Response to Interior and Agriculture Press Conference on Wildfire Management

The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) today released the following statement in response to a press conference held by Sonny Perdue, Agriculture Secretary, and Ryan Zinke, Interior Secretary, about fire management on U.S. public lands.

“Secretary Perdue and Secretary Zinke are way off the mark with comments made earlier today about how we should effectively prevent forest fires on our public lands,” said Nat Mund, Director of Federal Affairs for SELC. “They are trying to use the ongoing tragedy in California to push for ways to keep the public out of forest management decisions, opening the door to clear-cutting in the South and around the country. We need to focus on protecting people and homes, not pointing fingers. Today’s remarks are disheartening since we know the Forest Service already has many tools they’re not using to control forest fires.”

Southern Environmental Law Center

For more than 30 years, the Southern Environmental Law Center has used the power of the law to champion the environment of the Southeast. With over 70 attorneys and nine offices across the region, SELC is widely recognized as the Southeast’s foremost environmental organization and regional leader. SELC works on a full range of environmental issues to protect our natural resources and the health and well-being of all the people in our region. https://www.southernenvironment.org