Following last month’s wildfires, local advocates are calling on federal lawmakers to protect funding for the U.S. Forest Service.
Brian Will is with the Citizens’ Climate Lobby - South Bend/Elkhart Area Chapter. He says forest fires are getting worse, and Michiana is feeling the impact.
"Our air quality index was 423 that one day about three weeks ago, and that’s like going outside and smoking a pack of cigarettes," Will said. "It’s very dangerous to human health, and that’s an argument that I think any politician, whether you believe in climate change or not, can understand."
Will recently traveled to Washington, D.C., where he met with Senator Todd Young, as well as staff members for Rep. Rudy Yakym and other U.S. Representatives, as part of Citizens’ Climate Lobby’s annual lobby day.
While some officials have suggested holding Canada financially responsible for the smoke that drifted across the border, Will said the U.S. also has to do its part. "These forest fires are all over," Will noted. "They’re all over the world now, and there are steps that we should be taking at the federal level to mitigate the risk by addressing the buildup of excess fuels and also just studying what we can do to make forest fires less severe."
He said the Citizens’ Climate Lobby opposes the Trump administration’s proposed cuts to the U.S. Forest Service in the 2027 budget. It’s also urging the Senate to pass the Fix Our Forests Act.
Beyond forests, the Citizens’ Climate Lobby also wants lawmakers to ease regulations on energy projects. "Right now, it takes, maybe, 10 years to get an energy project built because there’s so much red tape from the federal level," Will said. "There’s lawsuits. There’s many, many, many public hearings, and then, every time there’s a public hearing, there’s more delay."
He noted that most of the energy projects in the pipeline are renewable energy projects. Will said Senator Young sponsored a permitting reform bill in the past, but it failed to pass the Senate. Will added that the idea has gotten strong support from Republicans, but some Democrats have expressed concern. He said the Citizens’ Climate Lobby supports including protections for vulnerable communities and ecosystems.
