This sh*t is just nonstop. I can't help but wonder what the world would actually, physically look like if the Republicans were able to implement every one of their desires like this. My guess? An absolute wasteland. Their plans are literally the same as the ones cartoon villains come up with – the kind that get foiled by the good guys every time. When will it dawn on them that THEY ARE THE BAD GUYS.
Thank you, Wes; I appreciate this information. After learning about how Western states are clamoring for unscrupulous ways to monetize our natural resources and national parks, I knew this was coming. I understand the need for fire safety; however, they are approaching this as thoughtlessly as they have every other area they are governing.
i’m an ecologist by training but i have no aptitude on the business and numbers side of it.
thank you so much for breaking this all down. this article is gloriously informative and straightforward.
naturally, i’ve been bereft since i read about this new assault on nature. i was radicalized by the plight of the spotted owls and the tree sitters vs the logging industry. this hits very close to my heart.
your explanation has relieved some of the catastrophic images i have been picturing.
I worked for the USFS for over 30!years and this was as predictable as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. During regime changes- when a Dem POTUS was elected the pendulum would swing to conservation and the cut would go down. When a Republican got in office the cut would go up. The difference is this time like everything Trumpian it’s on steroids. It’ll be balls to the wall timber harvest.
You're spot-on with your analysis that this proposal is so ludicrous it will likely wither on the vine before producing many board feet. It's still scary and a significant amount of money will be wasted, and damage can occur in select spots depending on a given Forests' Supervisor, Rangers, and Timber Staff. In the Appalachians most, if not all, timber sales are "below cost" and many are never sold, or even bid on, when offered. Mills don't want NF timber since it's so unreliable and low quality, especially with private land much more accessible and easily worked. NEPA isn't the only hurdle, there's the National Forest Management Act and the subsequent Forest Plans that have already specified "suitable" and "unsuitable" acres for timber production. Also, the Endangered Species Act to navigate, plus Antiquities Act, and Clean Water Act. All of those will become targets for elimination by this administration, but the legal battles will be long and intense. I hope there's enough lawyers to go around.
Another flaw in this brutally stupid plan is the lack of domestic sawmill capacity to actually do anything with all the raw logs.
And, with tariffs on the largest export markets in China, Korea, and Japan (where they can mill the logs into cheap flooring in the former, and technically precise structural components in the latter) we can expect demand to soften even further, like this turd of a plan in a rainstorm.
Great analysis Wes. Your continued evolution as a writer is truly impressive. Thank you for following this through. Just as "waste, fraud, and abuse" is a political red herring, so is (for the most part), "taxes and regulations" as a major factor in significant business investment decisions. As you point out here, as well as in your ANWR analysis, it is the core cost/benefit analysis factors that drive the process. Just as we've seen in the lame ass tariff calculations, this proposal continues the lazy performative proposals of much of Trump 2.0 (well, and of Trump 1.0). This will sound good on a Fox News sound bite, but just adds to the chaos and damage this clown car crew is inflicting. Our former allies, trading partners, and major industries are already looking for better economic and security options whether that's the EU, Asia, China, etc. We can see that in the massive treasury bond sales Japan and other countries were doing last night that really drove the 90 day tariff pause. As this flow carries forward 4 more years, we will be left with Russia, Hungary, and North Korea as our "sphere of influence".
Yes Steve’s comments above are spot on. Many timber sales are “on the shelf” with no bidders. And most timber sales have to be sold without. “Roads package” that pays for road maintenance- so the agency has been doing little to no maintenance.
Good reporting. Yes $50 million for roads will not go far - the agency was unable to maintain roads as it is. The forest I worked on in Wyoming had the engineering Budget cut from $2.6 million to $600K in about 2012. Could not even pay salaries. Most companies these days want 20 year contracts to justify the expense of building infrastructure. Building the mils and finding log truck drivers, mill workers etc in this economy will remain difficult. And without large federal subsidies those goals are pretty impossible to reach.
What if the money comes from the Silicon Valley oligarchs? They are open about wanting to create sovereign cities (Freedom cities in Trump's version) that do not answer to any government, and they will need lots of land to accomplish that goal.
This sh*t is just nonstop. I can't help but wonder what the world would actually, physically look like if the Republicans were able to implement every one of their desires like this. My guess? An absolute wasteland. Their plans are literally the same as the ones cartoon villains come up with – the kind that get foiled by the good guys every time. When will it dawn on them that THEY ARE THE BAD GUYS.
do you read any dystopian or apocalyptic fiction? it’s like that.
I really appreciate your coverage and analysis. This is scary and chaotic ... and dumb.
Mostly dumb!
Thank you, Wes; I appreciate this information. After learning about how Western states are clamoring for unscrupulous ways to monetize our natural resources and national parks, I knew this was coming. I understand the need for fire safety; however, they are approaching this as thoughtlessly as they have every other area they are governing.
i’m an ecologist by training but i have no aptitude on the business and numbers side of it.
thank you so much for breaking this all down. this article is gloriously informative and straightforward.
naturally, i’ve been bereft since i read about this new assault on nature. i was radicalized by the plight of the spotted owls and the tree sitters vs the logging industry. this hits very close to my heart.
your explanation has relieved some of the catastrophic images i have been picturing.
i couldn’t appreciate you and your time more.
This is such a helpful insightful write up. Thank you for explaining it in an easy to read fashion.
Thanks for reading Nikki. Any help getting the word out would be much appreciated.
And restacked. I need to think of more people.
I just forwarded. 🙂
I worked for the USFS for over 30!years and this was as predictable as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. During regime changes- when a Dem POTUS was elected the pendulum would swing to conservation and the cut would go down. When a Republican got in office the cut would go up. The difference is this time like everything Trumpian it’s on steroids. It’ll be balls to the wall timber harvest.
You're spot-on with your analysis that this proposal is so ludicrous it will likely wither on the vine before producing many board feet. It's still scary and a significant amount of money will be wasted, and damage can occur in select spots depending on a given Forests' Supervisor, Rangers, and Timber Staff. In the Appalachians most, if not all, timber sales are "below cost" and many are never sold, or even bid on, when offered. Mills don't want NF timber since it's so unreliable and low quality, especially with private land much more accessible and easily worked. NEPA isn't the only hurdle, there's the National Forest Management Act and the subsequent Forest Plans that have already specified "suitable" and "unsuitable" acres for timber production. Also, the Endangered Species Act to navigate, plus Antiquities Act, and Clean Water Act. All of those will become targets for elimination by this administration, but the legal battles will be long and intense. I hope there's enough lawyers to go around.
Another flaw in this brutally stupid plan is the lack of domestic sawmill capacity to actually do anything with all the raw logs.
And, with tariffs on the largest export markets in China, Korea, and Japan (where they can mill the logs into cheap flooring in the former, and technically precise structural components in the latter) we can expect demand to soften even further, like this turd of a plan in a rainstorm.
I am definitely going to increase my monthly donation to Earth Justice!
I think the 2117 should be multiplied by 1.5, not divided. So it’s about 3,175 miles of road. Your point is still valid though.
Great analysis Wes. Your continued evolution as a writer is truly impressive. Thank you for following this through. Just as "waste, fraud, and abuse" is a political red herring, so is (for the most part), "taxes and regulations" as a major factor in significant business investment decisions. As you point out here, as well as in your ANWR analysis, it is the core cost/benefit analysis factors that drive the process. Just as we've seen in the lame ass tariff calculations, this proposal continues the lazy performative proposals of much of Trump 2.0 (well, and of Trump 1.0). This will sound good on a Fox News sound bite, but just adds to the chaos and damage this clown car crew is inflicting. Our former allies, trading partners, and major industries are already looking for better economic and security options whether that's the EU, Asia, China, etc. We can see that in the massive treasury bond sales Japan and other countries were doing last night that really drove the 90 day tariff pause. As this flow carries forward 4 more years, we will be left with Russia, Hungary, and North Korea as our "sphere of influence".
Yes Steve’s comments above are spot on. Many timber sales are “on the shelf” with no bidders. And most timber sales have to be sold without. “Roads package” that pays for road maintenance- so the agency has been doing little to no maintenance.
Good reporting. Yes $50 million for roads will not go far - the agency was unable to maintain roads as it is. The forest I worked on in Wyoming had the engineering Budget cut from $2.6 million to $600K in about 2012. Could not even pay salaries. Most companies these days want 20 year contracts to justify the expense of building infrastructure. Building the mils and finding log truck drivers, mill workers etc in this economy will remain difficult. And without large federal subsidies those goals are pretty impossible to reach.
Thank you!
What if the money comes from the Silicon Valley oligarchs? They are open about wanting to create sovereign cities (Freedom cities in Trump's version) that do not answer to any government, and they will need lots of land to accomplish that goal.
I've got articles on that, linked in this. Remember that none of these proposals are anything but lies.
https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101909416/is-the-nerd-reich-taking-over-the-government
This is so sad