U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member: Agriculture, Energy, Veterans' Affairs, Ethics and Aging Committees

 

2300 15th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

 

 

For Immediate Release

July 7, 2006

CONTACT:    Cody Wertz – Comm. Director

                        303-455-7600

Andrew Nannis  – Press Secretary

                        202-224-5852


 Sen. Salazar Meets with Summit County Bark Beetle Taskforce to Discuss Local Efforts

Denver, CO – United States Senator Ken Salazar met with members of the Summit County Bark Beetle Task Force today to discuss the increasing dangers posed by rising levels of drought and bark beetle infestation to Colorado’s forests and what efforts and technologies should be implemented to mitigate fire danger. Salazar’s meeting with the Summit County task force is a prelude to a delegation meeting in Washington, D.C. next week organized by Senator Salazar with the North West Council of Governments (NWCOG) and Colorado Counties, INC (CCI) to hear their views on the different beetle bills sponsored by Senators Salazar and Allard and Representatives Udall and Salazar.

“The scourge of bark beetle infestation has become a reality we must now deal with,” said Senator Salazar. “Solving the problem will require cooperation from local governments, businesses and residents and the federal government. Today’s meeting serves the purpose of gathering information on local mitigation efforts and how and where the federal government can be of the most help.”

The members of the Summit County Bark Beetle Task Force updated Senator Salazar with their ongoing efforts to mitigate the bark beetle problem and identified additional needs including quicker federal approval of local plans involving adjoining Forest Service land, and increased biomass products utilization and facilities. Senator Salazar also tasked the members with providing more specific information on the scope of the problem in preparation for next week’s NWCOG and CCI bark beetle meeting in Washington, D.C. Senator Salazar also praised the Task Force for being proactive and promised to assist their efforts in whatever way he can.

Since taking office Senator Salazar has worked tirelessly on the bark beetle infestation issue. Below is a list of many of his efforts:

  • Senator Salazar is the Senate sponsor of S. 2584 the Rocky Mountain FIRES Act.
  • In June, Senator Salazar fought to secure $5 million under Interior Appropriations for Rural Fire Assistance, $73 million for State Fire Assistance and $14 million for Volunteer Fire Assistance.
  • In April, Senator Salazar sent a letter to USDA urging them to pursue Emergency Appropriations for FY06 hazardous fuel reduction projects in Colorado.
    • USFS subsequently sent Colorado an additional $500k in response to Senator Salazar’s letter as well as to a request Senator Allard made.
  • Earlier this year, Senator Salazar successfully amended the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill to add $30 million for the USFS to conduct hazardous fuels reduction and forest health projects to reduce the risk of catastrophic fire.
    • Amendment was stripped in Conference Committee with the House under threat of Presidential Veto
  • Senator Salazar requested elevated funding for USFS Region 2, for beetle mitigation work, hazardous fuels reduction and recreation impacts. This effort put the USDA on notice to increase the funding.

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