The American Forest Resource Council (AFRC) along with a coalition of counties in Washington, Oregon and California and the Association of O&C Counties filed a legal challenge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) November 2021 decision to withdraw critical habitat exclusions for the […]
Press Releases
AFRC Responds to President Trump’s Executive Orders on U.S. Timber and Lumber Production
The American Forest Resource Council (AFRC) today voiced its strong support for two Executive Orders signed by President Trump on March 1, aimed at expanding U.S. timber production and strengthening the domestic lumber industry. The Executive Orders address key challenges facing federal forest management, wildfire prevention, and the economic sustainability of the nation’s wood products […]
AFRC Welcomes Tom Schultz as 21st Chief of the U.S. Forest Service
American Forest Resource Council President Travis Joseph has the following to say regarding the appointment of Tom Schultz as the 21st Chief of the U.S. Forest Service: “Tom Schultz recognizes the vital role of active forest management on federal lands in supporting rural communities, strengthening local economies, and protecting the environment. With a distinguished career […]
Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Critical Case on NEPA’s Scope And Application
Today, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, Colorado. This case presents a crucial opportunity to address the extensive and often overreaching applications of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which have significant implications for infrastructure and environmental law. Seven County Infrastructure Coalition […]
Proposed Sáttítla National Monument Would Increase Wildfire Risks in Northern California
California forest sector leaders today cautioned President Joe Biden that using Antiquities Act authorities to create a new Sáttítla National Monument will significantly complicate efforts to mitigate severe wildfires, protect communities, and restore forest health in northern California. The monument proposal spans over 200,000 acres of federal land within the Klamath, Modoc, and Shasta-Trinity National […]
Forest Health Projects on Fremont-Winema National Forest Can Proceed After Ninth Circuit Decision
Today the American Forest Resource Council (AFRC) announced a significant legal victory in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit concerning three critical forest management projects—Baby Bear, Bear Wallow, and South Warner—on the Fremont-Winema National Forest. The Ninth Circuit upheld the U.S. Forest Service’s use of the timber stand and/or wildlife habitat categorical […]
AFRC Comments Raise Concerns Over National Old-Growth Amendment and U.S. Forest Service’s Ability to Reduce Wildfire Risks
On Friday, the American Forest Resource Council (AFRC) will formally submit comments to the Forest Service highlighting how the proposed National Old-Growth Amendment undermines the agency’s ability to address the primary threats to old-growth forests including severe wildfires that have already devastated nearly 700,000 acres of old-growth forests on federal lands over the past two […]
Brief for SCOTUS Railway Case Filed by Forestry, Oil and Natural Gas Associations
Today, the American Forestry Resource Council (AFRC) and Western Energy Alliance (Alliance) submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in support of the petitioners in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition and Uinta Basin Railway, LLC v. Eagle County, Colorado et al. Mountain States Legal Foundation, led by counsel Ivan London and Grady J. Block, prepared […]
Over $100M in Climate Funds Spent on Forestry Projects That Don’t Reduce Net Carbon Emissions – Explainer
The fate of Washington’s cap-and-trade law, the Climate Commitment Act (CCA), will be decided by voters this November. Proponents of the law often claim that repealing the CCA would eliminate critical funding to improve forest health, reduce wildfire risk, and make forests more resilient to climate change. However, these claims don’t square up with how […]
Pacific County Judge Rejects Anti-Forestry Lawsuit Targeting Washington DNR Timber Sale
Pacific County Superior Court Judge Donald J. Richter last week rejected a lawsuit by anti-forestry groups claiming the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) violated state laws in approving a timber sale in mature forest stands, also politically labeled as “legacy forests,” on public working forests known as state trust lands. This case on the […]