Forest Landowners Association Commends Bipartisan Push for Comprehensive Disaster Recovery
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Forest Landowners Association Commends Bipartisan Push for Comprehensive Disaster Recovery

ByMichelle Cain

The Forest Landowners Association (FLA), representing family forest landowners across 43 states, commends the recent bipartisan, bicameral efforts advocating for disaster relief following Hurricane Helene. These initiatives align with FLA’s ongoing work to develop a robust safety net for private forest landowners. Scott Jones, FLA’s CEO, emphasized the critical nature of these efforts: “Recent natural…

FLA Champions Fix Our Forests Act: Bipartisan Victory in House
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FLA Champions Fix Our Forests Act: Bipartisan Victory in House

ByMichelle Cain

In a significant victory for forest management, H.R. 8790, the Fix Our Forests Act, passed the U.S. House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support on September 24, 2024. This landmark bill, co-sponsored by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Congressman Scott Peters (D-CA), marks a crucial advancement in forest management policies that…

Service Lists Pearl River Map Turtle as Threatened
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Service Lists Pearl River Map Turtle as Threatened

ByMichelle Cain

On July 12th, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a final rule designating the Pearl River map turtle as threatened under the Endangered Species Act with a tailored 4(d) rule for take prohibitions. This rule goes into effect on August 12, 2024. Read the final rule here. This rule lists four other map turtle…

Policy Alert: Supreme Court Overturns Chevron Doctrine
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Policy Alert: Supreme Court Overturns Chevron Doctrine

ByMichelle Cain

Late last week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to overturn the Chevron Doctrine, established in Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. (1984). The landmark ruling in Loper Bright v. Raimondo and Relentless v. Commerce (2024), authored by Chief Justice Roberts, marks a significant shift in the regulatory landscape. For forty years, the…

Forest Landowners Association Applauds House Agriculture Committee’s 2024 Farm Bill Unveiling
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Forest Landowners Association Applauds House Agriculture Committee’s 2024 Farm Bill Unveiling

ByMichelle Cain

The Forest Landowners Association (FLA) welcomes the release of the 2024 Farm Bill by the House Agriculture Committee. This pivotal legislation promises significant benefits for private forest landowners nationwide. Crafted to bolster the sustainability and productivity of privately owned forests as well as many other important farm and nutrition-related policies, the bill stands to fortify…

Biden Administration Unveils Old Growth Inventory
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Biden Administration Unveils Old Growth Inventory

ByMichelle Cain

Last year the Biden administration announced Executive Order 14072: “Strengthening the Nation’s Forests, Communities and Local Economies.”, which tasked the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management with defining and inventorying old growth and mature forests on federal lands. The order cited the importance of old growth’s carbon sequestration and storage for climate mitigation as…

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Streamlining Conservation Agreements and Permitting
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Streamlining Conservation Agreements and Permitting

ByMichelle Cain

Update On April 10, FLA submitted comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding this proposal. While we are encouraged by the efforts of the Service to streamline permitting and conservation agreements, we urge the Service to consider additional revisions that would further improve the regulations and help landowners better achieve collaborative species conservation…

Senators Cassidy and Warnock Prioritize Forest Landowners Bill
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Senators Cassidy and Warnock Prioritize Forest Landowners Bill

ByMichelle Cain

WASHINGTON, DC –The Forest Landowners Association (FLA) commends the introduction of S. 217: The Disaster Reforestation Act, bipartisan legislation designed to allow private forest landowners to recover from the loss of timber destroyed by natural disasters. The bill, sponsored by Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA), would provide the economic certainty that…

House Tax Bill Introduced to Help Forest Landowners Recover
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House Tax Bill Introduced to Help Forest Landowners Recover

ByMichelle Cain

WASHINGTON, DC –The Forest Landowners Association (FLA) commends the introduction of H.R. 655: The Disaster Reforestation Act, bipartisan legislation designed to allow private forest landowners to recover from the loss of timber destroyed by natural disasters. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) and Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL), would provide economic certainty that is…

FLA Keeps Watchful Eye On WOTUS
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FLA Keeps Watchful Eye On WOTUS

ByMichelle Cain

On December 30, the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S Department of the Armyreleased a notice of their final rule defining Waters of the United States (WOTUS). The final rule relies largely on pre-2015 guidance: starting with the 1986 regulations as a baseline and updated to include limitations by the Supreme Court on federal jurisdiction since…