Executive Order 14225: Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production

Purpose

• Importance of Timber Production:
  • Critical for construction, energy production, and other human activities.
  • Essential for forest management and wildfire risk reduction.
• Current Challenges:
  • Federal policies limit the use of domestic timber resources.
  • Reliance on imported lumber affects job creation, economic security, and increases costs.
• Objective:
  • Reverse current policies to increase domestic timber production, enhancing national and economic security.

Directives

Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture

• New Guidance (30 Days):
  • Issue guidance to increase timber production and manage forests effectively.
  • Utilize tools like Good Neighbor Authority, stewardship contracting, and Tribal agreements.
  • Submit legislative proposals to enhance timber production capabilities.
• Strategy Development (60 Days):
  • Develop strategies to expedite forestry project approvals under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
  • Investigate delegation of consultation requirements for faster project execution.
• Annual Timber Targets (90 Days):
  • Set timber production targets for federal lands managed by BLM and USFS.
• Consultation Completion (120 Days):
  • Complete Whitebark Pine Rangewide Programmatic Consultation under ESA.
• Policy Review (180 Days):
  • Consider adopting categorical exclusions to streamline processes and reduce costs.
• Establish Exclusions (280 Days):
  • Establish exclusions for timber thinning and salvage activities.

Streamlined Permitting

• Reduce Permitting Delays:
  • Eliminate unnecessary delays in the permitting processes.
  • Revise or rescind burdensome regulations affecting timber production.

Endangered Species Committee

• ESA Consultation in Emergencies:
  • Use ESA regulations to support timber production in emergencies.
  • Ensure prompt review and resolution of exemption applications.
• Report on ESA Obstacles:
  • Identify obstacles to timber production from ESA implementation.
  • Suggest improvements in procedures, regulations, and interagency coordination.
• Consultation Availability:
  • Ensure availability of FWS and Fisheries representatives for ESA-related consultations.

General Provisions

• Law Consistency:
  • The order respects existing laws and executive authorities.
  • Implementation is subject to available appropriations.
• Legal Implications:
  • The order does not create enforceable legal rights or benefits.

Signature: Donald J. Trump

Date: March 1, 2025

Publication: Federal Register, March 6, 2025

Reference:

• Donald J. Trump (2nd Term), Executive Order 14225Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project.