Promoting Active Management of America's Forests, Rangelands, and Other Federal Lands To Improve Conditions and Reduce Wildfire Risk

This executive order directs the Departments of Interior and Agriculture to increase active management of federal forests and rangelands to reduce wildfire risk through expanded timber harvesting, streamlined environmental reviews, and new partnerships with states and tribes. It sets specific acreage treatment targets for 2019 and mandates development of a comprehensive wildfire strategy by December 2020.

Federal Register Open PDF 84 FR 45

Impact dates

Dec 31, 2020
Joint wildfire strategy to support local project decision-making and fire management
Mar 31, 2019
Secretaries identify salvage and log recovery options from 2017-2018 fire-damaged lands

Key directives

DOI: Treat 750,000 acres for fuel reduction; 500,000 acres for water quality; 750,000 acres for species; offer 600 million board feet of timber
USDA FS: Treat 3.5 million acres for fuel reduction; 2.2 million acres for water quality; 750,000 acres for species; offer 3.8 billion board feet of timber
Streamline ESA consultation and NEPA processes using categorical exclusions
Maximize drone use with FAA coordination
Identify salvage/recovery options by March 31, 2019
Develop wildfire strategy by December 31, 2020
Expand Good Neighbor Authority agreements and 20-year stewardship contracts

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

Streamline ESA consultation processes
Maximize drone use for forest management and firefighting
Use all applicable NEPA categorical exclusions

Near term (90d)

Identify salvage/log recovery options from 2017-2018 fire damage by March 31, 2019
Review 2019 budget justifications for DOI and USDA
Establish 2019 acreage treatment objectives

Long term

Develop joint wildfire strategy by December 31, 2020
Pursue 20-year stewardship contracts
Meet or exceed annual treatment objectives in years after 2019

Risks & tensions

Budget constraints: All targets are 'as feasible and appropriate' and 'subject to availability of appropriations', creating uncertainty about enforceability
Environmental tension: Streamlining ESA and NEPA processes may conflict with statutory environmental protections; text notes 'consistent with applicable law' but direction is to minimize time periods
Vague 'give all due consideration' language for 2019 objectives weakens binding effect
Market dependency: Timber sale targets rely on market conditions for biomass and biochar
Interagency friction: EPA and FAA coordination required but no enforcement mechanism specified