Sponsors
The bill trades clearer, more timber-focused statutory direction and greater predictability for rural timber economies and government decisionmaking against heightened environmental risks, reduced public input, and increased legal and administrative uncertainty.
Rural communities and timber-dependent businesses would get clearer statutory direction and land classifications that make timber supply and local timber jobs more predictable.
Federal land managers (Department of the Interior/BLM) would have a narrower, clearer statutory objective and truncated language that simplifies interpretation and could speed harvest planning and long-term timber production decisions.
Local governments and stakeholders would see updated resource management plans and clearer land-management direction, reducing some administrative ambiguity when implementing the Act's amendments.
Nearby residents, recreation users, and wildlife habitats could face increased timber harvest pressure and reduced emphasis on conservation, harming watersheds, habitat, recreation values, and raising short-term ecological and wildfire risks.
Tribes, local governments, utilities, and companies may face legal uncertainty and litigation over the effect of deleted or changed statutory language, creating costs and delays for taxpayers and stakeholders.
Community stakeholders and conservation groups may have reduced opportunity for public input if aggressive deadlines push rushed plan revisions, limiting participatory review of changes to timber designations.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Refocuses the statute governing revested O&C and Coos Bay Wagon Road lands on "sustained yield," sets a timberland volume threshold, and requires plan revisions and RODs within two years.
Introduced February 20, 2026 by Cliff Bentz · Last progress February 20, 2026
Rewrites the federal statute that guides management of the revested Oregon and California railroad and Coos Bay Wagon Road grant lands to emphasize "sustained yield," narrows existing statutory language, adds a numerical definition of "timberlands," and orders the Department of the Interior to revise all resource management plans that apply to those lands within two years. The changes replace portions of the existing statutory purpose with the single concept of sustained yield, set a timberland threshold of 300,000 board feet per 40 acres, and require the Secretary to issue Records of Decision updating plans and designating timberlands consistent with these changes.