Late Tuesday night the United States Senate approved legislation to make retroactive payments for fiscal year 2014 and to extend payments for fiscal year 2015 to counties under the Secure Rural Schools & Community Self Determination Act (Secure Rural Schools, or SRS) program. The House of Representatives had already passed the bill in March and President [read more]
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced continued progress during the first 90 days of implementing the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the 2014 Farm Bill). Progress has occurred throughout all Farm Bill titles including announcements on trade and marketing promotion, the establishment of conservation programs, the initiation of specialty crop and local food programs, funding for [read more]
On April 9th, the Obama Administration outlined a new strategy to protect communities, businesses and public and private lands from the threat of wildland fire for the 2014 fire season. The National Cohesive Wild land Fire Management Strategy divides the nation according to fire risks, and profiles the communities that face those risks. Developed by [read more]
The House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies held a hearing today on the Administration's fiscal year 2015 budget proposal for the USDA Forest Service with Chief Tom Tidwell was a witness. Rep. Moran (D-VA) questioned Chief Tidwell over proposed reductions to the Urban and Community Forestry Program (UCF). Tidwell responded [read more]
The Senate Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing on Feb. 27th to examine the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Committee expressed concern that the act was being used to further other policy goals, was subject to excessive litigation, was not being successful in recovering species, that settlement negotiations were secret, and that data [read more]
A broad coalition of conservation, timber, tribal, recreation, sportsmen and employer groups praised Representatives Simpson (R-ID) and Schrader (D-OR) for introducing the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act of 2014 (H.R. 3992) that would create an emergency funding process for fire response. This bill ensures funding for both wildfire first responders and for land managers who care [read more]
Following the successful passage of the 2014 Farm Bill by both chambers of Congress, President Obama plans to sign it into law at a ceremony on Friday, February 7. NASF was excited to see that many of our priorities were represented in the final version of the bill. For more information about NASF priorities and [read more]
The House Natural Resources Committee held a hearing Tuesday, January 14, to examine the Administration’s determination that the automatic spending cuts under the Budget Control Act – commonly known as sequestration – applied to Secure Rural Schools (SRS) funds that had already been sent out to states. The USDA Forest Service (USFS) ultimately requested repayment [read more]
Wildfires often cause the costliest property damages, causing billions in damage without currently being treated like other large-scale natural disasters. Oregon’s 2013 wildfire season was the most severe in more than 50 years, burning 103,000 acres and costing the state $122 million. To cover the costs of large fires, agencies often have to draw money [read more]
The Budget compromise reached by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) was approved by the Senate this week. With approval of the budget deal setting overall spending levels for the federal government in fiscal years 2014 and 2015, appropriators in Congress now have the difficult task of pulling together appropriations bills to [read more]
