Lawson Fite Quoted in E&E News

Marten Partner Lawson Fite (Portland, OR) was quoted in "Scientists Fight Over Forest Policy in Climate Bill," a top daily story published in E&E News regarding forest and wildfire management provisions in the Build Back Better Act. 

The article discusses how the Build Back Better Act's wildfire and forest management provisions demonstrate a wider debate around forest management - with scientists on both sides arguing for and against forest trimming. Lawson commented "While the "Build Back Better" bill is still being fine-tuned in order to pass the Senate, the infrastructure bill was a win for forest-thinning," and added that he believes the provisions will make a "big difference in wildfire management." 

Lawson noted one of the primary advances included in the Build Back Better Act is "a provision easing environmental reviews on fuel breaks in national forests, which managers use to slow the spread of wildfire. Fuel breaks up to 1,000 feet wide and totaling 3,000 acres would receive a new categorical exclusion from the National Environmental Policy Act, applied to both the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management." Lawson believes his would "help establish a more coherent Forest Service policy on the fuel breaks."

Click here to read the full story. 

Lawson is the co-chair of Marten's Natural Resources Practice, and represents multiple players in the forest and timber industry. He can be reached at lfite@martenlaw.com.