The U.S. Department of Agriculture has authorized emergency logging across 113 million acres of National Forest System land, enabling the Forest Service to accelerate timber harvesting by limiting environmental review to a single proposed action and exempting projects from pre-decisional objections. The move, outlined in Secretarial Memorandum 1078-006, follows President Donald Trump’s executive order mandating a 25% increase in domestic timber production. The memo classifies this acreage, equal to 59% of federally managed forest land, as under “emergency situation” status based on wildfire, insect, and disease risks, according to the USDA.
The designated area includes 67 million acres facing high or very high wildfire risk and 79 million acres threatened by insects and disease, with 34 million acres overlapping both categories. These figures are based on USDA assessments including the 2023 Wildfire Hazard Potential report and forest health evaluations under the Healthy Forest Restoration Act. The USDA manages 144 million forested acres nationwide, with 43 million considered suitable for timber production.
Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the emergency designation allows the Forest Service to carry out a range of rapid-response activities. These include salvage logging of dead or dying trees, reforestation, hazardous fuel reduction, post-fire watershed restoration, and repair of damaged utility infrastructure. Environmental review for these actions is limited to comparing the proposed action with a “no action” alternative and is exempt from pre-decisional objection processes.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins directed the Forest Service to increase timber supply by streamlining project planning, shortening permitting timelines, and ensuring consistent timber sale volumes. Strategies include expanding use of the Good Neighbor Authority, stewardship contracts, and tribal agreements under the Tribal Forest Protection Act. The agency is also tasked with developing legislative proposals to further boost timber production and forest health resilience.
Rollins’ directive mandates annual reporting by the Forest Service detailing emergency actions taken, including acres treated, completed consultations, and coordination with state, tribal, and local partners. The memo also authorizes additional emergency powers, including direct hiring of tribal crews, sole-source contracting, expedited permitting, and emergency compliance procedures under laws such as the Endangered Species Act and Clean Water Act.
This USDA action complements Trump’s broader directive for self-sufficiency in construction materials and energy infrastructure. The March 1 executive order requires the Departments of Agriculture and Interior to set annual timber sale targets, revise environmental policies, and streamline forest project approvals over the next four years. It also instructs the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service to fast-track approvals for forest management projects under the Endangered Species Act within 60 days.
Additionally, Trump’s order launched a national security investigation into the impact of subsidized timber imports. Under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, the Department of Commerce is evaluating whether foreign-sourced lumber threatens U.S. economic or defense interests. The administration claims domestic resources can meet 95% of softwood demand but that federal barriers have suppressed domestic production and increased dependence on imports. Commerce is expected to deliver its findings by late November.
The USDA emphasized that all emergency forestry actions must comply with existing laws and operate within the constraints of the federal budget.
