House Natural Resources Subcommittee Issues Testimony From Forest Service
"Chairman McClintock and members of the Subcommittee, thank you for inviting me to testify on the agency's efforts to prepare for and respond to wildfires and improve the condition of America's forests and grasslands. I appreciate the Subcommittee's continued support and your recognition that this work goes beyond wildfire response, and is as much about proactively creating healthy, fire-resilient conditions on National Forest System lands so they provide for the uses, experiences and services that meet the needs of our Nation. This
2018 Wildfire Year
"Last year was one of the most devastating wildfire years on record. Tragically, dozens of Americans were killed, including 14 wildland firefighters who perished while working to protect lives and property. Communities in the Great Plains, the Southeast, Southwest and the West were affected, with more than 10 million acres burned--an area larger than the state of
"Early predictions indicate that 2018 will likely be another challenging wildfire year. According to the forecast released by the
"Recent trends in wildfire response data suggest that increasing suppression activity appears to be the new normal. In adjusting to this new normal, the authorities provided in the 2018 Omnibus are key. I am especially appreciative of the solution to our fire funding dilemma. It is a challenge we have struggled with and worked on together for well over a decade. In fiscal year 2020, this comprehensive fire funding fix will ultimately stabilize our operating environment by addressing the impact of the rising suppression budget on forest management and research, and by treating catastrophic wildfires as natural disasters.
"Again, we are already developing more efficient and effective ways to do our work while taking steps to contain fire costs and ensuring we spend dollars in the right places to make a difference. We expect to demonstrate this commitment as we confront the 2018 fire year. Moreover, will continue our internal reforms, especially in active forest management that will result in changing overly complex, time-consuming, outdated processes that delay our work on the ground. Coupled with the expanded authorities, these reforms will translate to more favorable results, production and work in our nation's forests.
Forest Management
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"While the total number of GNA agreements shows real progress, that number alone does not tell the whole story. For example, in the
"The new authorities provided by
"Outside of increasing the use of new Congressional authorities, we have been very aggressive on improving our processes administratively to reduce the time and cost to plan and implement work on the ground. It's paying off. Our focus to streamline planning over the past eight months has decreased the time necessary to authorize projects, reduced costs by nearly
"We are also putting into place a national risk-based strategy to address wildland fuels. To that end, this year we have increased acres treated by 36 percent and timber harvest by 13 percent over last year's levels. Compared to last year, we have nearly 30 percent more timber harvested at this point in the year. Our anticipated level of timber harvest in Fiscal Year 2018 is the highest it's been in 20 years. In all, this year the
"Our implementation of vegetation treatment is also getting more efficient. We have trained personnel and industry partners in every region to use designate by prescription and description methods. We have also delivered updated technology to our personnel in the field, designed to reduce the time it takes to administer a timber sale, moving us closer to industry standards.
"While we are pleased with the progress we are making, we recognize that the successful delivery of services and work starts with a highly skilled, motivated workforce.
"That concludes my testimony,
House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee Issues Testimony From Ex-Louisiana Rep. Cao
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