David versus Goliath – Savor the Wins
January 2025
David Beats Goliath
On January 10, 2025, the U.S. Forest Service announced in the Federal Register it was withdrawing the proposed environmental impact statement for the proposed amendments to protect mature and old growth forests. Comments in opposition were submitted and cooperating agency state and local governments pushed back on the proposal. They asserted that top-down management from Washington, D.C. exceeded statutory authority and guaranteed further declining forest health.
The Forest Service described the background by stating:
- “The proposed amendment is based on information from national forests and current old-growth conditions and was informed by substantial public input. The threat analysis report of mature and old-growth forests on National Forest System and Bureau of Land Management lands suggests that current management activities may not be responsive to rapidly changing disturbances and conditions that threaten old-growth forests including wildfire, fire exclusion, insects and disease, extreme weather, climate, temperature and more.”
The Forest Service, faced with a Congressional rescission, wisely walked away from the proposed amendments.
David Beats Goliath – Twice More
- After strong opposition from Kansas Counties and people on the ground, US Department of Energy backed off on preliminary proposals to impose massive transmission corridors through Kansas and other states. This represents a massive win at the tail end of the Biden administration, and shows the immense effects that can be accomplished from on the ground by local opposition.
- USFWS Surrenders Effort to Finalize Biological Integrity, Diversity, and Environmental Health Regs: Another big win for local governments and land owners as USFWS backs down from imposing biological integrity regulations on the national refuge system which would have prohibited agricultural practices and prioritize expanding refuges through acquisition of private lands.
- “An immense effect may be produced by small powers wisely and steadily directed.”
– Noah Webster 1821
- “An immense effect may be produced by small powers wisely and steadily directed.”
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