RMEF action alert. "Fix Our Forests Act" 119th Congress H.R.471

[BuzzH]

Hopefully they try to fold some funding into this.

Pretty tough to do much of anything management wise when you can't even hire seasonal help.

EO put a halt to all Federal hiring for 90 days, preceded by the over a year "pause" in hiring before that.

 

[jimh406]

Passed the House. On to the Senate.

 

[Potsie]

Hopefully they try to fold some funding into this.

Pretty tough to do much of anything management wise when you can't even hire seasonal help.

EO put a halt to all Federal hiring for 90 days, preceded by the over a year "pause" in hiring before that.

I hope part of that funding would be to make permanent the pay increases for wildland firefighters.

Gonna need those guys, and many more like them in the years to come.

 

[kwyeewyk]

Finally had a chance to read the details, this looks like good stuff to me, well thought out and shows real desire to address the issues and not just partisan power moves. The only part I really see as a weakening of environmental review is Sec 122 exempting FS and BLM from having to reconsult on existing projects based on new ESA listings or new information. I'd revise that language slightly, but seems like reasonable compromise.

Funding is an issue, but the bigger issue is turning that funding into work on the ground, hiring has been a huge problem for both agencies, jobs that used to have dozens or even hundreds of applicants now often go unfilled, either because of limited budget, but also sometimes because the few applicants turn them down. The other barrier is getting contracts awarded, huge turn over of contracting officers, and with a push to use contracts instead of agreements that problem will only get worse. Hopefully the fireshed center would be set up to do procurement.