Press Releases

The following is a statement released by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte regarding the Forest Service rules announced today:

“I am pleased that the Administration has taken steps to simplify and streamline the National Forest planning process, and proposed changes to the application of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) on our public forests. The rules announced today will allow for more timely and meaningful public involvement in the management of our National Forests. The Administration took these actions to fix a process that has become badly broken. Under current rules, the forest planning process has become too cumbersome, bureaucratic, and complex for the average citizen to understand, much less participate in.

Our National Forests are a national treasure, and it is unfortunate that their management has become so controversial. I hope the new rule will help reduce the level of conflict to the point where our professional forest managers can devote their energy to restoring the health of our forests, not doing endless paperwork.”

###