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States, industry and Forest Service back 20‑year Good Neighbor Authority to speed forest projects
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Summary
Witnesses and lawmakers told the House Natural Resources Subcommittee that extending Good Neighbor Authority agreements from 10 to 20 years would reduce administrative burden, encourage industry investment, and help scale forest restoration and hazardous‑fuels work across boundaries.
Chairman Tiffany and several Republican and Democratic members urged Congress to extend Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) agreements to 20 years during a March 31 subcommittee hearing, saying longer terms would allow states and partners to plan, invest and implement landscape‑scale forest restoration more effectively.
Sean Thomas, who identified himself as representing the National Association of State Foresters and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, said Montana has completed 69 timber sales across more than 26,000 acres and recently finalized a 20‑year shared stewardship agreement covering priority landscapes in the Flathead, Kootenai and Bitterroot National Forests. "We must have long term assurances for staffing, budgeting, and planning this critical work," Thomas said.
The Long Term Good Neighbor Authority Act (HR 7951), introduced by Representative Valadao, would extend statutory maximums for GNA agreements from 10 years to 20 years. Proponents argued the change would remove repetitive administrative renewals and provide certainty that encourages private investment and staffing commitments. Ellen Schulzbarger, associate deputy chief for the Forest Service’s National Forest System, told the panel the agency supports the bill’s goals and believes longer agreements can encourage industry investment and increase the pace of restoration.
Federal witnesses described practical benefits and limits. Schulzbarger said longer agreements can help meet the administration’s timber objectives and improve capacity, noting that in fiscal year 2025 the Forest Service sold 317,000,000 board feet under GNA arrangements and that longer contracts would help accomplish multi‑year projects without repeated renewals. Thomas added that retained revenue from GNA projects sustains on‑the‑ground capacity: "That revenue gets retained by the state. We can retain revenues and then reinvest them in doing work on the ground," he said.
Officials and state foresters asked Congress to address an upcoming sunset: under current law, the authority for states to retain and reinvest GNA revenue will expire on Oct. 1, 2028. Multiple witnesses urged repeal of that sunset so states can plan staffing and long‑term projects with confidence.
Members also asked about litigation risk and coordination across administrations. Thomas said Montana’s program was built in partnership with regional Forest Service staff and that success depends on continued collaboration and clarity; he recommended strengthening coordination mechanisms to reduce delays from litigation or administrative change.
What’s next: The committee held the record open for written questions and asked witnesses to provide follow‑up data on litigation and other implementation concerns. No formal committee vote was recorded at the hearing.
