Gluesenkamp Perez’s Bipartisan Provisions Signed Into Law to Manage Forests, Reduce Wildfire Risk
Last week, the EXPLORE Act was signed into law by the President, including provisions of Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) and Rep. Russ Fulcher’s (ID-01) bipartisan Treating Tribes and Counties as Good Neighbors Act. The legislation will extend eligibility for the Forest Service’s Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) for federal forest restoration and management projects to Tribes and counties and increase opportunities for cross-boundary restoration. The Congresswoman joined her bipartisan colleagues to pass the EXPLORE Act in the House in April, and it passed the Senate in December.
In September 2023, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez spoke on the House floor in support of House passage of the Treating Tribes and Counties as Good Neighbors Act. Video of her remarks can be found here.
In May 2023, the Congresswoman spoke at the House Agriculture Committee in support of Committee passage of the legislation. Video of her remarks can be found here.
“Ensuring the health and longevity of our national forests for future generations is central to who we are as rural Americans. The Good Neighbor Authority has been critical to that effort and gotten boots on the ground to manage these lands,” said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. “By getting this bipartisan legislation signed into law, we will build on the success of the Good Neighbor Authority so we can reduce wildfire risk and keep our woods healthy and productive for years to come. Wildfire and natural disasters don’t discriminate between Federal and non-Federal lands, and this legislation will ensure Tribes and counties can receive the full benefits of these agreements.”
GNA has allowed the U.S. Forest Service to partner with states on federal forest restoration and management projects to improve wildlife habitats, enhance watersheds, and reduce wildfire risks. In the 2018 Farm Bill, Congress amended GNA to make Tribes and Counties eligible to enter into Good Neighbor Agreements. However, Tribes and Counties were not afforded the same authority as states to retain GNA project receipts to reinvest in conservation, reducing a significant incentive to partner on forest management projects.
Additionally, the 2018 Farm Bill removed the ability for restoration services to take place off of federal lands. This means adjacent state, tribal, county, and other land that is essential to the health and productivity of National Forests can no longer be restored as comprehensive landscapes.
The Treating Tribes and Counties as Good Neighbors Act provides Tribes and Counties with the ability to reinvest receipts in authorized restoration and enables all GNA partners to perform restoration not just on federal lands, but also on lands approved under the project’s Good Neighbor Agreement.
“Through our close relationships and years of work on behalf of forests with both Tribes and counties in the lower Columbia River region, we strongly attest to the benefits of this bill,” said Cherie Kearney, Forest Conservation Director for the Columbia Land Trust. “Directing Good Neighbor Authority to Tribes and counties will support community-based forest management. Community-based forest management is good for communities, economies and forest health.”
“We thank Reps. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Derek Kilmer for their leadership and success in expanding Good Neighbor Authority to counties and tribes,” said Cowlitz Tribe Chairwoman Patty Kinswa-Gaiser. “This effort will build on the critical work the tribe already does for forest and habitat restoration for native species. The Gifford Pinchot has always held cultural and spiritual importance to the Cowlitz people, and this bill will allow tribes such as the Cowlitz to take on more projects to improve our national forests and rivers.”
“This legislation marks a step in the right direction for Skamania County to better partner with the U.S. Forest Service to manage our federal forests and to utilize excess funds from restoration projects to invest in our community,” said Skamania County Commissioner Tom Lannen. “This is a significant addition to our toolbox and a refreshing development to see a bipartisan coalition accomplish a positive outcome for timber communities.”
“Since I signed the first Good Neighbor Authority agreement between Washington State and the federal government in 2017, we have been a model for the rest of the country to see what is possible when we work across boundaries,” said Hilary Franz, Washington State DNR Commissioner of Public Lands. “Our forests are in crisis. Because of our Good Neighbor agreements with every national forest in Washington, DNR has restored more than 19,000 acres of federal forests since 2019. We must increase the pace and scale of that work in order to ensure those forests remain strong for generations to come. By allowing our Tribal and county partners to enter into Good Neighbor agreements, we can continue to protect our forests and help tackle climate change while securing our working lands, creating jobs, and building more resilient communities. It’s a no-brainer.”
“The nation’s State Foresters applaud Representatives Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) and Fulcher (R-ID) for their bold leadership in introducing the Treating Tribes and Counties as Good Neighbors Act, securing strong bipartisan support for the bill, and shepherding this important legislation to the House floor for a vote,” said Kacey KC, President of the National Association of State Foresters. “The Good Neighbor Authority is contributing to the restoration of federal forests on a scale never before realized and it’s time to fully unlock its potential as a cross boundary restoration tool.”