"The Interior Department says it’s on track to meet a federal goal to increase logging on federal lands, even as timber industry analysts warn low prices, scarce sawmills, and litigation will likely threaten progress.
Interior’s Bureau of Land Management has increased timber sales by 4.6% so far in fiscal 2025 over all of fiscal 2024, with more sales expected through September, Interior spokeswoman Alyse Sharpe said Tuesday. Timber sold on US Forest Service land increased about 12.5% in the first three quarters of fiscal 2025 over the same period in 2024, agency data show.
Fast-tracking an expansion of logging on federal land is among President Donald Trump’s top priorities in order to cut lumber imports and grow domestic timber industry jobs. The administration is loosening public notice and environmental review requirements for logging and other projects under the National Environmental Policy Act.
Environmental groups standing ready to challenge timber sales in court say they expect the Trump administration to cut regulations and decrease oversight in order to intensify logging, even if the timber market remains soft in the short term."
Bobby Magill reports for Bloomberg Environment September 25, 2025.
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