Protect Federal Forests: Oppose the Fix Our Forests Act

The Fix Our Forests Act, H.R.471, which passed in the House in January 2025, is presented as legislation to address wildfire. However, it does little to invest in proven community protection measures like defensible space, emergency planning, and home hardening. It instead focuses on opening federal lands to logging interests. It also bypasses critical environmental laws, including the Endangered Species Act, that protect our ecosystems and restricts scientific input and public engagement. The bill could have devastating consequences for the environment and endangered species.

This bill would open up millions of acres of federal land to logging without scientific reviewer community input, paving the way for removal of large old-growth trees that store a disproportionately high amount of carbon, a mitigating factor against fire-fueling climate change. The bill could lead to increased road density, which would fragment forest habitat, harm water quality in rivers and streams, and further increase fire risks. Rather than “fixing” forests, this bill increases threats to essential ecosystems. Demand your Senators reject this misguided legislation.

Issue brief content courtesy of the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council.