Enviva Applauds Biden Action on Heirs Property

Enviva applauds the Biden Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for their work to expand the category of acceptable documentation to certify land ownership, enabling thousands of American landowners access to federal disaster relief aid.

Outdated Heirs Property laws have jeopardized American families from claiming ownership of their land for generations, particularly African Americans, resulting in involuntary land loss. We are thankful for the work that many put forth to bring about this critical policy change, amongst them our NGO partners in land retention policy including The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, the American Forest Foundation, the Sustainable Forest and Land Retention Network, as well as Congressman Jim Clyburn and other elected leaders.

Congressman David Scott, Chair of the House Agriculture Committee, recognized the importance of FEMA’s recent rule change: “The Administration’s action will make it easier for thousands of families across the United States, particularly in my home state of Georgia, to gain access to badly needed federal funds to help them recover from natural disasters.”

At Enviva, we remain committed to assisting private landowners in their stewardship of managed forests in the U.S. Southeast and will continue to assist in their ongoing fight to preserve their land.