BY RANDALL RYTI
Los Alamos

I thank Senator Heinrich for his leadership in finding practical solutions to promote the health of our forests and our communities with practical legislation to boost forest service land management (see ‘Heinrich, Warnock, Daines, Justice Introduce Legislation To Protect Communities From Increasingly Catastrophic Wildfires, Boost Forest Management At Forest Service’, https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-warnock-daines- justice-introduce-legislation-to-protect-communities-from-increasingly-catastrophic-wildfires- boost-forest-management-at-forest-service ).

The impacts of climate change are real and are caused by us; so we are also responsible for finding solutions.

The Senate is also considering the Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA). Vital wildfire mitigation forest management projects have been unnecessarily delayed and caught up in red tape. This legislation ensures that scientifically supported forest management practices can move forward promptly while maintaining important environmental and community protections. This legislation, combined with adequate funding and staffing for the US Forest Service, will enable us to save forests, wildlife, and people. I ask our Senators Lujan and Heinrich to move quickly to make improvements to FOFA for New Mexicans and everyone living, working, or recreating in or near our National Forests.