Congressman Doug LaMalfa, District 1 | Official U.S. House headshot
Congressman Doug LaMalfa, District 1 | Official U.S. House headshot
On June 27, 2024, Congressmen Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), and Tom Tiffany (R-Wisc.) introduced a bill aimed at blocking the Biden Administration's proposed National Forest Plan Amendment. The amendment seeks to implement a uniform approach to managing old growth forests, bypassing regional management considerations.
Congressman LaMalfa criticized the plan, stating, "Forest management activities should be spearheaded at the regional level, not decided from some top-down plan that was crafted by a DC bureaucrat that has never set foot in the forest in question. Regional voices should be prioritized, not ignored." He further argued that the new plan would hinder necessary forest management activities such as thinning projects and timber harvesting.
Western Caucus Chairman Newhouse echoed these sentiments: "The proposed Old-Growth Plan Amendment is out of touch with the needs of rural America. By limiting timber harvesting and proper forest management, the risk of catastrophic wildfires increases."
Congressman Tiffany added, "Local land managers are the best stewards of the land—not bureaucrats a thousand miles away in Washington, D.C. The Biden administration's Old Growth Plan Amendment imposes a one-size-fits-all approach that sidelines local expertise and makes it harder to maintain forest health."
The bill responds to actions taken by the Biden Administration beginning in April 2022 when it directed the U.S. Forest Service to assess risks to old-growth and mature forests without Congressional mandate or existing authority. In December 2023, the U.S. Forest Service announced its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for amending all 128 forest plans within a year—a move conflicting with its own processes requiring tailored approaches.
A draft EIS was published on June 21, 2024, initiating a 90-day public comment period. A final EIS and record of decision are expected by late 2024 or early 2025.
Congressman Doug LaMalfa represents California’s First Congressional District.
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