During his remarks, chief mere also talked about chief moore also a talked about efforts to mitigate wildfires for parts of the western United States with. This is an hour and 25 minutes. [inaudible conversations] committee will come to order to. This morning were here to discuss the president s fiscal year 2025 budget request for Forest Service. Id like to begin by thanking chief randy moore and the Forest Service budget director for being with us this morning. Thank you both. I look forward to hearing about the justification for the 366 6. 5 increase requested. Although may would normally be just the start of the fire season, weve already had recordbreaking wildfires as is becoming all too common. In february while it was still snowing, over 1 million acres in texas burned killing 2 people and burning 1300 poems homes 130 homes. I me my colleagues from wen states are on pins and needs. Our committee has considered several bills that would support and improve Wildfire Response network from increasing the use of technology for wildfire detection to integrating local communities loggers and volunteer firefighters into wildfire suppression efforts on federal land. In the mean teem, congress has tried to address this problem at the source by investing heavily inti hazardous fuels reduction. Between the bipartisan infrastructure law and the Inflation Reduction Act, the Forest Service has been given [inaudible] im so sorry. Has been given about 12 the with on top of your billion on top of your annual appropriations. Now that were a few years into those the law, todays a Good Opportunity for us to take stock ofop how the Forest Service is implementing those historic investments as well as the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2025. As i mentioned, the bipartisan infrastructure law and the i. R. A. Will add a senate extra boost to the Forest Service boost for Forest Management each year with. To bee honest, chief moore, i am frustrated how little these extra investments is have moved the need on the agencys performance metrics. I dodo appreciate that last year was a banner year for the Forest Service in terms of acres treat theed. More than 4. 3 million acres. Thats a million acres more than the Previous Year and it sets an agencyse record. Some of your performance metrics were less encouraging. For example, your timber target for last year was 3. 4 million board feet, you missed that by about 2600 m. You had a target of 16 improved watersheds, you only managed 6. You told us the that it takes time to develop these prompts and we should be patient. Instead of continuing the ramp up treatments, however, the agencys target is actually going down over the next two years. So one of the issues i hope well explore today is why the historic funding provide voided by those two bills arent translating better into onground action. The backdrop to our discussion beyond impending fire season is a rash of saw pill closures this year including six in my home state e of west virginia. I knew that Wood Products market has been especially volatile since the pandemic. Weve heard aem number of repor, however, that longstanding saw mills are simply running out of nearby material and need to haul logs in from further and further away which significantly cuts into their already thin margins. More consistent, reliable offerings would undoubt cannedly help these struggling operators. Whatser also concerning about these mill closures is that the Forest Services wildfire if. Strategy is fundamentally feint on a Robust Network of mills that can process the material from our nations forest. As we recently heard of our hearing withth the wildfire commission, revenuegenerating timber that harvests are are critical to pay for prescribed fire reforestation. If done right, timber or harvest can provide a return to the federal taxpayer, increase the health of our forests and support critical industry partnerses. The Forest Service as has used somese innovate weve models in the past. For example, last year the agency piloted a timber transport project to salvage burned timber in california and ship it to struggling saw mills in wyoming. That makes all the sense in the world. We shouldnt just be letting salvageable timber rot. Ive said this so many times in these hearing. Ines the long term, congress can also help develop markets for the small diameter timber that often a comes from wildfire mitigation projects that as as were thinning and cleaning. In fact, several of the provisions i introduced with Ranking Member barrasso would do just that. Quhowever, we simply cannot affd the lose all of our to lose all a of our existing mill structure while that a market grows, and i hope we will hear howl the Forest Service can further expand on efforts like the timber transport project. Lastly, i know the forestry often get the lions share of attention but i also want to highlight the tremendous role our National Forest plays when it comes to our Outdoor Recreation economy. Last year the 159 million visitors to Forest Service lands generated billions in Economic Activity and supported nearly 180,000 jobs. Unfortunately, the Forest Service has a deferred maintenance backlog of more than 7 billion including 5 billion in maintenance just finish maintenance just foror the loads alone. The roads dont just provide access to our recreation lands, but are vital attarlies for Rural Communities. Perhaps even more concerning, our roads in Poor Condition threat thesens our ability to deemploy fire fighter firefighters. As wero with approach the expiration of hand if story funding for Facilities Maintenance that would provide we provided in the Great American outdoors act, its worth asking what what changes could be made to better address the t next set of hurdls facing the Forest Service . Chief mere, i want to thank you again for being here today. I think i speak for all a of us when i say we just dont want you to succeed, we need you to succeed. I look forward to hearing your perspective on the plans for the year ahead, andnd with that, il turn to my friend, senator barrasso, for his opening statement. Thanks soso much, mr. Chairm. Thanks so much for coming. I share your concerns. Historic investments, failure to meet the targets. Thats what youve pointed out, thats what people continue to point out year after year. Wyomings forests including our eight nationalng forests help sustain our way of life, they support ourur local communities. The case across the west, our forests face many challenges esincluding wildfire, drought, insect and and disease outbreaks, additional pressures from the saw mill closures. In 9197 1976 wyoming saw mills could process over 300 million board feet every year. Forests were healthy and priskt. According to the Forest Services latest that 2006s, wyomings mills can now process just with 100 million board feet, so it goes from 300 million to 100 million, thats a twothirds drop in our capacity, and now the health of our National Forests is poor, the wildfire if risk is high, and we dont make things better in a way to manage if our National Forests, the risks are going to keep growing, things are going to get worse. So i look toward to hearing how the targets can be hit to address these critical challenges, and im pleased with some of the priorities in the budge. Funding to protect our communities from catastrophic fire, also pay raise for our wild land firefighters. I do have concerns also about the budget because for years the festst service has asked congres for more and more money, and weve a heard it from both sides of the aisle, that a money has been granted. Congresses has responded by giving the agency billions of dollars in additional taxpayer funds. Since 2021, congress has given the agency more than 40 billion, with a b, 40 billion. Yet the Forest Service has not treated more acres. Its not sold more timber. Its not expedited the Environmental Review process for Forest Management prompts. Mr. Chairman projects. The question continues, where have all these taxpayer dollars gone . I acknowledge the forest if service faces enormous challenges as a it combats wildfires, yet despite having g more money than ever, the agey has not done the work on the ground to address the crisis. In fact, the agency expects to treat fewer acres than it did last year in year. Is and for the this year. And for timber hard levels to remain flat in fiscal year 2025, this is completely unacceptable. In wyoming sustainable timber harvests support our local communities. They reduce wildfire risk, they improve forest health. But year after year we find ourselves in the same situation. Inconsistent log splice from the National Forests underline mine our local saw mills. Without a dependable and affordable supplyde of timber there if our public land, these familyowned businesses cannot survive, and we know it all too well in wyoming. If just last month nieman enterprise, a Family Business in wyoming, had to announce layoffs. They hated doing it. This is a direct red light of the Forest Services result of the forest if Services Decision toe reduce harvest levels in the black hills National Forest. The Forest Service has upended the lives of 50 harden working employees and their families, its jeopardized jobs at a nearby if wood product facilities and has put at risk the health of the black hills National Forest. The decision to reduce the Timber Sale Program on the black hills will reverse or years of progress. Without active management, that forest is going to return to the same condition that resulted in the wildfires and the beetle kill. This is exactly what we are trying to avoid. Yet the Forest Service seems indifferent to the consequences of their own ina action. Inaction. D theres broad agreement on this committee that the Forest Service is not meeting the challenges it confronts. The forest if service no longer safeguards and promotes forest health. Its now just managing the deterioration of our National Forests. The Forest Service is must changege course, must start managing our forests in a serious and credible way. Look, we know what works. We know what we need to do, and the Forest Product sector is willing to help get the work done. Mr. Chair. The president s budget names three primary goals for us to modernize wildland fire management, and to sustain investments critical to our mission, to ensure equitable access and benefits to america. Today i will share our progress as to commit serious challenges i will share to be a sound investment. We won her 93 million acres of national for system land reach across boundaries to assist states, tribes, and communities as well as private land owners to get millions of force it acres healthy and productive. Every American Benefits from these directly or indirectly. Together these lands provide basic needs for life, clean air and water. But they contribute to the Energy Production and they support the local economies, National Forest alone contribute more than 400 10,000 jobs and 44. 3 billion to the gross domestic product. To sustain productivity and health force must be able to withstand threats posed by wildfires, claimant, insects and disease. We invest resources to act and ensure that foremost we prioritize work to reduce wildfire risk, safeguard communities create resilient forests we launched a 10 year wildfiree crisis strategy and we have moved to implement it. Annual appropriations coupled with the historic bipartisan infrastructure law andon inflatn reduction act and provide us extraordinary opportunity to take bold and strategic actions. We did just that. Leeve progressed to deliver on a promise to increase the pace and scale of our treatment. Thnot treating any acre we are treated the right figures in the right places and at the right scale. We focused initial efforts on 21 priority landscapes within western fire sheds that are at the highest risk. They count for roughly 80 of wildfire risk for these are paying dividends experts report roughly 700 million worth of infrastructure are at risk for these pervy landscapes. This includes 6. 5 billion of municipal water spread supply Drinking Water wildfire risk to these assets by 8 reduce the risk for infrastructure by 8 for housing and then we also reduce the risk to watershed by 12 . What does that mean . More than 175 million worth of homes were at risk. National forests 17 communities are at lower risk including towns of cold springs and strawberry. A million socially Vulnerable People are at lessle risk. Nearly half of the nations forest lands and priority landscapes are considered unlikely to burn at high intensity. We must remain on course and build on these gains. We must also invest in our firefighters. We recognize the urgency of investing and a permanent comprehensive pay increase to provide a more livable wage enhance recruitment and stabilize retention. We must also prove Housing Conditions that provide better care for firefighters, physical and Mental Health. Ween look forward to seeing an d to reports of firefighters living in cars with few benefits and limited Mental Health care. In addition work to address the welfare crisis and firefighters we continue to take action that support access and benefits from forest. Visitor use, hunting and fishing, energy and mineral development, Forest Products and livestock generate 69 of the contributions to the economy rethinks the Great American out direct funds with the relief of the pressure 8. 6 billion backlog. Budget request 58 million to maintain critical Recreation Services with a focus on offering welcoming equitable opportunities were also make a difference in our urban environment. Fords service and partners are planning to maintain trees and the cities and suburbs for 84 of americans live. Teresa met extreme heat and Climate Change also 2025 budget returns basic funding to most programs this includes Forest Products which are vital to sustain Rural Communities this includes sustainable timber supply photo its a critical component part of a marketdriven system we do not control markets we can support industry through Forest Products and wouldld innovation want to help adapt and modernize. The current industry adopts the agency is taken strives to support the existing industry but one investing over the last three years directly supporting sawmills other manufacturing facilities. When baskets with mills transport program authorize contracts to provide relief from the decline of demand for the Paper Products. In closing, we are fully committed to me the challenges beforein us with resources congress has provided and the people of america deserve nothing less than to see their money put to work for the benefit of all thank you i welcome your questions. Critical start questions thank you. Chief your budget integrates you have increased by more than 3000 in place since 2021, 3000 i understand about a month ago in situ 30 day hiring pause. For non fire staff to have a strategic and have a handle on your budget we like to know you came up with. Mr. Chairman we increased our workforce by 4000 people. That was her plan from the beginning we lost about 40 of the non fire workforce over the last 20 years. How many were hired in areas vacant for years to fill those positions or an area do you beef up or as needed . So, we did a number of things we had to bring in a new skill set toki complement the skill st we currently have. We look at the trends developing in this country. Puts things in front work with partners. Working with communities. We also need to add to our skill set people know how to work with communities people who know how to bring people to the table to facilitate and bring meetings because we ultimately want to do was sure the decision space with local communities. We had to invest and skill sets. How much of this going through bonuses your present employers or employees questioning the people have on staff. Much of that percentage of that money go for that or for hiring the people . No, we routinely provide vibonuses based on performance t the end of the year. He was nothing extra at with this money. If you could give us a break down what kind of employees are hired and how they are contriving to the agencys mission that be very helpful for this committee. Be