Why It Matters

The federal government’s approach to forest management will directly determine water security, power grid reliability, and community safety across the American West. At stake: whether lawmakers embrace accelerated thinning and prescribed burns to prevent catastrophic wildfires, or maintain environmental safeguards that critics say slow prevention efforts.

Water utilities, local governments, and power companies are watching closely. The Salt River Project, San Bernardino County, and conservation groups are actively lobbying to shape the outcome. Over half the West’s water originates in national forests, and wildfires contaminate watersheds while damaging power infrastructure.

The Fix Our Forests Act (H.R. 471), which passed the House 279-141, would streamline environmental reviews and expand management authority. Republican members champion these changes, while Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO-2) and Democrats emphasize tribal co-management and adequate federal staffing.

Broader Context

Congressional focus on forest management has intensified as catastrophic wildfires threaten Western communities and infrastructure. The nexus between forests, water, and power has become increasingly urgent, with wildfires damaging watersheds that supply over half the Western U.S. water while threatening grid reliability.

Recent legislative efforts include the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program reauthorization and The Dalles Watershed Development Act, demonstrating sustained congressional action on these interconnected challenges.

Key stakeholders including Salt River Project, Conservation Alliance, and the Southwestern Water Conservation District have engaged in substantial lobbying throughout 2025.

The Agenda

The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries will hear from witnesses spanning forest management, utilities, water systems, and conservation.

Key witnesses expected:

Between The Lines

Committee Leadership: Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR-4), a trained forester, chairs the subcommittee and champions active forest management through the Fix Our Forests Act.

Republican Approach: GOP members align on aggressive management. Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA-5) argues California’s 2020 wildfire emissions exceeded 17 years of state emissions reductions, advocating for expanded categorical exclusions from environmental reviews.

Democratic Strategy: Democrats emphasize collaboration and resources. Neguse co-led bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program, calling it a "successful partnership program."

Competitive Landscape

Organizations are intensifying lobbying ahead of the January 8 hearing. Salt River Project retained consultants to advocate on forest health funding and federal appropriations. San Bernardino County, facing acute fire risks, employed multiple firms to lobby on fire prevention and forest management.

The Bottom Line

The hearing signals congressional consensus on a fundamental problem: forest mismanagement threatens water supplies and grid reliability. However, disagreement persists over solutions.

Key divisions:

  • Republicans prioritize streamlining environmental reviews and accelerating management projects
  • Democrats support collaborative approaches and tribal co-management with adequate federal staffing
  • Stakeholders are actively lobbying across party lines

The urgency is genuine—wildfires threaten over half the West’s water supply, power grids face documented vulnerability, and drought conditions persist. The question remains whether deregulation or collaborative stewardship offers the better path forward.

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