Bipartisan Wildfire Forest Management Bill Advances in Senate

A Senate panel advanced a bipartisan bill on Tuesday that would expedite environmental reviews to help prevent catastrophic fires and increase the scope of restoration projects.

The “Fix Our Forests Act” would also deter lawsuits that delay what is deemed essential forest management. The legislation (S. 1462) gained momentum earlier this year in the wake of the Southern California wildfires.

The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee advanced the bill in an 18-5 vote with six Democrats backing the bill, including Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), the top Democrat on the panel. The committee also adopted a manager’s amendment ...