Wyoming Forests Included in USDA’s Expanded Logging Initiative

A new logging initiative by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will include nearly all of Wyoming’s national forests, aiming to increase timber production and reduce wildfire risks, Oil City News reports.

The initiative, part of an Emergency Situation Determination (ESD), was announced by USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins last week.

The decision follows a 2024 executive order from former President Donald Trump, which set a goal to increase US timber production by 25%. Rollins emphasized that the US has ample timber resources, but federal restrictions have limited their use, increasing reliance on foreign timber imports.

“It is vital that we reverse these policies and increase domestic timber production to protect our national and economic security,” Rollins stated in a memorandum.

At the same time, the initiative responds to growing wildfire concerns across the western US Wyoming experienced an active wildfire season in 2024, with the Elk Fire in the Bighorn National Forest burning nearly 100,000 acres over a month. Rollins stressed that allowing forest managers more flexibility in logging could help reduce wildfire risks, insect infestations, and disease.

Several Wyoming forests will be affected, including:

• Bighorn National Forest

• Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest

• Bridger-Teton National Forest

• Shoshone National Forest

• Black Hills National Forest

The USDA’s ESD designation will impact approximately 112 million acres of National Forest System lands, covering 59% of all Forest Service territory deemed at risk of fire or harmful insect outbreaks.

As part of the initiative, the USDA will also scale back certain National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements, aiming to expedite the process for forest management activities. However, Rollins assured that federal logging actions would still comply with major environmental regulations such as the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act, with consultants hired to oversee compliance.