Tell the Senate Agriculture Committee to Remove Destructive Forestry Provisions from the 2026 Farm Bill

by | Aug 5, 2026 | Action Alert

The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry is shaping Title VIII (Forestry) of the 2026 Farm Bill (Agricultural Act of 2026). They may vote on the bill as early as tomorrow/Thursday 8/6/26.  While the Senate draft avoids some of the most extreme House proposals, Title VIII still contains provisions that amend the Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA) to reduce public oversight, expand environmental exemptions and shortcut Endangered Species Act (ESA) reviews across our National Forests.

Specific Title VIII Provisions That Should Be Struck or Amended

  1. Sec. 8214 (Collaborative Restoration Project Size):

    • The Provision: Amends Section 603 of HFRA to expand Categorical Exclusions (CEs) for collaborative restoration projects from 3,000 acres to 10,000 acres (15.6 sq. miles).

    • Why Strike/Amend: Bypassing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review on 10,000-acre landscapes eliminates public scrutiny and scientific review, facilitating commercial logging that high-grades valuable timber while leaving behind heavy logging slash that increases real wildfire risks.

  2. Sec. 8215 (Wildfire Resilience Project Size):

    • The Provision: Amends Section 605 of HFRA to expand CEs for wildfire resilience projects to 10,000 acres.

    • Why Strike/Amend: Tripling the acreage exempt from Environmental Assessments (EAs) and Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) ignores local fire ecology and cuts surrounding communities out of project design.

  3. Sec. 8216 (Sage-Grouse & Mule Deer Habitat Project Size):

    • The Provision: Increases the categorical exclusion limit under Section 606 of HFRA to 7,500 acres.

    • Why Strike/Amend: Expands unscrutinized vegetation removal in sensitive habitat areas without requiring comprehensive environmental impact analysis.

  4. Sec. 8217 (Fuel Breaks Project Size):

    • The Provision: Amends Section 40806(d)(1) of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to expand the fuel break CE threshold to 10,000 acres.

    • Why Strike/Amend: Allows linear fuel breaks across vast areas without standard NEPA environmental reviews or public comment opportunities.

  5. Sec. 8218 (Categorical Exclusion for High-Priority Hazard Trees):

    • The Provision: Establishes a brand-new categorical exclusion allowing hazard tree removal on projects up to 6,000 acres (9.4 sq. miles).

    • Why Strike/Amend: Creates a broad exemption for commercial timber extraction under the label of “hazard tree” management without public oversight.

  6. Sec. 8220 (Consultation Under Certain Land and Resource Management Plans):

    • The Provision: Codifies the programmatic “Cottonwood” exemption, clarifying that additional Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 7 consultation is not required at the Forest Plan level when new species are listed or critical habitat is designated.

    • Why Strike/Amend: Slashing ESA consultation requirements at the programmatic level weakens species protections across entire National Forests and leaves threatened fish and wildlife vulnerable to cumulative impacts.

How to Take Action

Contact members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry today. Urge them to strike or amend these specific sections in Title VIII before the bill moves forward.

  • By Phone: Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to your Senator’s office.

  • Online: Click on the Senator’s name below to submit a message directly through their web portal.

Sample Message for Senators:

“I urge you to protect our National Forests by striking Sections 8214, 8215, 8216, 8217, 8218, and 8220 from Title VIII of the 2026 Farm Bill. Expanding Categorical Exclusions up to 10,000 acres and gutting Endangered Species Act consultation requirements undermines science-based forest management, public participation, and wildlife protection. Do not sacrifice public engagement and ecological integrity for misguided management and unsustainable extraction.”

Members of the Senate Agriculture Committee

Majority Members (Republicans)

Minority Members (Democrats)

Share