Letters

The National Association of State Foresters sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to emphasize the importance of the exceptional events demonstration for prescribed fire and the need for increased use of the process at the EPA regional offices. Prescribed fire is a critical tool for state forestry agencies to reduce hazardous fuel [read more]

NASF worked with key partner organizations on a letter advocating for increased USDA Forest Service Forest Stewardship Program funding. The letter draws attention to the frightening level of expiring plans the Forest Stewardship Program will experience in the upcoming years. “Currently, there are over 20 million acres nationwide managed under the Forest Stewardship Program. In [read more]

NASF joined six partner organizations in a letter to House and Senate Appropriations Committees advocating for increased FY25 appropriation levels for State Fire Assistance (SFA) and Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) programs. The letter requests $85 million for the SFA program and $25 million for VFA. “SFA is an important federal mechanism for assisting states and [read more]

NASF joined the Sustainable Urban Forestry Coalition’s (SUFC) letter in support of appropriations for the Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program. The letter also highlighted the urgent need for research funding to establish benchmarks that can be used to measure the impacts of these investments. Over 30 organizations also signed the letter. “Our nation’s [read more]

NASF signed onto a coalition letter in support of $30 million in appropriations for the Forest Service’s Wood Innovation Grant Program (WIG). “WIG provides competitive grants to projects that expand wood products and wood energy markets to support forest management and deliver economic and environmental benefits to communities. Projects funded by WIG typically demonstrate, research, [read more]

The National Association of State Foresters joined over 60 other partner organizations in a letter recommending a funding level of no less than $32.2 million in program dollars for the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program in FY25. The letter was sent to the Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies in both [read more]

NASF joined a coalition representing a broad set of interests, including companies, state foresters, private landowners, and forestry and conservation groups with concerns about misinformation regarding the use of renewable biomass. The letter urges the Department of the Treasury and Department of Energy to ensure under-utilized woody biomasses are eligible for critical tax incentives in [read more]

NASF joined 15 organizations in a letter delivered to Jennifer M. Granholm, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, stressing the importance of woody biomass in the transition to renewable energy. The letter also highlights the alignment of the Inflation Reduction Act’s forestry-related goals with sustainable biomass, especially those aimed at mitigating catastrophic wildfire risks, [read more]

NASF and more than 25 organizations signed onto a letter drafted and delivered to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry and the House Committee on Agriculture. The letter urges congress to make improvements to the Good Neighbor Authority in the upcoming Farm Bill. "We respectfully call on you as leaders of the House [read more]

In a letter to Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and other relevant congressional leaders, NASF joins the Wildfire Resilience Coalition in urging Congress to maintain increases to federal wildland firefighter pay. “Wildland firefighters are crucial for protecting lives, communities, forests, and grasslands across the country. They work long hours in [read more]