On March 8, three lawmakers – Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Reps. Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) – introduced S.697/H.R.1450 – Treating Tribes and Counties as Good Neighbors Act. First introduced in the 116th Congress, this critical piece of bipartisan legislation would fully extend eligibility for the Good Neighbor Authority to counties and tribes and expand opportunities for cross-boundary treatments on our public lands.

“Good Neighbor Agreements strengthen the partnership with federal land management agencies and state, tribal and county governments. Standardizing the use of GNA resources will help counties support forest management projects and facilitate better land management decisions based on local impacts and needs. We applaud Senator Risch, Congressman Fulcher and Congresswoman Gluesenkamp Perez for introducing the Treating Tribes and Counties as Good Neighbors Act and urge Congress to swiftly pass this legislation,” said Matthew Chase, Executive Director of the National Association of Counties.

The Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) allows the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to enter into partnerships with county, state and tribal governments to engage in collaborative land management projects on federal lands. In its original conception, GNA was only intended to authorize partnerships with state forestry agencies but was extended to counties and tribes in the 2018 Farm Bill after generating a strong track record of positive land management outcomes across the country. Since then, GNA agreements have augmented counties’ capacity to plan and execute land management strategies on public lands within our jurisdictions. County actions authorized under GNA also fill a gap in federal agencies’ capacity to carry out much-needed treatments on landscapes that can reduce wildfire risk, eradicate invasive species, and restore ecosystems.

By extending full eligibility to counties and tribes and improving opportunities for cross-boundary land management, the Treating Tribes and Counties as Good Neighbors Act addresses several critical weaknesses impacting the effectiveness of GNA. Although the 2018 Farm Bill extended their eligibility, counties and tribes were not afforded the same authority as states to retain GNA project receipts as in traditional federal timber sales. Additionally, the 2018 Farm Bill removed the ability for GNA restoration projects to take place off federal lands. This means adjacent state, county, and tribal land can no longer be restored in conjunction with federal lands as comprehensive landscapes.  These bureaucratic barriers restrict county governments’ ability to reinvest funds in land management projects that meet local needs and reduce a significant incentive to partner with federal land management agencies.

This week, county commissioners testified in two congressional hearings on the importance of strengthening partnerships between counties and our federal counterparts in public lands management and highlighted the need to extend full eligibility under GNA to county governments. Carbon County, Wyo. Commissioner John Espy discussed how counties are best suited to assisting federal land managers navigate evolving management challenges. Idaho County, Idaho Commissioner Skip Brand educated members on the county role in public lands management and shared recommendations for how the 2023 Farm Bill can improve the ability of counties and our federal partners to successfully manage our public lands. Learn more about their remarks here.

Counties applaud Sen. Risch and Reps. Fulcher and Gluesenkamp Perez for taking steps to correct these flaws in the GNA and enhance the ability of counties and our federal partners to work together toward our shared land management goals. Counties will continue to work with our partners in federal agencies and Congress to pursue an approach to public lands management that will protect our natural resources and the communities that rely on them.