Apr. 23—Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed an executive order Tuesday directing the Idaho Department of Lands to prepare for an expected uptick in work supporting and implementing federal logging projects.
Dubbed the “Make Forests Healthy Again Act,” Little’s order is designed to align with a recent executive order from President Donald Trump and a memorandum from U.S. Department Agriculture Secretary Brook Rollins that both direct the U.S. Forest Service to increase timber production by fast tracking environmental reviews.
Little said Idaho leads the nation in use of the Good Neighbor Authority and Shared Stewardship — Congressionally authorized tools that allow state, tribal and local governments to partner with the Forest Service to reduce the risk of large and damaging fires.
“The work we have done and are doing is making a difference,” Little said in the news conference at Coeur d’Alene recorded by KREM 2 News of Spokane. “Under the previous administration, we were limited to the extent we could help. I believe, sincerely, that is going to change under this administration.”
Under the Good Neighbor Authority, the Idaho Department of Lands helps to administer federal timber sales and to hire federal contractors that perform necessary reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act. Shared Stewardship encourages the Forest Service to partner with states and tribes to prioritize land management activities.
Department of Lands Director Dustin Miller said Idaho is already selling about one quarter of the federal timber sales in Idaho and he expects the volume of that work to increase as federal agencies take advantage of emergency declarations and streamlined permitting in Trump’s executive order. The state has Good Neighbor Authority agreements with six of the seven national forests in Idaho and hopes to reach one with the Sawtooth National Forest.
Miller said Idaho is prepared not only to carry out timber and restoration projects but also to help decide where they should be focused. The state’s rapid growth has led to more development in rural areas immediately adjacent to federal forests known as the wildlife urban interface. Miller said the state’s Forest Action Plan calls for work to be prioritized in those places.