Trump officials accused of using deadly wildfires to boost logging

Interior secretary Ryan Zinke says he hopes new laws will end environmental reviews and allow ‘thinning’ of forests

The Trump administration has been accused of using the deadly wildfires in California to push for weakened environmental rules in forests, opening them up for more logging.

Ryan Zinke, the interior secretary, said that he hoped new legislation would allow for the “thinning” of forests to help prevent wildfires. He said he was confident Congress would soon pass a new farm bill that would remove environmental reviews for the removal of trees and brush, as well as the building of roads through federal forests.

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from US news | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2FHDnOP