service and other land management agencies to carry out forest thinning projects, remove overgrown vegetation, and conduct controlled burns. A central goal of the bill is to cut through bureaucratic and legal delays that have historically slowed down these kinds of preventive land management activities.

The bill would streamline certain environmental review processes, meaning some forest management projects could move forward more quickly with less paperwork and fewer opportunities for legal challenges to block or delay them. It also seeks to expand the use of collaborative approaches, bringing together local communities, tribes, conservation groups, and industry stakeholders to help plan and oversee forest health projects. Additionally, the bill includes provisions related to using timber harvests as a tool for thinning overly dense forests.

The legislation affects a wide range of Americans. Rural communities near national forests — particularly in the Western United States — could benefit from reduced wildfire risk to their homes and towns. The timber and logging industry may see new business opportunities from increased harvesting projects. Environmental groups have raised concerns in similar legislation about reduced oversight. Firefighters and emergency responders, as well as homeowners whose property values and safety are threatened by large wildfires, are also directly affected by this bill's outcomes.

The bill has moved through the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee and is now on the Senate calendar, meaning it is eligible to be scheduled for a full Senate vote.