This bill restores forest health, expands recreation opportunities, and permanently protects hundreds of thousands of acres of federal land in Northwest California.
Jared Huffman
Representative
CA-2
The Northwest California Wilderness, Recreation, and Working Forests Act is a comprehensive bill designed to restore federal forest health, expand outdoor recreation opportunities, and permanently conserve significant natural landscapes in Northern California. It establishes large restoration areas to reduce wildfire risk, designates new wilderness and wild and scenic rivers, and authorizes new trails and visitor centers. The legislation also protects existing utility operations and affirms the rights of Indian Tribes for traditional and religious uses.
Wilderness Bill Protects 300K Acres, Streamlines Fire Management Across 870K Acres in Northwest California
This legislation, dubbed the Northwest California Wilderness, Recreation, and Working Forests Act, is a massive public lands overhaul that aims to protect significant acreage while simultaneously boosting active forest management to curb wildfires. It permanently protects approximately 296,543 acres by establishing new Wilderness Areas and designating 37 river segments as Wild and Scenic Rivers, giving these lands the highest level of conservation protection. Crucially, the bill also creates an 870,000-acre forest restoration area focused on improving forest health and reducing the risk of catastrophic fires near communities through activities like prescribed burns and thinning.
The Trade-Off: Conservation Meets Chain Saws
For anyone living near or working in the forests of Northwest California, the biggest change is the one-two punch of conservation and active management. On one hand, the bill locks down nearly 300,000 acres—meaning no new roads, no logging, and no mining in those specific areas (Title III). This is great news for hikers, anglers, and anyone who wants to see these landscapes preserved for the long haul. On the other hand, the bill sets up the 870,000-acre restoration zone with the explicit goal of making forests fire-resilient. To do this, the legislation allows federal agencies to streamline environmental reviews and expand categorical exclusions for fuel reduction projects (SEC. 2). Essentially, this means projects like thinning dense forests or conducting controlled burns can move forward faster without the lengthy environmental impact statements typically required. If you’re a homeowner worried about wildfire season, this accelerated pace might sound like relief, but it’s a point of concern for environmental watchdogs who argue that speeding up reviews could mean less oversight on how and where the cutting happens.
New Trails, No New Mines, and Guaranteed Power
The bill isn't just about trees and fire—it’s also about opening up the outdoors. Title II focuses heavily on recreation, requiring feasibility studies for major new routes like the Bigfoot National Recreation Trail and authorizing the creation of new visitor centers. This means more access for mountain bikers and hikers, which could be a boon for local tourism and related small businesses. However, the legislation is careful to protect private property, explicitly stating that no trail can be placed on non-federal land without the landowner's written consent.
In a significant move for resource management, Title I withdraws the entire 870,000-acre restoration area from new mining claims, mineral leases, and geothermal leases, subject to existing rights. This shuts the door on future extractive industries in a massive chunk of public land. Finally, for those who rely on electricity and gas, Title IV includes a necessary safeguard: it explicitly protects Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) existing rights to operate, maintain, and upgrade its extensive utility network within the newly protected areas. This ensures that the push for conservation won't disrupt essential services for residents and businesses in the region.