BLM Eases Rules for Cutting Dead Trees on Millions of Acres
Published Date: 4/6/2026
Notice
Summary
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is updating its rules for cutting down dead or dying trees to protect public lands better. This change affects forest management on millions of acres and aims to speed up timber salvage projects while keeping the environment safe. People can share their thoughts by May 6, 2026, and these updates could help save money and time on forest care.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Speeds salvage, reduces wildfire risk
The BLM says restoring and revising the CE will let land managers act more quickly across larger areas to reduce wildfire fuel loads and hazards to firefighters, the public, and infrastructure, and to recover timber value that contributes to rural economies. The notice notes BLM manages about 248 million surface acres, about 58 million of which are forested/woodlands, and estimates roughly 2,000,000 acres of dead or dying timber on BLM lands; public comments are due by May 6, 2026.
New salvage harvest CE limits
The BLM proposes a new categorical exclusion (CE) for salvage harvesting that would allow cutting dead or dying trees up to 1,000 acres where the disturbance affects 3,000 acres or less, and up to the lesser of 5,000 acres or one-third of the disturbance area where the disturbance exceeds 3,000 acres. The CE would limit permanent road construction to 1 mile, allow temporary roads up to 2.25 miles per 1,000 acres of harvest area, require conformance with land use plans, and require disclosure of design features addressing nine resource considerations.
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