Across party lines, 164 Congress members are urging the Trump Administration to preserve the Roadless Rule, which has protected clean water sources and wildlife habitat across 44 million acres of national forest for the past 25 years.
Five Oregon homes have burned this year, and the total acreage lost already tops all of last season. Senator Merkley is pushing hard to reauthorize Forest Service funding he calls still far too thin.
Unions, environmental organizations, and local governments joined forces in federal court to challenge a reorganization plan that critics say would strip the Forest Service of the researchers and regional staff.
Federal lands are set to see increased grazing, a decision ranchers applaud for its potential to reduce wildfire risks while sparking debate with environmentalists over land use.