Reps. Jared Huffman (CA-02), Doris Matsui (CA-07), and John Sarbanes (MD-03) led a group of 28 lawmakers in sending a letter to Secretaries Tom Vilsack and Deb Haaland, urging the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of the Interior (DOI) to undertake a formal rulemaking to protect mature and old-growth forests.
“Mature and old-growth trees play an outsized role in carbon sequestration and storage and provide a host of related benefits, including water quality, recreation, and overall ecosystem integrity,” wrote the lawmakers.
In April 2022, President Biden issued Executive Order 14072, recognizing mature and old-growth forests as vital to the health, prosperity, and resilience of communities across the nation. Mature and old-growth trees absorb and store more greenhouse gasses than younger trees and are home to greater biodiversity, making them essential to our climate and conservation goals.
In light of this, Executive Order 14072 directed USDA and DOI to define, identify, and complete an inventory of mature and old-growth forests on federal lands by April 22, 2023. However, the Executive Order did not direct USDA and DOI to initiate a formal rulemaking to provide durable protections.
“We strongly urge you to initiate a formal rulemaking to ensure these crucial actions are not easily overturned in the future.” the lawmakers continued. “And while your agencies work to implement E.O. 14072 and finalize the rulemaking process, we ask that you issue interim guidance as soon as possible to protect against the further loss of existing mature and old-growth forests. These actions are key to accomplishing the Administration’s commitments to protecting our climate and biodiversity and to position the U.S. as an international leader in nature-based solutions.”
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