U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins issued a Secretarial Memo to designate an “Emergency Situation Determination” for 112,646,000 acres of National Forestry System (NFS) land. This action follows President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order aimed at increasing American timber production by 25%. The memo will allow the U.S. Forest Service to accelerate efforts on the ground and implement emergency measures to reduce wildfire risks, protecting American lives and communities.
“Healthy forests require action, and we are currently facing a national forest emergency. There is a significant amount of timber at high risk of wildfires in our National Forests,” said Secretary Rollins. “I’m proud to support President Trump’s bold leadership by giving forest managers the authority to reduce barriers and lessen the risks of fires, pests, and diseases, while strengthening the American timber industry and enhancing our forests with the resources they need to flourish.”
The memo is part of a broader initiative to ensure sustainable management of American resources for future generations. It will help support rural economies, reduce wildfire risks, and expand capacity through workforce alignment and new partnerships.
Additionally, this memo will prompt immediate action from the U.S. Forest Service, instructing field leadership to boost timber output, simplify permitting, eliminate National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) processes, reduce implementation and contracting obstacles, and collaborate with states, local governments, and forest product producers to maintain a reliable and consistent timber supply.
This effort builds on Secretary Rollins’ recent announcement to improve American energy production by directing the USDA Forest Service to address restrictive Biden-era regulations that have hindered energy and mineral development on Forest Service land. As part of this initiative, the agency also revoked two mineral leasing withdrawals on Forest Service land, which will aid in the production of vital minerals.
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (PA-15) issued the following statement after U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced sweeping reforms to protect National Forests and bolster domestic timber production:
“National forests are in crisis, and I applaud Secretary Rollins for taking decisive action to cut red tape, reduce wildfire risk, and expand domestic timber production. By streamlining permitting and empowering forest managers, this initiative will create jobs, support rural economies, and ensure our forests are properly managed for future generations. These outstanding initiatives led by Secretary Rollins along with strong markets will provide both economic health and forest health.”
