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Press Releases

WASHINGTON –U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) emphasized the importance of investing in forestry management during a Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) hearing examining legislative solutions for wildfire threats to communities and wildlife.

Watch Boozman’s questions during the hearing

The thriving timber industry in Arkansas provides well paying jobs for thousands of Arkansans and has a total economic impact of $3.2 billion annually in the state. With more than 19 million acres of forests in Arkansas, the need to be active in forest management is essential to preventing wildfires as well as benefits like decreasing carbon emissions. 

Witnesses at the hearing agreed that enhanced forest management practices would reduce our nation’s carbon footprint. 

“If we can improve management of our forests in a constructive way that reduces some of these catastrophic fires, the emissions savings are significant,” said National Wildlife Federation President and CEO Collin O’Mara. 

Wildfires account for the release of 50 to 150 million metric tons of carbon annually. Current over-burdensome federal policies create dangerous conditions and kill job growth, with minimal benefit to the environment. Providing common sense regulations to prevent catastrophic wildfires can protect people, reduce our carbon footprint, and promote job growth in Arkansas and across rural America.