I thought it might be fun to look at some other media reports on Chief Schultz’s remarks at WGA. Let’s look at this one from KUER The western governors are supportive of working better with the feds- if you look at their positions papers over time that’s been pretty standard.
When it comes to the future, governors in attendance and Schultz agreed that more shared stewardship agreements between states and the federal government — like the one Utah has — will allow for faster fire mitigation and reforestation work on a bigger scale than before.
“Our interactions with the federal government and the shared approach to governing those resources is critical for our shared success,” said Colorado Gov. Jared Polis. “Today’s agreements are more powerful than their predecessors. They have longer terms, expanded authorities, bigger project acreages; they’re being used to improve many aspects of our public lands, recreation, grazing.”
For Schultz, recognizing a shared goal regardless of politics is the first step toward meaningfully addressing wildfire risk in the West.
“I don’t hear anybody saying we shouldn’t treat the landscape to protect communities, improve forest health and reduce risks,” he said. “We all want the same thing.”
And that’s the question, isn’t it? Who wants something else, and what do they want, exactly? And if Polis, no friend of many kinds of development also disfavored by ENGO’s thinks it will improve things..?
Then this one from KPCW:
U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz honored first responders and firefighters, especially the three killed along the Utah-Colorado border during a speech in Park City Tuesday.
The firefighters – two women and one man – died in a burnover incident while battling the Snyder Fire, June 27.
“There is a role for fire on the landscape. There’s also a time and a place for fire,” Schultz said at the Western Governors’ Association conference in Deer Valley’s Stein Eriksen Lodge. “And right now in the Great Basin, this is neither the time nor the place for fire.”
Forest service personnel are focused right now on firefighting, but Schultz indicated that “active management” strategies like prescribed burns are important to the agency’s overall mission.
They can help prevent the most severe wildfires, which he said fundamentally change forest landscapes and affect local communities and economies.
“To conserve, we need to actively manage the forest,” he said.
My only quibble with this story is:
PBS reports the Forest Service has shuttered three-quarters of its scientific research facilities under Schultz.
Last I heard the FS was still negotiating with Congressionals and others. If the “PBS reports” had a link, we could see when it was posted. Also tense is a thing… “has shuttered” is the past tense, not “is considering” or whatever other words might be used.
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It’s a little strange that the SLT partnered with Grist for a Utah news story, but the story itself is interesting and free. It’s got a new number for relocation, probably less than 300.
The forest service is in the process of remodeling the second floor of the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building to accommodate the new headquarters, Schultz said, and he expects his staff will start relocating in the fall. The forest chief also doesn’t expect it will cause much disruption for his agency, even as employees uproot their lives and move to the Beehive State.
“We’re looking at probably less than 300 people that are going to have to relocate across the entire agency,” Schultz said. “We’re still going to have a footprint in D.C.”
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Those same Western governors issued a bipartisan letter supporting the forest service’s relocation to Salt Lake City on June 18.
“Improving state-federal communication and coordination is a goal that transcends party lines,” the letter said, “and it is among the Governors’ highest priorities.”
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Utah’s commercial timber industry has lagged for decades, unable to compete with the fast-growing and profitable trees that grow in wetter and cooler climates like the Pacific Northwest and Canada. Two of its few remaining sawmills, in Kamas and Panguitch, burned down in 2024.
The private sector is developing innovative ways to use Utah timber, however, Schultz said in an interview. He sees promise in current industries salvaging timber for firewood, and companies developing biochar and sustainable aviation fuel made from wood.
“This is what we’re trying to focus on — what are the markets we can help create?” Schultz said. “If the forest service is consistent in what we say and what we do, then I think the market can respond.”
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Anyone else have a story with interesting tidbits not previously covered?
Does anybody know if Schultz approved his brothers airstrip in the SNRA after he became Chief?