Presidential Document2023-23098
National Forest Products Week, 2023
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
October 18, 2023
Signed
October 13, 2023
Issuing agencies
Executive Office of the President
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 200 (Wednesday, October 18, 2023)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 200 (Wednesday, October 18, 2023)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 71727-71728]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-23098]
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 200 / Wednesday, October 18, 2023 /
Presidential Documents
[[Page 71727]]
Proclamation 10654 of October 13, 2023
National Forest Products Week, 2023
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
For generations, America's forests have been a source
of recreation and relaxation for millions of people; a
sacred place for Tribal ceremonies and cultural
practices; and a source of livelihood for foresters,
loggers, mill workers, carpenters, Tribes, local
communities, and others who rely on forest products and
healthy forest ecosystems to support themselves, their
families, and their communities. This National Forest
Products Week, my Administration recommits to
conserving our beautiful forests. When we responsibly
steward the abundant renewable resources found in our
Nation's forestlands, we not only protect the
environment but also support a critical pillar of our
economy that uplifts communities across America.
From lumber and paper to clean water and fresh air, we
depend on our forests to protect our environment and
fuel our economy. But our forests--and the jobs and
livelihoods of those who work in them--are endangered
by a range of risks, including the existential threat
of climate change. Extreme heat, more intense droughts,
and decades of poor forest management have turned
wildfire season into wildfire years--destroying
countless acres of forestland and spreading smoky haze
across our country.
From day one, my Administration has been committed to
maintaining the health, diversity, and productivity of
our forests. In my first week as President, I signed an
Executive Order establishing the ``America the
Beautiful'' Initiative--our country's first-ever
national conservation goal--committing to conserve at
least 30 percent of all our Nation's lands and waters
by 2030 through voluntary, locally-led efforts across
the country. Keeping foresters and farmers working
across our country in a sustainable manner is central
to this initiative.
We are building on these successes with my Investing in
America Agenda. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure
Law, we are making our forests and our communities more
resilient by removing overgrown vegetation from land
near homes and power lines, improving evacuation routes
in areas susceptible to wildfires, and finding and
removing invasive species that can cause fires to
spread more easily. With historic funding from the
Inflation Reduction Act--the largest climate investment
in the history of the world--for tree planting,
sustainable forest management, and fire prevention, we
are reducing the effects of climate change on our
forests. I am proud to have increased the Federal
firefighter minimum wage to $15 an hour--a critical
first step in giving these heroes the pay, respect, and
dignity they deserve.
My Administration is also working to create more
opportunities for producers of American forest
products. With a combination of funding from the
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation
Reduction Act, my Administration is supporting American
businesses that advance forest conservation and create
jobs--awarding millions of dollars through the Wood
Innovations, Community Wood, and Wood Products
Infrastructure Assistance grant programs. These
initiatives are expanding the sustainable and
innovative use of American wood products and wood waste
materials to produce renewable
[[Page 71728]]
energy, strengthening emerging wood markets, and
supporting sustainable forest management.
Our Nation's majestic forests are at the heart of who
we are as Americans, connecting us to something bigger
than ourselves. Conserving them not only sustains a
vital part of our country's economy but also preserves
a key part of the American story for future
generations. During National Forest Products Week, my
Administration recommits to safeguarding and stewarding
our precious forests so that we, our children, and our
grandchildren can enjoy them for many years to come.
To recognize the importance of the many products
generated by our Nation's forests, the Congress, by
Public Law 86-753 (36 U.S.C. 123), as amended, has
designated the week beginning on the third Sunday in
October of each year as ``National Forest Products
Week'' and has authorized and requested the President
to issue a proclamation in observance of this week.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of
the United States of America, by virtue of the
authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws
of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 15
through October 21, 2023, as National Forest Products
Week. I call upon the people of the United States to
join me in this observance and in recognizing all
Americans who are responsible for the stewardship of
our Nation's beautiful forested landscapes.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
thirteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord two
thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and forty-
eighth.
<GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT>
(Presidential Sig.)
[FR Doc. 2023-23098
Filed 10-17-23; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F4-P
</pre></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on October 18, 2023.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.