O&C Renewal Act of 2026

Key Points

• This bill, introduced by Representative Bentz, would change the rules for about 2 million acres of federal land in Western Oregon. It makes cutting timber for sale the number one priority for these lands, rather than balancing logging with other uses like conservation or recreation.
• The main goal of the change is to generate more money for local county governments. In these parts of Oregon, a share of the money made from selling timber goes directly to the counties to pay for essential services like schools, police, and road repairs.
• The policy would label other uses of the land—such as protecting water sources, providing places for hiking and camping, and reducing wildfire risks—as 'secondary' goals that come after timber production.
• It requires the federal government to meet or exceed Oregon's state standards for fighting wildfires on these specific lands. The government would have to sign agreements with the state and local fire groups and pay them for their help in protecting the forests.
• If this bill becomes law, the Department of the Interior would have two years to create new management plans. These plans would identify exactly which areas qualify as 'timberlands' based on how many trees they can grow and set new schedules for logging.

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