[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 147 (Tuesday, September 13, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S4578]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Mr. Padilla):
  S. 4833. A bill to improve the health and resiliency of giant 
sequoias, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise to speak in support of 
legislation that I introduced today along with Senator Padilla to 
preserve the enduring legacy of California's giant sequoias: the Save 
Our Sequoias Act. I thank Senator Padilla for working with me on this 
important bill, as well as the bipartisan sponsors of similar 
legislation in the House.
  The Save Our Sequoias Act would charge a dedicated group of Federal, 
State, local, and Tribal land managers known as the Giant Sequoia Lands 
Coalition with developing wildfire resilience projects to help save 
these magnificent trees.
  The bill would also provide Federal Agencies with narrow, targeted 
authorities to implement these projects quickly and protect our 
remaining sequoias, as well as create a strategy to enhance sequoia 
reforestation.
  Giant sequoias are one of the most iconic plants in the world. The 
sequoia known as General Sherman is the largest tree on Earth at more 
than 100 feet in circumference and 275 feet tall.
  Sequoias grow quickly, producing a 50-foot tree's worth of wood each 
year, yet can live to be thousands of years old. They are also 
remarkably fire-adapted, with spongy bark that can be up to 2-feet 
thick.
  Perhaps most importantly to me, these incredible trees only grow in 
my home State of California. Just being around these trees is a 
humbling experience. Their immensity puts them in a class by 
themselves, and it is no wonder that they have been the source of 
reverence and amazement.
  For many years, sequoias were considered nearly immune to the effects 
of wildfires, but unfortunately devastating fires in recent years have 
overwhelmed even their potent defenses. Officials have estimated that 
20 percent of all mature giant sequoias have been destroyed just since 
2020.
  Scientific research has additionally suggested that without 
significant action, another 20 percent could be lost in the next 3 
years. This would be a staggering tragedy and demands action. As former 
President Theodore Roosevelt himself put it, ``A grove of giant redwood 
or sequoias should be kept just as we keep a great and beautiful 
cathedral.''
  The vast majority of giant sequoias live on Federal land, and I thank 
President Biden and his administration for using existing authorities 
to try to save these magnificent trees. Nevertheless, Congress can and 
should enact legislation to protect sequoias long into the future.
  Our bill would accomplish this goal by first codifying the Giant 
Sequoia Lands Coalition, an existing group of public land managers with 
jurisdiction over sequoia groves, and requiring it to develop a 
strategy to make sequoia groves more resilient to wildfire. It would 
also provide congressional support for the Biden Administration's 
current actions under an emergency declaration to expedite sequoia 
wildfire resilience projects.
  Federal agencies should not be reliant on emergency authorities, 
however, in order to implement necessary wildfire resilience projects 
in the future. To that end, our bill provides those Agencies with 
narrow, targeted authorities to continue making progress on those 
projects and authorizes funding for dedicated personnel. It also 
establishes a grant program for sequoia resilience projects that occur 
off of Federal land.
  Lastly, our bill ensures that we do not simply mitigate future 
sequoia losses but also begin the process of regrowth. Since sequoias 
can live to be thousands of years old, it is never too early to begin 
rejuvenating these majestic trees.
  Mr. President, giant sequoias are one of the great treasures of the 
world, not just of California. It is incumbent upon Congress to pass 
our bill to ensure they are protected and can be cherished for 
thousands of years to come.

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