U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today continued his push for common sense forest management and led a bipartisan group of his colleagues to call on the Biden administration to include Daines’ full and permanent Cottonwood fix in the Fiscal Year 2024 President’s Budget, which is traditionally introduced after the President delivers his State of the Union Address. President Biden is scheduled to deliver his State of the Union Address February 7, 2023.
“We write today to request your support in the Fiscal Year 2024 President’s Budget for a clean legislative fix to reverse the 2015 Cottonwood Environmental Law Center v. U.S. Forest Service (Cottonwood) decision. An immediate resolution to this decision is vital to allow land managers and wildlife biologists to follow the best available science to improve the health of our forests, reduce the risk of severe wildfires, advance wildlife habitat projects, and support good paying timber jobs.
“The bipartisan Cottonwood fix passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and has the support of the last three Presidential administrations. Importantly, numerous conservation and sportsmen organizations alike back the fix, signaling how necessary and comprehensive the Cottonwood fix is. Commonsense forest management practices using the best available science are key to protecting western communities and wildlife alike and must be allowed to continue,” the senators wrote.
Read full letter HERE.
Background:
Daines has been leading the effort in the Senate to reverse the disastrous Cottonwood decision and prevent frivolous litigation from tying up Montana forest projects.
In July 2022, Daines’ bill to reverse the disastrous Cottonwood decision passed out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee with strong bipartisan support.
In July 2022, Daines sent a letter urging the Biden administration to resolve challenges stemming from the Cottonwood decision and threatening Montana forest management projects.
In July 2021, Senator Daines introduced a bipartisan bill that fully and permanently fixes the Cottonwood decision. Daines’ bill was discussed at a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing that October.
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Contact: Rachel Dumke, Blake Kernen