Portland Maine News

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, who represents Maine's 1st district in the U.S. Congress, has recently shared her perspectives on forest management and wildfire response through a series of tweets. These statements reflect her concerns about current legislative efforts related to forest management and wildfire prevention.

On January 23, 2025, Pingree highlighted the unique nature of Maine’s forests in a tweet stating that "Maine is the most forested U.S. state, so these are issues I take seriously." She pointed out that "94% of Maine forests are privately owned—not federal land" and emphasized the necessity for "real investment and community involvement" to achieve balanced forest management. However, she expressed dissatisfaction with a proposed bill, concluding that it "falls short" of addressing these needs. The original post can be viewed here.

In another tweet posted on the same day, Pingree addressed the issue of wildfires, particularly those in California. She described them as "a harrowing reminder of the dangers of climate change—and the importance of wildfire response." While acknowledging some positive aspects of the “Fix Our Forests Act,” she stated that her concerns outweighed its benefits, explaining why she voted against it: here.

Further elaborating on her stance regarding this legislation, Pingree criticized its lack of funding in another tweet from January 23, 2025. She posed rhetorical questions about establishing programs for community wildfire defense research and building more wildfire-resistant structures using mass timber. However, she argued that "this bill doesn’t provide resources for an actual research program," further justifying her opposition to it: here.