Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell was grilled by the Senate Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee this week over the agency's proposal to combine habitat, watershed and timber harvest programs into one "Integrated Resource Restoration" fund, E&E News reports (subscription). Tidwell told lawmakers would allow it to clean more streams, eradicate more invasive species and harvest more timber, among other things, using a roughly flatlined budget.

While the proposal has drawn skepticism from lawmakers from both parties who have argued it would make oversight more difficult, Tidwell promised his agency would continue to report traditional targets of board-feet harvested, miles of stream restored, acres of wildlife habitat improved and acres of invasive species removed.

The overall budget calls for $4.9 billion, an increase of $248 million, or 5 percent, above the 2011 levels. But the budget includes $328 million for new discretionary payments under the Secure Rural Schools program, meaning funding for the agency's traditional programs will remain flat.

Chairman Jack Reed (D-RI) said he was concerned with the large reductions in research, wildland fire and maintenance funding in the agency's requested budget. The three programs are proposed to be nearly $600 million below the current enacted level, a 20 percent cut.