[Senate Hearing 117-379]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




                                                        S. Hrg. 117-379

                  NOMINATION OF HOMER L. WILKES, TO BE
                   UNDER SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE FOR
                   NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT

=======================================================================

                                HEARING

                               before the

                       COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE,
                        NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY

                          UNITED STATES SENATE

                    ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

                             FIRST SESSION

                               __________

                             August 5, 2021

                               __________

                       Printed for the use of the
           Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry



                 [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]



                  Available on http://www.govinfo.gov/




                                 ______
                                 
                                 

                 U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

47-195 PDF                WASHINGTON : 2022












           COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY


                 DEBBIE STABENOW, Michigan, Chairwoman

PATRICK J. LEAHY, Vermont            JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas
SHERROD BROWN, Ohio                  MITCH McCONNELL, Kentucky
AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota             JOHN HOEVEN, North Dakota
MICHAEL F. BENNET, Colorado          JONI ERNST, Iowa
KIRSTEN E. GILLIBRAND, New York      CINDY HYDE-SMITH, Mississippi
TINA SMITH, Minnesota                ROGER MARSHALL, Kansas
RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois          TOMMY TUBERVILLE, Alabama
CORY BOOKER, New Jersey              CHARLES GRASSLEY, Iowa
BEN RAY LUJAN, New Mexico            JOHN THUNE, South Dakota
RAPHAEL WARNOCK, Georgia             DEB FISCHER, Nebraska
                                     MIKE BRAUN, Indiana

               Joseph A. Shultz, Majority Staff Director
               Mary Beth Schultz, Majority Chief Counsel
                    Jessica L. Williams, Chief Clerk
               Fitzhugh Elder IV, Minority Staff Director
                 Fred J. Clark, Minority Chief Counsel








                            C O N T E N T S

                              ----------                              

                        Thursday, August 5, 2021

                                                                   Page

Hearing:

Nomination of Homer L. Wilkes, to be Under Secretary of 
  Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment..............     1

                              ----------                              

                    STATEMENTS PRESENTED BY SENATORS

Stabenow, Hon. Debbie, U.S. Senator from the State of Michigan...     1
Boozman, Hon. John, U.S. Senator from the State of Arkansas......     2
Wicker, Hon. Roger, U.S. Senator from the State of Mississippi...     4
Hyde-Smith, Hon. Cindy, U.S. Senator from the State of 
  Mississippi....................................................     5

                               WITNESSES

Homer L. Wilkes, Ph.D., to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for 
  Natural Resources and Environment..............................     5
                              ----------                              

                                APPENDIX

Prepared Statements:
    Homer L. Wilkes, Ph.D........................................    32

Document(s) Submitted for the Record:
Stabenow, Hon. Debbie:
    Undersigned organizations, letters of support................    36
Homer L. Wilkes, Ph.D.:
    Committee questionnaire, Office of Government Ethics 
      Executive Branch Personnel Public Financial Disclosure 
      Report and 5-day letter filed by Homer L. Wilkes, Ph.D.....    38

Question and Answer:
Homer L. Wilkes, Ph.D.:
    Written response to questions from Hon. Debbie Stabenow......    64
    Written response to questions from Hon. John Boozman.........    65
    Written response to questions from Hon. Sherrod Brown........    70
    Written response to questions from Hon. Michael Bennet.......    71
    Written response to questions from Hon. Raphael Warnock......    72
    Written response to questions from Hon. Charles Grassley.....    73





 
NOMINATION OF HOMER L. WILKES, TO BE UNDER SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE FOR 
                   NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT

                              ----------                              


                        THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

                                       U.S. Senate,
            Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry,
                                                    Washington, DC.
    The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:07 a.m., via 
Webex and in room 301, Russell Senate Office Building, Hon. 
Debbie Stabenow, Chairman of the Committee, presiding.
    Present: Senators Stabenow, Brown, Klobuchar, Bennet, 
Gillibrand, Smith, Booker, Lujan, Warnock, Boozman, Hoeven, 
Ernst, Hyde-Smith, Marshall, Tuberville, Grassley, Thune, 
Fischer, and Braun.

STATEMENT OF HON. DEBBIE STABENOW, U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE 
    OF MICHIGAN, CHAIRWOMAN, U.S. COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, 
                    NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY

    Chairwoman Stabenow. Good morning. I call today's hearing 
of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry 
to order. We are here to consider the nomination of Dr. Homer 
Wilkes to be Under Secretary for Natural Resources and 
Environment, which oversees the U.S. Forest Service.
    Before going further, just as a personal note, I first met 
Dr. Wilkes with Senator Cochran on a tour of Mississippi, and 
Senator Wicker, and he just reminded me that he somehow goaded 
me into holding an alligator, and so I have the picture to 
prove it, so my first and last time. It is a pleasure to see 
you again.
    On a serious note, this role that Dr. Wilkes will have will 
tackle wildfires and work to restore and protect the health of 
our public forests and grasslands. So important. The health of 
our forests, both public and private, is impossible to separate 
from the well-being of our country, frankly. Healthier forests 
mean cleaner air, safer water and fewer wildfires and 
destruction. It means being able to take in the fresh water on 
a hike--or fresh air on a hike in the Hiawatha National Forest 
in beautiful Michigan, go camping and fishing in the Ozark 
National Forest in my friend Senator Boozman's home State of 
Arkansas, or simply be able to stay safe from the destruction 
of wildfires out west thanks to the heroic work of our Forest 
Service firefighting crews who are, as we speak, putting their 
lives on the line to protect all of us.
    Wildfires have been increasing in size, number and 
intensity every year, spreading like well, wildfires. Right 
now, there are 96 wildfires active in 14 States, 96. They have 
already consumed nearly 1.9 million acres and continue to 
threaten the livelihoods of the surrounding rural communities, 
including many farmers and ranchers.
    With strong leadership in the natural resources and 
environment mission area and the Forest Service, we can restore 
our public lands. This includes replanting trees that have been 
affected by wildfire and are unlikely to regenerate on their 
own, adjusting land management practices to store more carbon 
and benefit wildlife, and pursuing targeted and science-based 
restoration of our forests that can prevent wildfires in the 
first place. All of this is done in close collaboration with 
State foresters, tribal government and private landowners.
    President Biden nominated Dr. Wilkes because he has the 
skills to tackle these pressing challenges. Dr. Wilkes has had 
a 41-year career at USDA, leading efforts in conservation, 
ecological restoration and prescribed fire, all while working 
closely with private landowners and community-led organizations 
alike. He has existing relationships with many of the 
stakeholders, this missionary, overseas, including 
conservation, forestry, natural resource groups like the 
National Wildlife Federation, the Theodore Roosevelt 
Conservation Partnership, the National Wild Turkey Federation, 
and many others.
    I have a letter of support from several stakeholders for 
his nomination I would like to add to the record without 
objection.

    [The letters can be found on page 36 in the appendix.]

    Chairwoman Stabenow. If confirmed, Dr. Wilkes will work 
closely with the Forest Service's new chief, Randy Moore. Chief 
Moore started his career at the Natural Resources Conservation 
Service in 1978 and has over 20 years of experience at the 
Forest Service, most of them on the front lines of our wildfire 
challenges. Between the both of them, they have eight decades 
of experience in natural resource conservation and defense. I 
have every confidence that they will be a great team and work 
to restore and protect our public lands through responsible 
forest management practices, conservation, research, and 
recreational opportunities, all of which create jobs and drive 
rural economies.
    I look forward to hearing from Dr. Wilkes about his vision 
for the future of the natural resources and environment mission 
area and the U.S. Forest Service. With that, I would recognize 
my friend Senator Boozman for any comments he has.

 STATEMENT OF HON. SENATOR JOHN BOOZMAN, U.S. SENATOR FROM THE 
                       STATE OF ARKANSAS

    Senator Boozman. Thank you, Madam Chair. Today we welcome 
Dr. Homer Wilkes from Mississippi to the Committee as we 
consider his nomination to be Under Secretary for Natural 
Resources and Environment, or NRE, the mission area at the 
Department of Agriculture. Our colleagues from Mississippi, 
Senator Wicker and Senator Hyde-Smith, will give a proper 
introduction of Dr. Wilkes, but he comes to us after serving at 
the USDA for 41 years in a variety of senior roles and 
positions.
    Dr. Wilkes has also served in the U.S. Navy Reserves for 
many years. We are grateful for your service to our country in 
so many different ways. Dr. Wilkes' dedication to service and 
leadership has demonstrated over the course of his career is a 
reason that this is not the first time he has been nominated 
for this position. Putting family first, he took his name out 
of contention for the Under Secretary position in 2009, 
choosing to remain in Mississippi. I deeply respect making your 
family your priority, and I am pleased that you are now ready 
for the challenge of the office.
    I thank you for your willingness to serve because our 
Nation's forests are critical to so many families in our rural 
communities. Our nation's forests and grasslands serve a 
variety of functions, habitat for wildlife, areas for outdoor 
recreation, grazing for livestock, energy and mineral 
development, and timber for a vibrant wood products industry, 
which by the way, sequesters carbon in wood products long 
beyond the natural life of the individual tree.
    The life cycle of planting trees, managing forests, 
harvesting timber and delivering this commodity to a growing 
wood products industry is a win-win for everyone. Carbon is 
sequestered in trees, which is then stored in the products 
derived from those trees. Rural communities benefit from a wood 
products industry that converts trees to products we all use 
and depend on.
    In Arkansas, we are seeing some of these exciting 
innovations of mass timber. For instance, the University of 
Arkansas Adohi Hall is a 202,000-square-foot student residence 
constructed almost entirely of mass timber. It is one of the 
largest mass timber buildings in the U.S., estimating to store 
the equivalent of over 3,000 metric tons of carbon.
    Also, Walmart is constructing its new corporate 
headquarters in Bentonville with 1.7 million cubic feet of mass 
timber harvested and manufactured in Arkansas. As a result of 
that project, Structurlam will be opening a new facility in 
Conway, Arkansas that will create over 100 new jobs in the 
State. These projects are just a microcosm of the win-win 
opportunities tied to healthy, well-managed working forests and 
communities they support.
    However, the success of keeping our forests healthy and 
working with carbon sequestration, wood products, recreation, 
wildlife and resources, is only as strong as our forest 
management. I am deeply concerned about the future of our 
forests because they are so vitally important to so many 
stakeholders. Multiple years of delayed management and neglect 
have left some of our forests vulnerable to insects, diseases 
and catastrophic wildfire, which is why reenergizing efforts to 
actively manage our forests, from hazardous fuel reduction to 
restoring lands damaged by fires or diseases or pests, is 
critical in keeping our forests working and healthy for 
generations to come.
    If confirmed, Dr. Wilkes will be taking the helm at the NRE 
and overseeing the Forest Service in the middle of what is 
shaping up to be another record wildfire season with over 1.8 
million acres burned on over 90 large wildfires. His leadership 
will be critical in mitigating the impacts of this fire season 
and ensuring that the Forest Service has the right tools to do 
the right work on the right acres in the months and years to 
come.
    Dr. Wilkes has immense experience at NRCS in leveraging 
their programs and building partnerships with a variety of 
stakeholders. Throughout Dr. Wilkes' career he has engaged 
farmers, ranchers, landowners and rural communities in 
decisionmaking and program implementation. If confirmed, I am 
hopeful that Dr. Wilkes will bring the same qualities and 
characteristics demonstrated during his tenure at NRCS to his 
role as Under Secretary at NRE, as that type of engagement is 
crucial to keeping our forests healthy and working.
    If confirmed, I trust Congress will also be able to work 
with Dr. Wilkes and rely on his professionalism and candor as 
he leads the NRE in this important work. Along those lines, I 
ask you, Dr. Wilkes, if confirmed, to be responsive and prompt 
in answering our questions and providing assistance to the 
Committee. As we have seen before, the Committee's best work is 
done when working together in collaboration and with the 
benefit of technical assistance from the Department.
    Dr. Wilkes, again, congratulations on your nomination, and 
we look forward to hearing from you today. With that, I yield 
back.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you so much, Senator Boozman. We 
are so pleased to have the senior senator from Mississippi here 
today. Dr. Wilkes, you have both of your senators, as you know, 
distinguished member of our Committee, as well as your senior 
senator, with us today. Senator Wicker, I will turn it over to 
you for the formal introduction.

STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE ROGER WICKER, U.S. SENATOR FROM THE 
                      STATE OF MISSISSIPPI

    Senator Wicker. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair and 
Senator Boozman and distinguished members of the Committee.
    I certainly hope this is a proper introduction for this 
distinguished nominee because I could not be more delighted to 
be here, nor could I be more supportive of my friend and fellow 
Mississippian, Dr. Homer Wilkes, of the beautiful Mississippi 
River county of Claiborne County, Mississippi and its 
picturesque county seat, Port Gibson. I invite you all to come 
there and see for yourselves.
    Dr. Wilkes holds a bachelor's, a master's, and a Ph.D. from 
Jackson State University. He has devoted his career to public 
service for over 41 years. Since 2013, he served as director of 
the Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem Restoration Division--that is a 
mouthful--where he has played a critical role in restoring the 
health of the Gulf Coast following the BP oil spill. Previously 
he served as chief financial officer for the Mississippi State 
Conservationists, as well as acting associate chief of the 
Natural Resources Conservation Service, NRCS. He has also 
served as a supply officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve.
    Dr. Wilkes has a track record of working for large-scale 
solutions in partnership with the private sector, communities, 
organizations and agencies, and he has shown a unique ability 
to balance economic and environmental needs, and that is 
exactly what we need in this position. Notably, during his 
tenure at NRCS, Mississippi's forests ranked top in the Nation 
in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. That is what 
trees do for a living, and in the most board feet of timber 
harvested from national forests.
    Dr. Wilkes was previously nominated for this position in 
2009, as Senator Boozman mentioned, but he withdrew because he 
had his priorities straight. He wanted to stay close to his 
three sons until they could graduate from high school in 
Mississippi. This was a sign not just of his commitment to his 
family, but also a long-standing support he has enjoyed for 
this role.
    Again, I am utterly delighted to be here. I join my dear 
friend Senator Hyde-Smith in strong support of Dr. Wilkes. 
Thank you.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you so much, Senator Wicker, for 
being here today and for your very positive words. Now I will 
ask Senator Hyde-Smith if she would like to also share some 
remarks.

 STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE CINDY HYDE-SMITH, A UNITED STATES 
             SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI

    Senator Hyde-Smith. Thank you, Chairwoman Stabenow and 
Ranking Member Boozman for today's hearing. Dr. Wilkes, thank 
you for being here. Could not be more proud that you have been 
nominated for this.
    I will not use my five minutes of questioning, because his 
leadership has no questions. He is so strong. He is so well-
respected in Mississippi. I have known him for many, many 
years, and he is a delight to work with. He knows what he is 
talking about. He is so well-qualified and I just could not be 
more excited about him being at the Department, because he 
knows the inner workings of the Department. He is a man of such 
character. His work ethic is beyond comparison, and I am 
absolutely thrilled to be able to strongly support Dr. Wilkes 
and so proud you are a Mississippian. Thank you.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. I am tempted to 
just end the hearing right now, quit while we are ahead so with 
such strong introductions. Dr. Wilkes, if you would join us, 
please, at the table.
    The first thing, I need to administer an oath that we do 
for all of our nominees, so if you would please stand and raise 
your right hand.
    Do you swear or affirm that the testimony you are about to 
provide is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the 
truth, so help you God?
    Mr. Wilkes. I do.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you. Second, do you agree that 
if confirmed, you will appear before any duly constituted 
committee of Congress if asked to appear?
    Mr. Wilkes. I will.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Wonderful. Well, thank you very much 
again, and welcome. I will look forward to hearing more about 
your vision and priorities for the Department of Agriculture. 
You are welcome to take a seat and we, of course, will share 
for the record, beyond your five minutes anything that you 
would like to share with the Committee as well. Again, Dr. 
Wilkes, welcome.

  STATEMENT OF HOMER L. WILKES, PH.D., NOMINATED TO BE UNDER 
 SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE FOR NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT

    Mr. Wilkes. Good morning Chairwoman Stabenow, Ranking 
Member Boozman and members of the Committee. I want to thank 
you for the opportunity to appear before you today and for your 
consideration of my nomination to be Under Secretary for 
Natural Resources and Environment for the United States 
Department of Agriculture.
    Senator Grassley. Can you turn your microphone on?
    Mr. Wilkes. Yes. I am good now?
    Chairwoman Stabenow. All right, there you go.
    Mr. Wilkes. I would like to thank the----
    Senator Grassley. Could you pull the microphone closer to 
you?
    Mr. Wilkes. Can you hear me now?
    Senator Grassley. Yes.
    Mr. Wilkes. Good morning again. Chairwoman Stabenow, 
Ranking Member Boozman and members of the Committee, I want to 
thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today for 
your consideration of my nomination to be Under Secretary for 
Natural Resources and Environment at the United States 
Department of Agriculture. I would like to thank Senator Roger 
Wicker and Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith from the great State of 
Mississippi for their kind introductions and remarks.
    I want to also thank all those who are responsible for my 
success in life, especially my family and the many men and 
women who I have served with during my tenure at USDA. A 
special thanks to my wife, Kim, of 39 years, and my three sons. 
I thank President Biden for nominating me to serve in this 
role, and Secretary Vilsack for his support. If confirmed, I 
look forward to working with Secretary Vilsack and the Congress 
to buildupon the Administration's commitment to rural America 
through the conservation of our national forests and 
grasslands.
    I have been a public servant for more than 41 years, 
serving as a State conservationist for the State of 
Mississippi, acting associate chief for the Natural Resource 
Conservation Service, and director of the Gulf Coast Ecosystem 
Restoration Division. I understand how important a role USDA 
plays in the conservation of America's natural resources. Like 
our working lands, American forests, both public and private, 
are vital to the economic prosperity of rural America. Forests 
provide clean water, wildlife habitat, recreational 
opportunities and a host of other benefits. It is a critical 
time for the work of the natural resource environment mission 
area at USDA.
    I would like to highlight a few priority areas I intend to 
focus on if I am fortunate enough to be confirmed. First and 
foremost, wildfire management and prevention. Second, providing 
a safe and inclusive work environment for employees. Third, 
addressing the forest sustainability and supporting and 
creating markets for forest products. We are facing steep 
challenges when it comes to wildfire management and prevention. 
Management and longer fire seasons is increasingly challenging 
to USDA and the entire wildfire management community. Many of 
our forests in the West are overstocked due to decades of 
excluding all fires.
    On top of this, record-setting temperatures and drought are 
contributing to the intense fire activity already this season. 
Last month, the National Multi-Agency Coordination Group moved 
the Forest Service to Preparedness Level 5, and that is 
probably the earliest it had placed over the last 10 years, the 
highest level available, because of significant fire activities 
occurring across multi-geographical areas and other factors. 
This is the earliest we have reached this level.
    It is important to protect from the loss of life and 
property and to ensure the safety and support of thousands of 
personnel battling wildfires in multiple regions across the 
country. We must ensure agencies like the Forest Service 
fighting fires are well-equipped with the resources needed to 
ably handle the monumental task that we have ahead of us. In 
addition, we must make sure that we have the resources in place 
to take necessary steps to prevent wildfires, and then when 
they happen, we have the capability to properly recover.
    If confirmed, not only will it be my priority to make sure 
our men and women on the front lines have what they need, but 
will be advocating for increasing the scale of forest 
restoration and fuel reduction activities on the Forest Service 
lands. This is how we will protect at-risk communities and make 
them more resilient. If confirmed, I pledge an unwavering 
commitment to working with members of the Committee to address 
the challenges in front of us when it comes to combating, 
preventing and recovering from wildfires and managing our 
communities are for sure.
    My second priority is to support a safe, inclusive work 
environment for all employees. If confirmed, I will be 
personally responsible for providing leadership to ensure that 
everyone is treated fairly, the instances of harassment are 
quickly identified, and accountable actions are taken. If 
confirmed, my first briefing from the NRE staff will be on 
these issues, to access the current status of where we are as 
far as those issues are concerned.
    Secretary Vilsack has strongly stated his commitment to 
racial justice and equality, and if confirmed, I too pledge to 
not tolerate discrimination in any form within U.S. Forest 
Service.
    Our national forests play a critical role in the economy of 
the local communities by providing opportunities for all types 
of outdoor recreation, demand for which has skyrocketed in the 
face of the Corona pandemic. Management of the lands support 
markets for food products. If confirmed, I will increase 
sustainable, active land management on public and private land 
and ensure we are working to support the outdoor economy.
    The U.S. has a natural resource treasure in its forests. It 
is unique to any place in the world. If I am confirmed, I 
pledge to see that these forests and grasslands have a 
sustainable future. If confirmed as the Under Secretary, I will 
continue to emphasize the importance of partnership and 
collaboration with farmers, ranchers, forest owners, forest 
industries, local communities to conserve our working lands and 
our forests.
    I will conclude by once again thanking President Biden, 
Secretary Vilsack for their confidence in me, and thank you, 
Madam Chairman, Senator Boozman and members of the Committee, 
for the opportunity to appear before you today. I will look 
forward to answering questions, and thank you again.

    [The prepared statement of Mr. Wilkes can be found on page 
32 in the appendix.]

    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much for your opening 
statement. I would first like to talk a little bit more about 
restoring forests. You were talking about that. Because 
responsibly restoring the national forests to prevent severe 
and unnatural wildfires, particularly near where people live, 
needs to be a top priority, as you know. Your predecessors in 
the job have repeatedly told the Committee that the Forest 
Service lacks capacity and resources to actually meet the 
restoration goal, so I wonder if you might speak about that. Do 
you agree with that? If you had additional resources, what 
would your priorities be when we are looking at the needs here 
in restoration?
    Mr. Wilkes. Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to start off by 
acknowledging the fact that what is taking place in California 
last evening, there were catastrophic events that is 
continuing. There were three towns that was actually lost and 
we really want to lift up those folks in our prayers and 
consideration. I just want to acknowledge that is taking place.
    As I said early on, that will be one of my No. 1 
priorities. As we begin to think about life and property, we 
really need to do that. I want to thank this Committee for the 
efforts that have been made in order to make sure we do have 
those resources. You know better than I that we do have a need 
for the resources. If confirmed, I would like to work with this 
Committee to make sure that the Forest Service does have those 
resources.
    I think the Forest Service knows what needs to be done, but 
as I said early on, this season--there was a time we had a fire 
season, but now, it is more or less a fire year. We are 
constantly working on trying to suppress those fires, do what 
we can to protect those communities. As far as the resources 
are concerned, I applaud this Committee for the efforts that 
are being made to do that. We do need additional resources. If 
confirmed, I will be willing to work with, or want to work with 
this Committee to make sure that we have those resources that 
we need.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. Thank you very 
much. Let's talk a little bit more. We know that climate change 
is hurting the forest, but do you agree that forests can also 
be part of the solution to climate change? How would you use 
the Forest Service's considerable authority, both national 
forest land and through State and private forestry divisions, 
to help drive what we are calling climate smart forestry?
    Mr. Wilkes. Madam Chair, thanks for that question, because 
it is a broad question. I think just over the years, as Senator 
Wicker stated, trees sequester carbon, and as we know, that 
carbon sequestration could be a major, a major part of actually 
controlling and helping with climate change. The Forest 
Service, the public side that is over 193 million acres--and 
then we also work with somewhat over four or five hundred 
million acres on private land, so I think that in itself will 
be an opportunity to do that.
    At the same time, I think we can work through some of these 
tools that have been given to us, whether the joint chief, 
whether it be the shared stewardship, and more importantly, the 
Good Neighbor Authority. Because fires and climate change does 
not stop at a public or a private boundary. They actually--they 
cross boundaries, for lack of better word. I think taking those 
things into consideration, we will work with those communities 
at large and talking about what we can actually do.
    Now, the Forest Service has a lot of data. We have some of 
the world-renowned researchers, but I think more importantly, 
if I am confirmed, I would like to bring the collaboration, the 
work ethics that we have had, the communication, and get those 
communities involved. I believe that not only do we need to 
have people that buy into a product's success, we need to have 
them to be in it, because I believe that way they will have an 
integral part of wanting to make sure we resolve those issues.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Great, thank you. Let me talk more 
specifically for a moment about the Department, the men and 
women that you will be overseeing, and you have spoken about 
this. Sexual harassment and misconduct has, unfortunately, been 
a pervasive problem at the Forest Service for decades. This 
inexcusable behavior has been the subject of national news as 
well, as you know.
    What will you do to build on the work of your predecessors 
to root out the misconduct in the agency? What new steps would 
you take to ensure that this does not resurface?
    Mr. Wilkes. Madam Chair, thanks for that question, and that 
is very, very important to me. I start off by saying that our 
employees are our most valuable resources. As you look at and 
read some of the things that have taken place in the Forest 
Service, I am reminded of a story that a former chief said, and 
he was talking about that. It came to be--and he got real 
frustrated, and I am frustrated. Whenever an environment is not 
conducive to the employees and they do not have the chance to 
really, I say, strive, not just survive, it is just--I am going 
to use this term because it was used--it was just ungood. It is 
ungood to have that type of environment.
    People should feel safe. They should feel respected and 
they should feel that they have the opportunity to express 
their concerns. Now, from my personal standpoint, what I will 
do, if I am confirmed, the first thing I would like to do is to 
meet with the management team there and find out where are we 
on these issues? What has been done to make sure that we 
correct and regularize some of the concerns that is being 
reported? Upon that, I will make sure--I will make a personal 
statement to say that folks, you know, you are accountable and 
you are responsible, and if you are a bad actor, then there are 
some consequences.
    I was often told that we make choices, but someone else 
determines the consequences, so I will tell folks that this is 
the way we are going to do business here. We need to make sure 
that these employees are treated like family. The NRCS 
employees I have worked with over these years, that is my 
family. We spend one-third of our time with those folks, so 
this becomes a part of your family. You do not treat your 
family badly, and I will communicate that and I will be 
passionate about it. I will make sure that the management team 
know from the very beginning, from top down from bottom up, 
that we are just not going to operate in this manner.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Well, thank you very much. As you 
know, this is very important, and appreciate your commitment. 
Let me turn now to Senator Boozman, and then next will be 
Senator Klobuchar.
    Senator Boozman. Thank you, Madam Chair. A question that we 
ask every nominee before our Committee, Dr. Wilkes, is if 
confirmed, will you commit to responding to staff inquiries in 
a timely fashion and will you commit to providing our Committee 
with timely responses to our outreach and inquiries, whether 
that be official inquiries from our Committee members or other 
outreach at the staff level?
    Mr. Wilkes. Senator Boozman, the answer to that question is 
yes, I am committed to working with this Committee to provide 
timely information and have an engaged process.
    Senator Boozman. Good. Thank you very much. Federal and 
State land management agencies and private timberland owners 
recognize the need to increase the pace and scale of hazardous 
fuels reduction on Federal lands and across-boundary 
landscapes, but we are witnessing the catastrophic impacts 
which you just mentioned, the wildfires, all that has on our 
national forest systems and lands and rural communities, large 
communities now, when land management agencies do not properly 
and actively manage those resources.
    Dr. Wilkes, what is your view on the role and value of 
active forest management as a tool to help prevent, mitigate 
and address catastrophic wildfire, and if confirmed, how will 
you lead the Forest Service to promote and conduct increased 
active land management on national forest lands?
    Mr. Wilkes. Senator Boozman, thank you for that question. I 
will go back to my experience as National Resource Conservation 
Service manager for over 41 years, and what I will say is that 
working with private landowners, that land is actually managed, 
because if you are looking for that bottom line, that income 
comes from there. If I am confirmed as the Under Secretary for 
NRE, I will take those same type of mindset to get out there 
and work with those communities and find out what do they need, 
as well as taking from where we are.
    I see that the government serves as a catalyst, but it is 
those folks on the country side that really get it done. We 
have to involve them. If we are going to have a quality 
product, we need to have those folks actually involved in it.
    Now, a little bit about active management. I think that 
that is needed. In the part of the country that I come from, 
that is--we do that. As you heard earlier, you know, we have 
been able to have that balance. We have managed our forest 
land. We have gone in there. We have done thinning. We also 
have done some prescribed fires. That is just a way of doing 
business.
    I hope--I know that we are dealing with a low--different 
area scores, the topography and the--just the land masses and 
just how difficult it may be to get to some of those areas. 
Most of the work that is done in the western States are 
primarily done by hand, so it is a little slower. We can still 
use those same prescriptions that we use when we use that 
private land. We can take that to public lands also.
    Senator Boozman. Good.
    Mr. Wilkes. If I am confirmed, I hope to take that same 
type of a collaboration, the tools that have been given from 
the standpoint of the joint chief, the shared stewardship, as 
well as the Good Neighbor Authority, to make that happen.
    Senator Boozman. Good. Thank you. As you know, Arkansas is 
a major forestry State. While much of our timber comes from 
private lands, we are blessed to have the Ouachita and Ozark-
St. Francis National Forests that play a vital role for our 
local forest industry, providing high-quality sawtimber that 
helps supply mills and creates jobs in small towns scattered 
throughout Arkansas.
    I note that the current sawtimber sales are well below the 
forest plan levels. Traditionally, the Ouachita National 
Forest, in particular, has used timber sales to generate 
revenue for other needed work, such as prescribed fire and 
activities to improve habitat for species like turkeys and the 
Red-cockaded Woodpecker. I would like to work with you to see 
how we can move this forest forward and generate more revenue 
and healthier habitat. If confirmed, will you commit to working 
with me to achieve these goals?
    Let me go further. This truly is a win-win situation, 
because the Forest Service generates revenue as a result of 
this, so that they can do activities that they desperately need 
to do to manage the forests. The mills provide work for 
individuals and then for these--particularly in these small 
communities that desperately need the jobs. Then the other 
thing is the industry needs the product.
    What I do not want to hear in the future or now is that we 
do not have the resources for the individuals in the Forest 
Service to provide what it takes to do the contract. In other 
words, if they cannot afford to provide the manpower and do 
what it takes to do the contract when they are actually making 
money out of the contract, that makes no sense. Can you comment 
on that? I know you are familiar with that.
    Mr. Wilkes. Senator Boozman, as I listen to that question, 
I go back to, and I really think about, and I have always 
believed, so goes rural America, so goes America. We have a 
real opportunity and a real challenge and a real, I would say, 
a commitment. We owe it to make sure that rural America is 
actually sustained. I think by working with the community, I am 
big on collaboration. I mean, I just believe that we should be 
able to sit down and work with those local folks and find out 
what needs to be done and how can we actually, you know, handle 
those things. Because what I will tell you is that I think if 
folks, they want to do the work. We really want to do the work. 
Right now our resources are somewhat actually, you know, 
stretched, because again, we are trying to protect life and 
property first.
    You asked the question, am I committed to working with you 
to see if we can resolve those questions? The answer is yes.
    Senator Boozman. Well, thank you. Again, I would say it 
makes no sense to not spend money to make money. Thank you, 
Madam Chair.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much, Senator Boozman. 
Senator Klobuchar.
    Senator Klobuchar. Well, thank you. Thank you very much, 
Senator Stabenow, for this really important hearing. I want to 
start out with a topic that has come up a few times, and that 
is wildfires we are seeing all across our country.
    We are seeing them in a big, big way in Minnesota. These 
fires that are raging in Canada, it has created air quality not 
only in Northern Minnesota, but all the way down to the Twin 
Cities, where people have been staying inside for days, where 
it is hazardous for anyone with a preexisting condition to go 
out.
    Dr. Wilkes, I know you have gotten a few questions on this. 
I lead an effort with Secretary Kozak to deploy the air 
resource advisors in the Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality 
Response Program to address the public health risk so we have 
all the information we need.
    Could you talk about how you will work with me and my 
colleague, Senator Smith, to ensure that we have the resources 
and staffing in place to assess and communicate the risks posed 
by the fire. We obviously have the underlying causes of the 
fire and how we can reduce this, but there is also letting 
people know what the risk is.
    Mr. Wilkes. Thank you, Senator.
    Senator Klobuchar. Thank you, Dr. Wilkes.
    Mr. Wilkes. As I said earlier, I believe in collaboration. 
I think we have to get out there and actually talk to the folks 
that is being impacted by these fires. We can talk about the 
wildfires. We can talk about how we are going to suppress them 
and put them out. I think people need to know what are the 
risks. I know--it seems as though people are willing and ready 
to get engaged with resolving this issue. This is such a big 
issue for everyone now.
    I do not know how it has been in the past, but I do know 
that people really want to get engaged and they want to try to 
help resolve those issues. That would mean that they will need 
to have communication, honest, open communication to let 
themselves know what are the consequences of those actions or 
inaction.
    The question is that yes, I will be willing to work with 
you to make sure we get those words out there and the community 
at large know some of the risks that is associated with it.
    Senator Klobuchar. All right. We have over half of our 
counties right now are at some kind of risk for the fires. We 
have been, as I mentioned earlier, particularly concerned about 
while we have fires in our own State, the air coming across, 
the smoke from Canada. Could you talk about what we could be 
doing through your plan to implement and use tools to fight 
forest fires and improve management?
    In the budget agreement, I actually worked on a provision, 
a bipartisan provision called Expanding to Expand the Good 
Neighbor Authority, which reduces wildfire risk and promotes 
stewardship projects. Could you talk a little bit about what 
tools we can be using, particularly some of those to fight 
these fires?
    Mr. Wilkes. Senator, thank you. You mentioned two of the 
tools that are in the toolbox, and the two that I am 
particularly proud of, shared stewardship. That is a space I 
think we can share with our State and private land forests, 
some of those communities at large. I think that is where the 
opportunity will come to really--when I say shared stewardship 
and shared responsibility, that we can actually sit down and 
talk about those things. Again, I just do not believe that 
Washington has all the answers. I think that the community at 
large will have to help address some of those particular 
issues.
    Talking about the Good Neighbor Authority, that is very, 
very important, because in my part of the country, those 
producers, those landowners, they stand at the fencepost and 
they talk to each other about how can they reduce or actually 
have an impact on whatever the cause is. I think if we would 
really implement it and exercise and communicate that, that 
could go a long way as far as trying to help resolve those 
issues, because they can help us with those answers. We have 
the resources and the folks that is actually in the Forest 
Service that is there. If confirmed, I will actually make sure 
that I make that a priority, that we communicate----
    Senator Klobuchar. Okay.
    Mr. Wilkes [continuing]--with those local communities to 
find out what is going on.
    Senator Klobuchar. Okay, very good. Last question.
    How do you view the role of advanced biofuels--very 
important in the Midwest--and biobased products made from 
forest residues as part of the broader goal of meeting our 
emissions reductions when it comes to climate change?
    Mr. Wilkes. On that particular question--thank you, 
Senator--what I will say is that the forest does--they 
sequester carbon. That is just what trees does. That is the 
work they do, as Senator Wicker stated. At the same time, there 
is some best management practices that we really need to look 
at and see how we can address some of those concerns. It may be 
from a standpoint of doing some thinning. We go there, we do 
prescribe fire. We can do some of those things to try to make 
sure we mitigate some of the actual things that take place 
there.
    I think that we can do some things to try to help the 
drought. There is a number of things that we could actually do 
in that particular arena to try to do what we can to mitigate 
some of those concerns that you just raised.
    Senator Klobuchar. All right, thank you.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much.
    Now Senator Hyde-Smith from Mississippi.
    Senator Hyde-Smith. Thank you, Chairwoman Stabenow, and 
really, I have very few questions. I just want to reiterate 
that I think this is a very qualified nominee.
    The only question is Doctor, is what do you think the 
greatest challenge that you will face when you get there, Dr. 
Wilkes?
    Mr. Wilkes. Thank you, Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. The bottom 
line is this. It may be somewhat of a paradigm shift. I mean, 
in Mississippi--I would have to go back to what I know, and in 
Mississippi, we actually just believe in actually 
communicating. I hope that the same type of atmospheric exists. 
I believe that we bring all of the folks to the table. We can 
talk about regulations, all those type of things, but each 
agency has some type of authority and we need to just find out 
what they are.
    I will tell you case in point, when Katrina hit, that was 
an all-hands evolution. I mean, that was probably one of the 
biggest catastrophic issues that could have taken place, but we 
have an all-hands evolution. We brought everyone to the table 
and we communicated open and honest, and everyone had a mission 
and we had something to do. We rolled up our sleeves and really 
went to work. I hope, I hope that that is the type of attitude 
to take here. I just do not know. I am not going to see it as 
far as a challenge. I am going to look at it as an opportunity 
to make sure we expand our partnership and our collaboration 
efforts to get the job done.
    Senator Hyde-Smith. Thank you, Madam Chairman.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. Now Senator 
Smith, and then we will turn to Senator Tuberville.
    Senator Smith. Thank you so much, Madam Chair, and Ranking 
Member Boozman. Dr. Wilkes, it is so great to see you in front 
of the Committee today. I really appreciated our conversation, 
gosh, I think it was earlier this week, and you are clearly 
well-qualified and will, I hope, be an excellent--be able to 
serve our country in an excellent way in this role.
    I want to just also call out, as you are responding to 
Senator Hyde-Smith, and a theme that came through loud and 
clear in our conversations, which is that often the best ideas 
for what to do, for what will work, come from folks on the 
ground who are doing the work themselves and are--I so 
appreciate your understanding of that, and I know that in 
Minnesota that that will be greatly appreciated by people who 
often feel, as you and I say, that it is too often people from 
Washington show up with all of the answers and not enough 
questions and not willing to really hear from the grassroots, 
so thank you for that.
    I want to start with the question about the Forest Service. 
As Senator Klobuchar indicated, Minnesota's national forests 
are extremely important in our State. Over the last few years, 
we have heard that there is low morale amongst career Forest 
Service staff and, of course, this has impacts on hiring and 
recruiting and retaining qualified personnel and has a direct 
impact on the capacity of the Forest Service to do the work 
that it needs to do to meet its mission.
    I think you are uniquely positioned to understand this 
because of your long career in public service. Could you 
address this, tell us a little bit about how you see this and 
what you would do to address this challenge?
    Mr. Wilkes. Thank you, Senator Smith. As I said, and I want 
to repeat that I have a passion for that. These employees are 
actually--well, I will say the employees of the Forest Service 
are actually our most valuable resources and if I am confirmed, 
I will make a commitment to make sure that it is communicated 
how important they are and how important they are to the 
mission of the Forest Service. Because you cannot get work done 
if folks have these other outliers that they are concerned 
about. It just cannot--they have to be focused on the job at 
hand.
    We have those firefighters out there that is actually doing 
that work and it is very dangerous work, so if you are worried 
about what may happen, whether it be harassment or you are not 
going to get paid and those type of things, it is problematic. 
I think we just need to make sure that from the leadership, 
that everything that we can possibly do to make them feel that 
they are important, is where we need to be.
    As has been stated, Chief Randy Moore is in place. That 
communication will take place with him early on and often, if 
need be, because we want to see some real changes that take 
place. We want to make sure that the surveys that come out from 
the standpoint of employees--and you can check that through 
finding out what is the status? How do they feel about their 
jobs? How do they feel about the work they are actually doing?
    I will take those kind of actions to make sure that I try 
to keep my hands on the pulse. Not try. I will keep my hands on 
the pulse to make sure that I understand their concerns and how 
we can address them.
    Senator Smith. I thank you so much for that response. I 
think everybody on this Committee would agree that those public 
servants deserve our respect and our support, and I am grateful 
to know that you will always keep that front and center.
    When you and I spoke, we also had a conversation about the 
trust challenges that USDA has with farmers of color and 
especially black farmers across the country and the work that 
we need to do to rebuild that trust and to make sure that the 
USDA is working for all farmers, especially farmers of color. I 
think about in Minnesota where we have a very diverse 
agricultural economy, including lots of beginning farmers. Many 
of them are farmers of color, Hmong farmers, Latino farmers, 
black farmers. Could you talk a little bit about how you see 
that and in your role what you would do to address that 
challenge?
    Mr. Wilkes. Senator Smith, thank you very much. I have to 
share a story, and I always go back to Mississippi. As this 
Committee knows, that there is things that is out there as far 
as the lawsuits, the Pigford and all those lawsuits that have 
been out there. I would say, there are some bad actors. Let's 
just face it, there are some bad actors. In my role, there are 
three unique tools that we actually have, and one that is 
probably the most advantageous one is the joint chiefs. That is 
an opportunity for both the chief of the Natural Resource 
Conservation Service and the chief of the Forest Service to 
talk about things and those ideas.
    At NRCS, we have not been squeaky clean, make no bones 
about it. In Title VI, which is program delivery, we have to 
make sure that folks feel comfortable, that the work--when they 
come into those offices that they are going to be treated--they 
are going to be treated fairly. We have to look at ways that we 
can possibly have dollars that we can spend toward those issues 
and get them involved with those local workgroups that exist in 
those communities.
    That is how those things actually come up. When you start 
at that local level and get the folks involved and those 
different boards and things, that means you have to be 
inclusive of those folks. Then I think we get better 
decisionmaking when we do those type of things. I will have an 
active role in there and working with--fortunately, I have had 
a chance to work with the Natural Resource Conservation 
Service, and if I am confirmed, I will have a chance to work 
with the Forest Service. I will bring those years of experience 
that I have had as far as making sure that folks are included. 
I have this philosophy.
    Senator Smith. Thank you.
    Mr. Wilkes. If you help anybody and everybody, you will not 
leave out nobody. That is where we want to be in this 
particular climate for sure.
    Senator Smith. I greatly appreciate it. Thank you very 
much, Madam Chair.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. Senator 
Tuberville.
    Senator Tuberville. Thank you, Madam Chair. Dr. Wilkes, 
welcome to the Senate Ag Committee. You know, this is a hugely 
important position, but first of all, I would like to say 
Jackson State University, been there many times. Home of Coach 
Deion Sanders. I do not think a lot of people know that. You 
know, we have 191 national forests, 191 million acres. That is 
a lot of walking, Dr. Wilkes. That is a lot of walking.
    You know, in our State, we have four national forests that 
cover 668,000 acres, and we are proud of them. I am a 
landowner, forest owner myself in Alabama, and we are proud of 
what we have. I was glad to hear what you said about 
maintaining our forests. I mean, it is so important, plus we 
can make money. I would like to invite you to come to Alabama 
to see our timber plots and the ones that are ready to be 
replanted. I think we do a great job there. I was glad to hear 
that.
    I want to talk a little bit about the Forest Legacy Program 
under the U.S. Forest Service and its conservation practices, 
to encourage protection of our privately owned lands. I am sure 
you know that. I want you to talk a little bit about that, and 
hopefully you will continue that legacy with our programs.
    Mr. Wilkes. Senator Tuberville, thank you very much. I will 
say that Alabama has a very, very strong forestry program. The 
work that has been done with Tuskegee and the Federation of 
Southern Cooperatives there, Alabama has a very strong program. 
I have been there several times, and thank you for the invite.
    As you have requested, yes, sir, the legacy program will 
actually be continued. The work with those private landowners 
that is so important, that is where I think the Good Neighbor 
Authority will be so important that we can actually work across 
those boundaries, that we can work with those individuals. Get 
out there and work those communities large and find out what is 
needed to be done. If we do that, I think we can still have 
that sustainable forest program and land management program 
that is needed in order to protect and conserve these forests 
for generations to come.
    Senator Tuberville. Thank you. I was glad to hear one of 
your top priorities is forest sustainability if confirmed. What 
ideas and initiatives do you want to see to ensure a vibrant 
and robust forests across our country?
    Mr. Wilkes. I am sorry, Senator?
    Senator Tuberville. What initiatives do you see that you 
can implement to really improve and enhance in our forests all 
over the country?
    Mr. Wilkes. Thank you, Senator, for that question. I guess 
I will have to go back to just land management. Land management 
is something that takes place. I have had some--a few years of 
doing that, particularly working with private lands, and over 
the last seven years, I have had the opportunity to actually 
work dealing with public lands with this Coast Ecosystem 
Restoration. One of the things that we took place on is that it 
became a big item to make sure that we had the dollars in order 
to do that, and the States, including Alabama, Mississippi, 
Alabama and Florida, they actually put $10 million in each one 
of those States in order to make sure that land management 
sustainability took place.
    What I will do is continue to have those. It took a lot of 
collaboration to make sure that people understood that. As you 
stated, that we need to have that sustained, because people 
need to make a profit. I will make sure that communication 
takes place in those particular arenas, working with those 
landowners, whether it be public/private, or using those tools 
out there, whether it be joint chiefs, whether it be shared 
stewardship, or whether it be the Good Neighbor Authority, to 
make sure that we are using those best methods and practices.
    I will say, Alabama is one of those States that actually we 
do thinning. You actually do prescribed burn, and we have those 
firebreaks that we can actually do those type of things there. 
If confirmed, I will continue to make sure that those type of 
communication things take place with the community and those 
leaders at large.
    Senator Tuberville. Thank you, Dr. Wilkes. Looking forward 
to working with you. Thank you, Madam Chair.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. Senator 
Gillibrand.
    Senator Gillibrand. Thank you so much, Madam Chairwoman.
    Dr. Wilkes, congratulations on your nomination and thank 
you for appearing in front of the Committee today. New York, 
like many States in the Nation, has had portions of its forest 
land devastated by invasive pests. The emerald ash borer, which 
has now spread to 36 States, is a prime example.
    The USDA, through Forest Service research and other 
programs, has done considerable work over the years in an 
effort to stem the spread of invasive pests. Could you talk a 
little bit about your priorities, what they would be to address 
invasive pest outbreaks should you be confirmed for this 
position? Do you believe that there should be more coordination 
between the Forest Service and other agencies within the USDA, 
such as the Plant and Animal Health Inspection Service, to 
combat some of the issues currently facing our Nation's forest? 
Can you also describe how you plan to collaborate with other 
agencies outside the USDA, such as the Department of Interior?
    Mr. Wilkes. Thank you for that question, Senator.
    First of all, I will say that yes, we need to do more. If 
confirmed, I will advance the notion of doing more with 
invasives. They do not have boundaries. I will work on private 
land as well as public land. The first answer is that yes, we 
need to do more in that particular arena. I do not know all the 
concerns that is actually there, but I will tell you, we need 
to do more.
    You asked the question, how will I make sure that we have--
that more collaboration and communication among other Federal 
agencies. Senator, that has been my life story, to making sure 
that we do that. It is not a hard task from the standpoint that 
as a Federal agency, they are a responsibility each one of us 
have.
    I will actually continue with the collaboration process, 
the communication process, and bring people together. Someone 
has to start more dialog and I am not afraid to call in and 
say, we have some issues out here and we need to address them. 
Because the American people, they deserve it and we need to do 
all we can in order to implement as many of the projects that 
local folks want.
    Now, the third part of that question, you ask, do I think 
that USDA agencies should work close together? Absolutely. 
Absolutely. That will be one of the things--sometimes people 
have a tendency to not want to get on someone else's turf.
    I have to say I might be a little guilty of doing that 
because in order to get the job done, sometimes it is not to 
take over, but more or less to ask the question of how can we 
be helpful? How can we work together? I think we need to do 
more of that, so I will actually work actively to try to engage 
all of USDA to make sure that we are addressing the concerns 
that rural America has.
    That has been something I have had to do with the Gulf 
Coast Ecosystem Restoration. One of the things I did, I 
actually brought all the agencies together, rural development, 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Farm 
Service Agency, and all those folks, because people need to 
know what was the tools that was out there, and each agency has 
some authority that others do not have.
    If we collectively work together and communicate those 
tools, I think we can get some issues resolved that may be of 
concern to members of this Committee and the public at large.
    Senator Gillibrand. Well, thank you. I have a question 
about climate smart forestry. Due to carbon sequestration 
capacity of forests, they should play a crucial role when we 
are crafting solutions to address the impact that climate 
change has had on our rural communities. It is imperative that 
our forests are brought to the table to promote smart climate, 
smart forestry solutions, and foresters must have access to the 
necessary funding and technical assistance to implement this 
growing climate smart forestry practices.
    Dr. Wilkes, can you speak to the importance of having 
forester input and buy-in when developing climate smart 
forestry practices?
    Mr. Wilkes. Thank you for that question, and if I am 
confirmed, I will definitely support the idea, even for 
foresters to be actually a part of that discussion. One of the 
major issues that happens in the forest is that we grow trees, 
reforestation, those type of thinning thing. Trees actually 
sequester carbon, so it is very, very important that--because I 
think carbon sequestration is a major part of climate change 
and what can be done to actually address those concerns here.
    Yes, I do think that it is actually important that we are 
at the table, and we are looking forward--if I am confirmed, 
looking forward to being part of those discussions in order to 
address some of those resource concerns that are being raised.
    Senator Gillibrand. Thank you, Mr. Wilkes. Thank you, Madam 
Chairwoman.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you so much. We will now turn to 
Senator Hoeven.
    Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Madam Chairman, and appreciate 
the opportunity to visit with you again, Dr. Wilkes. Thanks for 
coming in to visit with me and appreciate that very much.
    One of the things we talked about is the national 
grasslands, which are part of the Forest Service, which would 
be under your purview. If confirmed, would you be willing to 
come out and visit us in the national grasslands and get a 
sense not only of what we have there, but talk to the people 
that live and work out there?
    Mr. Wilkes. Absolutely, Senator.
    Senator Hoeven. As we talk, you know, we have a very--it is 
multiple use. We have got a very diverse group out there that 
wants to access the grassland. We have the ranchers and 
allottee who live and work out there. We have the energy 
industry, we have the national parks, Teddy Roosevelt National 
Park. Obviously, there is just a lot going on.
    Tell me how you would balance all those in a way that is 
fair to the people that live and work out there.
    Mr. Wilkes. Senator, thank you for that question. I will 
tell you, I think that that would lend itself very 
appropriately for the collaboration efforts. There is multi 
demands that is out there, as we talked about. It is going to 
take really sitting down and talking to folks to find out, and 
then working with the local folks there to get the priorities 
on the things that need to be done.
    As we talked about, there is probably never going to be 
enough resources to address everything, but if we use those 
tools that is actually there, whether it be the joint chiefs, 
whether it be the shared stewardship, or whether it be the Good 
Neighbor Authority, I think that we can actually do some 
leveraging and work through some of those concerns that you 
have just talked about.
    I think the most important thing would be to actually get 
out on the ground, visit with those local folks, those 
associations, particularly with the grassland issues and the 
grazing issues that are there, to find out what are their 
concerns and how to best resolve some of those issues. I think, 
again, that the Federal Government can serve as the catalyst, 
but it is still local folks that is going to have to have 
involvement in order to help resolve some of those issues out 
there.
    Senator Hoeven. Do you have some background working with 
farmers and ranchers? Tell me how--so it is not just not 
working with the ranchers, but we have the grazing associations 
as well. Talk to me about how, you know, in your background you 
have worked with farmers and ranchers, your understanding of 
the ag and the ranching industry and how you would work--how 
you would approach the grazing associations in terms of 
building a relationship.
    Mr. Wilkes. It starts at that local level, Senator, and I 
would use that same approach. When I first came to Mississippi, 
and I had this gentleman, we had an issue, and I can say it was 
an opportunity. What happened is that I drove up to that 
person, and I had a car at that time. I did not know any 
better. I was just coming into the State and I drove up on that 
person's place in a car, and he told me, he said that, ``Mr. 
Wilkes,'' he said, ``Get yourself something to ride in, because 
I need to show you my back 40.'' What I--because his problem 
did not exist on the front part of it.
    It is really just getting out there, having that open 
communication with them. Now, I can go into a lot of the 
technical issues and things that naturally need to be, but it 
is that one-on-one relationship, sitting down at that person's 
table and finding out what their concerns are and really 
getting an understanding of the things that are concerning to 
them, is the way that I would use this program.
    Collaboration, shared stewardship, shared responsibility 
would be some of the tools that I will actually use in order to 
get to know what is needed and how to get the work done.
    Senator Hoeven. One of the things that we included in the 
Great American Outdoor Act was funding for deferred maintenance 
out in the grasslands and other areas. In North Dakota, what we 
have put together is a working group where we have the grazing 
associations and we have the State ag commissioner and the 
Governor's office and then my office and the Forest Service all 
together in a collaboration, a steering committee that is 
utilizing not only moneys that we get on an annual basis now 
for deferred maintenance in the grasslands as a result of the 
Federal legislation, but also some State and some, you know, 
counties, local money.
    We put all those together to really develop a plan that 
works for not only the road maintenance, which helps the 
counties, but also for access to water and other things, which 
helps the ranchers, as well as, you know, funding for the 
campgrounds and so forth, which obviously the tourism and 
recreational industry alike.
    Do you--are you willing to support that collaborative 
effort, and do you see that as something that, you know, really 
can help that multiple use in terms of how we work on the 
grasslands?
    Mr. Wilkes. Senator, I was listening as you described that 
model, and I think that is what is needed, because it gives you 
leveraging opportunities. Also, you are bringing everybody to 
the table and then people can hear those concerns. That is how 
we get things done, to actually get to that table and talk 
about those issues. Then it is there that you make those 
decisions, and if there are any, for lack of a better word, 
angst in the system, you will know it at that particular time. 
Would I support a collaborative effort like that? Yes, sir.
    Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Dr. Wilkes. I appreciate it very 
much.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. Next we have 
Senator Booker and then Senator Thune.
    Senator Booker. Thank you so much, Madam Chairwoman. 
Congratulations on your nomination Mr. Wilkes. It has been 
great to hear the bipartisan support you are receiving.
    You know that as climate change continues to accelerate, we 
are seeing more and more instances of extreme heat across our 
country, and in June, more than 60 Americans died from 
excessive heat in the Pacific Northwest. The extreme heat 
presents the greater danger really in low-income communities 
and communities of color, like the community where I live in 
Newark and so many of our senators have within their States.
    That is significantly less though where there is a tree 
canopy and where temperatures can be as much as 20 degrees 
hotter than in neighboring communities that have those tree 
canopies. I believe that addressing this heat island effect is 
really critical to our overall strategies as a country, and as 
we are working on environmental justice issues, it is something 
that I am continuing to push.
    I introduced a bill that would provide $25 billion in 
funding to the Forest Service for urban tree planting. It has a 
multiplier of effect in those communities, and obviously, our 
overall climate change goals. This type of large-scale urban 
reforestation would not only lower temperatures, it would also 
reduce air pollution, which is in trouble, problem with asthma 
and other respiratory diseases in low-income communities. It 
would actually lower residential energy bills, which helps the 
low-income communities. It actually increases property value.
    Again, there is just so many values to this. If confirmed, 
will you make urban re-forestry a real policy in your 
administration?
    Mr. Wilkes. Senator Booker, thanks for those comments and 
thanks for the question. I agree with you. Let me just tell you 
a little bit about where I stand. You take an example; you can 
be out in the middle of a field and there can only be one tree. 
It does not have to be a large tree, but if you can actually go 
there and actually stand under that tree, it cuts the 
temperature on you. The direct sunlight that is actually being 
blocked, it is amazing.
    I am hearing exactly what you are asking there. One of the 
things is that in the current job that I am in, as we look at 
how do we defend the waters, we have the soil, we have the 
trees, and we have the ocean. Brown soil going through green 
trees produce blue waters. Think about that concept. Because 
trees do so much, and you are talking about the lowering of 
temperatures and things of that nature.
    Yes, I will be more than willing to work with you and get 
engaged in the process to see how we can actually make that a 
reality as far as having forestry in the city areas.
    Senator Booker. I am so grateful. Real quick, I was really 
happy to see the decision by the Forestry Service to fully 
restore the roadless rural protections for the Tongass National 
Forest. Our forests not only, again, sequester that carbon, but 
they also reduce flooding and protect our drinking water, as 
you just said, and provide critical habitat for wildlife.
    Again, if you are confirmed, as part of your efforts to 
address climate change, will you not only protect the Tongass, 
but will you work to keep all of our really old growth forests 
here in the United States intact?
    Mr. Wilkes. Senator Booker, I will just say that Secretary 
Vilsack actually announced the Southeast Alaska Sustainability 
Strategy, and those initiatives are in there. Absolutely I will 
support what the Secretary has said as far as making sure that 
those areas are actually sustained.
    Senator Booker. Well, I am grateful for that. In deference 
to my more senior senator, Thune, and the magnanimity I feels 
toward him, I am going to yield the rest of my time to the 
great Senator from South Dakota.
    Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much, Senator Booker. 
Senator Thune, you need to remember this. Senator Thune.
    Senator Thune. Oh, I will, and I am sure the good Senator 
from New Jersey will remind me if I do not.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. That is right.
    Senator Thune. I thank him for his indulgence, and as 
always, generous spirit. Thank you, Madam Chair, and Ranking 
Member Boozman, for holding today's hearing to consider Dr. 
Wilkes' nomination to serve as Under Secretary of Agriculture 
for Natural Resources and Environment. Dr. Wilkes, thank you 
for appearing before the Senate Ag Committee and for your 
willingness to serve in this position.
    Let me just start by saying that the Black Hills National 
Forest is a critical component of South Dakota's landscape and 
economy. The national forest provides recreation opportunities, 
it supports wildlife, and contributes significantly to the 
local and regional economy. It also plays a critical role in 
supporting the local forest products industry.
    In sharp contrast to the recent high demand for lumber, 
unfortunately, a sawmill in Hill City, South Dakota closed 
earlier this year. The Black Hills National Forest is a primary 
landowner in the Black Hills and the Hill City mill relied 
heavily on the Black Hills National Forest timber sale program, 
which has faced reductions in recent years. This closure lead 
to the loss of approximately 150 jobs in this small community, 
and I can tell you huge impact in a place like that where so 
many families are affected when a mill like that closes.
    It also jeopardizes the ability to implement forest 
management projects going forward, which is critical to caring 
for the forest to reduce the threat of insect and disease 
infestations and ultimately catastrophic wildfires. I am 
concerned that without continued proactive forest management, 
the Black Hills National Forest may be at an increased risk of 
pine beetle infestations and wildfires which threaten local 
communities and the health of the forest.
    Dr. Wilkes, if confirmed, what actions would you take to 
prioritize proactive management to maintain the health of the 
Black Hills National Forest and its timber sale program?
    Mr. Wilkes. Senator Thune, thank you for that question. 
What I will tell you as far as the land management piece that 
is there, each area of the United States, you know, has a--
there are some nuances there that has to be addressed. Now, you 
talked about the industry and those type of things, but what I 
will say is this, is that I will be willing to work with you to 
make sure we address those concerns, and if I am confirmed, 
that is an issue that I really would like to visit with the 
management team, the issues that upset the Forest Service, to 
find out exactly what is going on and what can be done in order 
to address the concerns that you just raised.
    What I would ask is that--the people want to do the work. I 
just want to say the employees of USDA and the Forest Service 
as a whole, I think, want to get the work done. We just need to 
make sure that we have--visit with the local folks, along with 
you and whoever you want to have engaged in that process, to 
see how we can actually come up with a constructive outcome.
    Senator Thune. Thank you. We will look forward to that 
engagement. I think if you hear from the local folks there, 
they will tell you how very interested they are in having an 
active forest management program that has a significant timber 
component to it.
    Let me just--I was also pleased to read in your testimony 
that if confirmed you would advocate for increasing the scale 
of forest restoration and fuels reduction activities on Forest 
Service lands, and I am deeply concerned about the backlog of 
management activities on our national forests, and I think this 
needs to be a top priority for the Forest Service.
    These unhealthy acres are at high risk of insect and 
disease infestations and wildfires that continue to have 
devastating effects on so many in the West. To address this, I 
recently reintroduced the Expediting Forest Restoration and 
Recovery Act, which would require the Forest Service to 
expedite treatment of more than 70 million acres identified 
during the Obama Administration as landscape scale insect and 
disease areas in need of treatment. Unfortunately, many of 
these acres remain at risk today.
    Dr. Wilkes, if confirmed, will you commit to working on 
expedited treatment of these acres?
    Mr. Wilkes. Senator, thank you very much. Let me say this, 
is that we do know that there are some acres out there that is 
in need of work, and that is the one across these United 
States. If I am confirmed, I am committed to actually do more 
increased forest management as a whole. To answer that 
question, I am willing to work with you and the local 
communities there to address the needs and try to get the right 
prescription for what is needed in order to address those 
concerns.
    Senator Thune. All right. My time has expired, but if you 
could just followup on that. If you could be more specific and 
talk about what actions you would take to prioritize treatment 
of insect and disease areas.
    Mr. Wilkes. I will. The thing is, and what I would ask is 
that, as I said, we want to get the work done. The employees 
want to get the work done. I would like to actually spend some 
time with the staff to find out exactly okay, what is going on 
in that particular area. Now, there are some places we can go 
in and do some things with the insect control and those type of 
things, but in order to give you a fair and a responsive 
answer, I would like to actually get back with you and address 
those concerns that you have specifically.
    Senator Thune. Very good. We will look forward to that. 
Like I said, welcome. Your engagement on these issues, it is 
something that we think is long overdue.
    Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. That you very much, Senator Thune. We 
have Senator Lujan and then Senator Marshall.
    Senator Lujan. Thank you so much, Chair Stabenow. It is an 
honor to be with you and all of our colleagues. I want to thank 
Dr. Wilkes as well for being with us today.
    Dr. Wilkes, in New Mexico, we are proud of our traditional 
land use and heritage, our acequia system. We have these 
community ditches. They are three feet across, maybe three feet 
deep. They are older than the United States of America. They 
were carved into our land by our ancestors to be able to bring 
water from the watersheds and from waterways into other areas. 
They serve as the lifelines of our communities and contribute 
over $180 million to New Mexico's economy.
    Even within my family we have our own history and 
traditions for cleaning and maintaining those small ditches, 
those acequias that run through our small farm, and it is 
something that I do annually with my brother and my nephews and 
my family still that I learned from my grandfather and from my 
father.
    Unfortunately, we have been hearing from these acequias, 
pisantes--these are members of the acequias--that the Federal 
Government, including the Forest Service, is not adhering to a 
court case that provided clarity for permitting requirements 
for routine maintenance and construction. I have been working 
on legislation that passed the House last Congress that would 
address this issue.
    If confirmed, will you commit to working with me to ensure 
that these traditional communities are able to maintain this 
much needed infrastructure? This legislation also protects the 
historical and traditional uses of land grants, which I would 
be proud to share with you and your team, which goes back to 
the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which we are proud to say 
there is a copy over at the Library of Congress, an original.
    Will you commit to working with me to ensure that these 
historical communities, such as land grant communities, are 
properly recognized and supported, so both on the 
infrastructure legislation and also on land grants?
    Mr. Wilkes. Senator Lujan, thank you for that question. I 
have heard your comments and what I would--I will commit that I 
will actually work in an effort to find out more about exactly 
what is going on, the impact it could have on your community. I 
would also like to visit with the staff and let's have an 
engaged conversation with you and members of the community at 
large that have those issues. Because I would like to get a 
complete understanding of exactly what are the concerns that is 
out there and how could we address those.
    I would definitely like to get back with you on that and 
followup with that.
    Senator Lujan. I appreciate that. Chair Stabenow, I look 
forward to working with the staff as well to see how we can get 
the Forest Service to adhere to that court case to be able to 
permit requirements for routine maintenance and construction as 
well, which seems to be evading everybody, so we want to get 
that done and also this important legislation. Once confirmed--
--
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Absolutely. Absolutely, Senator.
    Senator Lujan. Thank you, Chair Stabenow. Once confirmed, I 
also would like to invite you out to New Mexico to see first-
hand how communities are using these traditional irrigation 
systems, the food that they are raising, some of these 
incredible recipes that families have had for generations, but 
especially how vitally important they are to the social and 
economic fabric of my State. Hopefully you will be able to 
join, Dr. Wilkes, and we would love to get you out there.
    As States and communities across the West continue to be 
impacted by drought and climate change, States like New Mexico 
are facing hotter and more extreme fire seasons. These fire 
seasons not only have direct impacts on people's lives, but 
have economic and environmental repercussions for the rest of 
the State.
    Given your past experience at USDA and with other 
conservation-related mission areas, what are some of the 
actions you are planning to take to address these events?
    Mr. Wilkes. Senator, thank you for that question. Land 
management is land management, and as we began to address some 
of those concerns from a technical standpoint, that I will 
actually continue to have the collaboration with the local 
communities. I will actually put--if confirmed, I will actually 
work with addressing those issues from the standpoint of what 
are some of the best management practices out there. I will 
always, always want to get the local community involved.
    I can go through a litany of things from a technical 
standpoint. You have Xavier Montoya, who is the State 
conservation out there, that is working with NRCS, and we have 
done some joint things as far as in those particular issues 
there. What I will commit to you is that we will continue to 
work to address those issues using the best management practice 
in order to mitigate drought, whether it be cover crops and 
some of those type of things right there.
    It is just a whole plethora of things that we can actually 
do. I would like to follow with you, and more importantly, 
follow with your constituents to find out what are the specific 
issues that they would like to have addressed and how can we do 
that in a constructive manner.
    Senator Lujan. Appreciate that, Dr. Wilkes. I will work 
with Javier to make sure we have a good invitation once you are 
confirmed and make sure we get New Mexico on your calendar. I 
look forward to welcoming you to our State.
    With that, Madam Chair, thank you so very much. I yield 
back.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. Senator Marshall, 
you have been bumped by Senator Braun, who returned, so we will 
turn to Senator Braun and then Senator Marshall.
    Senator Braun. Thank you, Madam Chair.
    I enjoyed our conversation last evening, and share the 
passion of forest management with you. I have done that for 
probably nearing 40 years on land that I have been fortunate 
enough to live on and help manage.
    As mentioned earlier by Senator Gillibrand, the emerald ash 
borer, in fact, on my own farm, that probably--I think it was 8 
percent of all trees, hardwoods, before it hit. In some places, 
if you had bottom ground, it could have been as much as 30 
percent of a stand. It is gone basically. Whenever it comes in, 
it has been systematically wiping it out. Western States have 
the same issues with beetles.
    On the ground that the Federal Government owns, which is 
going to be more exposed to invasive species than probably 
anything, what is your thinking about salvaging timber that has 
been impacted by it, as well as maybe doing some preemptively, 
so in the vast expansion, especially Western forests, that you 
do not even add more tinder to the tinderbox?
    I know that has been a real delicate conversation in our 
Hoosier National Forest, which is going to be very, very small. 
I think maybe in our State, our presence of the national forest 
system, they have been very kind of reluctant to manage in a 
way that I think would be better in terms of making sure you do 
not have a fire that is going to be fueled by poor management 
practices and tie in invasive species as well.
    Mr. Wilkes. Senator Braun, I too enjoyed our conversation. 
As a private landowner, I have had some experience as far as 
working with it. You asked a couple questions there, and I 
guess from the standpoint of land management is something that 
is going to be required, period. I think when we do good land 
management, then you reduce the fuel load that is actually 
there.
    Now, as far as the forestry issue, I want to actually sit 
down and we are going to follow the science on that. There is a 
lot of things that is out there and you have to look at it and 
see what has happened based on the circumstances. What I would 
like to do is to actually sit down with the management team and 
followup with you with a discussion to find out okay, what--and 
with the constituent groups that you will have come to the 
table so we can hear what are those concerns out there and make 
a real, real technical decision, as well as trying to make sure 
we have a constructive outcome so the end-user can be a 
beneficiary of those particular areas.
    As I stated early on, we really need to do some work with 
invasive species. I can always go back to the lack of the 
resources, and it is a reality. We have people fighting fires 
so much until maybe we have not as been as intense as far as 
land management and working on some of those other concerns 
that we have out there, particularly in the area of invasive 
species.
    I will tell you that if confirmed, I will make a commitment 
to get with that group and making sure we address those 
concerns. Because I have heard invasive species over and over 
and over, so that is a big-ticket item. If I am confirmed, I 
will make that a priority to find out what those research 
groups, to making sure we are addressing those concerns.
    Senator Braun. It is the most challenging component, not 
only when you are looking at climate, to make sure you have 
healthy, growing forests to sequester more CO2. We are being 
bombarded with it.
    There is a thing called stealth grass that most people do 
not know the difference between it and a native grass. Well, 
even deer will not eat it, and it is almost impossible to 
generate a seedling through it. It makes, like the emerald ash 
borer, look simple in terms of how we are going to fight it. A 
lot of this stuff came over to where we were not even aware of 
it. Then we have kind of created some of our own issues by 
importing invasive species, exotics, through nurseries. It is a 
big challenge.
    I am hoping that where the Forestry Service, in my 
observation, has not probably put in that science that you are 
talking about, has maybe had a little bit of an attitude that 
let nature take its course, which, you know, that is not 
working currently, especially places in the West. I think going 
in and having a plan, being ahead of the beetles before they 
turn woods into an inferno, that it has got to be proactive 
there. It is going to get worse rather than better.
    I am going to stick with that point of being proactive on 
management and keeping a real careful eye out for stuff that 
does not grow here naturally and that devastates the civil 
culture. Enjoyed our conversation last night and look forward 
to continuing it down the road.
    Mr. Wilkes. Thank you, Senator. Duly noted, your comments 
there. I will assure you that after we have some discussion, I 
will get back with you and I would like to followup on that 
discussion.
    Senator Braun. Appreciate that.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. Senator Marshall.
    Senator Marshall. All right, Madam Chair, thank you so 
much. Dr. Wilkes, welcome. Thank you for your service in the 
Navy. Appreciate you being here in person as well. These are so 
much easier decisions for me to make when I get to meet a 
person in person, look him in the eye and shake their hand. We 
look forward to supporting your nomination. Everything I see 
about you is a man of quality and we look forward to working 
with you.
    Probably my first question we discussed yesterday, the 
importance of government/private sectors working together, 
cooperation, and a term I use, voluntary cooperation. Could you 
just kind of share for my folks back home how important of a 
priority is that for you working with the private sector.
    Mr. Wilkes. Senator Marshall, thank you again. I enjoyed 
our conversation too. As I share with you, that is my DNA. That 
is what I live by, that communication and actually the local-
lead process. As I stated, and I will keep on stating, that 
government serves as a catalyst to get things done, but it is 
through those efforts, if you work your constituent groups, to 
find out what needs to be funded. We do not lobby Congress for 
funds, but those local folks there, they inform you of what is 
needed to be done.
    It is so important that we go back visiting with those 
local folks, those local communities, and hear what their 
concerns are and take all that information back and work 
through it. I mean, I just believe that sometimes people think 
that the process is slow, but again, I think people need to be 
in the process. If they be in it and they feel a part of it, 
they are going to be much more ready and willing to make sure 
that it is seen through to the very end.
    You will not have any problems out of me actually getting 
out on the ground there in Kansas and finding out what is going 
on and visiting with those local folks. That is the same type--
if I am confirmed, that I will take it to the management team 
and ask Chief Moore and other folks that is there, to get out 
in the countryside and let's find out what is going on.
    Senator Marshall. We appreciate that. Again, I think there 
are so many opportunities, especially when it comes to 
environment improvements. The terms ``Forestry'' and ``Kansas'' 
are oxymoron. They are seldom used in the same sentence 
together. Probably the bigger concern we have from a forestry 
standpoint are the invasive species, and we briefly touched on 
this yesterday, salt cedars and then red cedar. The red cedars 
are polluting our prairies, and frankly, it hurts some of the 
species like the Lesser Prairie Chicken. Where those cedars 
are, the Prairie Chicken do not like to breed.
    As I think about our rivers of Kansas that are dry and just 
the importance of getting water downstream and refilling our 
aquifers, they are lined with salt cedars, and each one of 
those salt cedars is sucking out thousands, hundreds of 
gallons, maybe thousands of gallons of each. The Arkansas 
River--some people call it the Arkansas River, but we call it 
the Arkansas River--are lined with salt cedars.
    Do you see any opportunity to help us with those particular 
problems under your purview?
    Mr. Wilkes. Senator, what I will say is that if I am 
confirmed, I would like to bring the agencies together. I am 
not familiar with what the Forest Service can do in that 
particular arena, because as you stated, that the trees is 
something that if I am confirmed that we will be doing. At the 
same time, there are programs out there that may be able to 
help you from the standpoint of the Natural Resource 
Conservation Service. There are a lot of agencies.
    I just believe that we need to bring those agencies 
together and see what kind of tools they have in their toolbox 
to address those resource concerns. I will be committed to work 
with you on seeing how we can get some of those issues 
resolved.
    Senator Marshall. Great. We have had some successful 
projects already with the folks at Quivera Federal Wildlife 
Refuge actually on our own land with some of these projects and 
I think we are going for it and we could do more.
    Maybe the last thing I would just talk about is even in 
Kansas right now we are getting significant pollution from all 
the forest fires out west of us. Why do we never see large 
forest fires in the southeast, but large forest fires in the 
western part of the country? What can you do to impact that?
    Mr. Wilkes. Well, what I will say about that--and thank you 
for that question. There is a--there are different conservation 
practices. The prescriptions are the same, but you just have to 
have a larger dose of the prescription in some places. In the 
South, there is a culture there to do thinning and more 
importantly, prescribed burns. It is done on a scale there and 
it is just a way of doing business.
    In the western part of these United States, air quality is 
a major issue. It is an issue, you know, even in the southern 
and places like Kansas, but at the same time, there you have 
the, I guess, the population growth and we have just been 
somewhat, for lack of a better word, reluctant to actually put 
fire in those--and fire is actually a good thing for land 
management and for the trees.
    We have to work on that paradigm shift to say okay, let's 
do those things right there. I think that is maybe some of the 
issues out there. There is just more or less a cultural and a 
paradigm shift that needs to take place. If I am confirmed, I 
will work with those local communities, those cities, those 
municipalities and things. I think folks are more ready now to 
accept some of the best management practices that is available.
    Senator Marshall. Thanks so much, Madam Chair. I yield 
back.
    Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. Having, I 
believe, completed the questions from the senators, let me just 
thank you again, Dr. Wilkes, for being here today. Appreciate 
it very much. Your 41 years of public service clearly reflects 
your strong dedication to caring for the land and diversity 
surrounding communities that it serves. I have to say that your 
knowledge is something that we are grateful to have you being 
willing to share in this new position. Your experience and 
knowledge, I think, is going to be very valuable to us on these 
important issues. I am strongly supportive of you moving 
forward into this position and look forward to having the 
opportunity to work with you.
    This concludes today's hearing. The record will remain open 
until tomorrow at 5 p.m. for members to submit additional 
questions or statements. Thank you.
    Mr. Wilkes. Thank you, Madam Chair.

    [Whereupon, at 11:38 a.m., the Committee was adjourned.]

      
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