Oregon Department of Forestry backs repeal of little‑used ‘permit closure’ for forests, frames change as administrative cleanup

House Climate, Energy, and Environment Committee Chair Courtney Lively opened a public hearing Feb. 6 on House Bill 2817, which would remove statutory authority for a specific type of public entry restriction—called a “permit closure”—on forest land during periods of high fire danger.

Department of Forestry legislative coordinator Derek Wheeler and Deputy Chief of Policy and Planning Levi Hopkins testified the permit‑closure tool has not been used in recent memory and creates an administrative burden that could divert staff from wildfire suppression. “House Bill 2817 eliminates permit entry closure on forest land due to fire danger,” Wheeler said. Hopkins testified that permit closures are distinct from other public restrictions and from industrial logging restrictions governed by the industrial fire precaution level (IFPL) system.

The bill’s sponsors and department witnesses said the change is intended to streamline public‑access rules during fire season and avoid use of a labor‑intensive…