Washington, D.C.--Today, Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) announced the introduction of the Targeted Operations to Remove Catastrophic Hazards (TORCH) Act—a critical piece of legislation aimed at reducing wildfire risk and restoring the health of America's forests. With the introduction of the bill on day one of the 119th Congress, Rep. LaMalfa is making it clear that forest management and wildfire prevention are top priorities for this legislative session.
"The TORCH Act is a direct response to the pressing threat of catastrophic wildfires that continue to devastate rural areas, wildlife, and critical infrastructure across the country. This legislation streamlines and accelerates forest management projects, giving us the tools we need to restore healthy forests, reduce wildfire hazards, and protect the lives and livelihoods of those who live in high-risk areas. We can't wait for the next fire to come—this bill will allow us to act now, at a larger scale, and in a smarter way.
Managing our forests and reducing wildfire risk isn't just a task for one agency, it requires cooperation across all levels of government and the private sector. By encouraging partnerships and removing regulatory roadblocks, the TORCH Act gives us the tools we need to make progress and protect the people and lands of rural America," said. Rep. LaMalfa.
Key provisions of the TORCH Act include:
The TORCH Act will be a cornerstone of Rep. LaMalfa's legislative efforts in the 119th Congress, reinforcing his commitment to promoting healthy forests, reducing wildfire risks, and ensuring the safety and prosperity of rural areas.
Congressman Doug LaMalfa is Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties.
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"The TORCH Act is a direct response to the pressing threat of catastrophic wildfires that continue to devastate rural areas, wildlife, and critical infrastructure across the country. This legislation streamlines and accelerates forest management projects, giving us the tools we need to restore healthy forests, reduce wildfire hazards, and protect the lives and livelihoods of those who live in high-risk areas. We can't wait for the next fire to come—this bill will allow us to act now, at a larger scale, and in a smarter way.
Managing our forests and reducing wildfire risk isn't just a task for one agency, it requires cooperation across all levels of government and the private sector. By encouraging partnerships and removing regulatory roadblocks, the TORCH Act gives us the tools we need to make progress and protect the people and lands of rural America," said. Rep. LaMalfa.
Key provisions of the TORCH Act include:
- Categorical Exclusions and Zone Expansions: These provisions will make it easier to address wildfire risks and clean up after wildfires by expanding categorical exclusion from NEPA to allow thinning and post-fire recovery across much larger areas of our national forests. This is a huge step forward in increasing the pace-and-scale of wildfire resilience efforts.
- Clear Zones: This provision expand upon Rep. LaMalfa's previous work with the CLEAR Zones Act, which focuses on improving the safety of electrical lines by removing hazardous trees and vegetation in high-risk areas to help reduce unintended wildfire ignitions.
- The Cottonwood Fix: These provisions include a key fix to the Endangered Species Act by exempting the U.S. Forest Service from re-consulting with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on new species information. This will eliminate unnecessary delays that slow down much-needed forest restoration projects.
- Grazing and Wildfire Risk Reduction: These provisions are from Rep. LaMalfa’s previous bill, H.R. 7666, which directs the Secretary of Agriculture to develop a strategy to expand livestock grazing as a means of reducing wildfire risk.
The TORCH Act will be a cornerstone of Rep. LaMalfa's legislative efforts in the 119th Congress, reinforcing his commitment to promoting healthy forests, reducing wildfire risks, and ensuring the safety and prosperity of rural areas.
Congressman Doug LaMalfa is Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties.
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