FOFA and Sierra Club
Hi there. I'm a group leader in an area that is very affected by wildfires. Despite sharing CCL trainings and info from the forums, reassurances about logging and NEPA, many of the most engaged CCL members in my chapter don't want to support FOFA, including some team leaders. I believe they will not be supporters until the Sierra Club gives the thumbs up. What has CCL National done to work with this organization on this and other legislation?
Hi @Andrea De Zubiria. We've engaged with Sierra Club on FOFA, but we're just in disagreement about it. Sierra Club thinks the Trump admin will use it as a tool to engage in clearcutting. We disagree for a number of reasons.
- The language in FOFA clearly prohibits this.
- Wildfire management projects are created and overseen by US Forest Service staffers whose goal is to preserve forest health. It's not like timber industry executives are sitting in Forest Service cubicles writing wildfire management plans.
- One might fear that the Trump administration will find ways to proceed with clearcutting anyway, but if you're arguing about their lawless behavior, well then they can go ahead and illegally clearcut with or without FOFA, so we might as well pass good legislation with a long-term view in mind.
- The timber industry doesn't have the infrastructure to rapidly ramp up clearcutting operations anyway. We've had almost no logging on federal lands since the turn of the century.
- Expediting wildfire management projects is extremely important, and the Trump admin only has three years left in office. We shouldn't be scared to pass good important legislation based on short-term concerns of executive abuse.
If your chapter members aren't persuaded by these points and still won't support FOFA as long as the Sierra Club opposes it, that's fine. We just ask that you don't oppose the bill as a CCL chapter, because that would contradict CCL National's endorsement.
@Andrea De Zubiria If I remember correctly, some environmental organizations were initially opposed to carbon pricing. Some still are. Over time, though, some have changed their stance, which is a positive shift.
I hope people consider the pros and cons of FOFA, just like they did with carbon pricing, and make up their own minds instead of simply following what CCL or the Sierra Club says.
@Dana Nuccitelli
Thank you for your thorough response. This is why CCL is my trusted messenger and I have been doing this for so many years. Our chapter did endorse FOFA officially at our team leader meeting last night despite one or two team leaders who are still skeptical and concerned, for exactly the reasons you describe.
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