Oregon Public Broadcasting

And at a hearing on Capitol Hill Wednesday, forest officials and lawmakers discussed ways that federal forestland could help combat climate change on at least two fronts.

Ethan Lindsey reports.

Portland Democrat Ron Wyden chaired the Senate subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests.

To him, the forests could wield weapons in battle against climate change.

Sen. Ron Wyden: "First they could provide renewable energy. Biomass energy, from the millions and millions of acres of land that are dangerously overstocked and ready to explode into the next inferno. And second they can sequester carbon, to help battle climate change."

Speaking to the committee, the head of the U.S. Forest Service and a high-ranking Department of Interior official agreed.

Kit Batten: "Restoring the health and maintaining the resiliency of our nation's public lands, including forest and woodlands is crucial to ameliorating and adapting to the effects of climate change."

Kit Batten is the Science Advisor in the Office of the Deputy Secretary of the Interior.

She says, for instance, forests work as ‘carbon sinks', trapping CO2 in the trees and soil. Batten highlighted a recent order to prioritize climate change policy within the Interior Department.

Wyoming Republican John Barasso said he worries about that.

Sen. John Barasso: "This order will inject climate change into all Department of Interior decisions and activities. So it could potentially put into question past and future management agreements related to oil and gas development, renewable energy, recreational use, grazing, hunting on public and private property, and wildlife protection.

Obviously, with so much going on in Washington these days, it's hard to gauge how high this committee's work is on the priority scale.

In fact, even during this hearing senators, including Wyden himself, kept ducking in and out.

One issue in particular kept drawing their attention.

Ron Wyden: "Apologies again. It's almost like health care has sucked all the oxygen out of the room. Senator Barasso reminds us, then there won't be a fire./Oh, there's gonna be a fire, Mr. Chairman."

The fire, right now, is burning around health care — but Wyden says he hopes this discussion will help turn the heat up on federal forest policy.