United States Senate United States House of Representatives
For Immediate Release Friday, Ocotber 19, 2007		CONTACTS: Stephanie Valencia (Salazar) – 202-224-5852 Steve Wymer (Allard) 202-224-6207 Tara Trujillo (Udall) 202-225-2161 Aaron Johnson (Musgrave) (202) 225-4676
CO Delegation Calls for Full Funding for Rocky Mountain Forests to Address Potential Hazards Recreation, water supply and quality of life at risk from catastrophic fires, bark beetles, and other hazards WASHINGTON, DC- Today, Senators Wayne Allard and Ken Salazar and Representatives Mark Udall (CO-2), Marilyn Musgrave (CO-4), John Salazar (CO-3) and Doug Lamborn (CO-5) continued work to help protect Colorado and the American West’s forests and surrounding communities from catastrophic fires. The Colorado delegation members with national forests in their districts joined other Congressional Representatives and Senators of South Dakota and Wyoming in a letter to United States Forest Service (USFS) Chief Gail Kimball, calling on the USFS to, “take all necessary steps to ensure that the national forests in the Rocky Mountain Region are funded to their full capabilities for hazardous fuels and forest management programs in FY08.” The Rocky Mountain region is home to many of our Nation’s greatest forests, which are sources of wildlife habitat, public recreation, timber and clean water among others. In their letter, the delegation pointed out the danger these resources currently face, “Nearly every national forest in the Rocky Mountain Region is experiencing epidemic levels of bark beetle mortality and many of our constituents understand all too well that our forests are just one lighting strike or careless incident away form a catastrophic fire that threaten each resource.” A copy of the full letter the Rocky Mountain region Congressional members sent is available by clicking here. “As the headwaters for 19 western states a catastrophic fire in Colorado could have a disastrous effect on the water quality hundreds of thousands of people throughout the West,” said Senator Wayne Allard. “It is vital that the Forest Service recognize this and respond by providing adequate funding to help avert this crisis.” “Local citizens, businesses and governments are all working hard to develop plans to protect their communities that are adjacent to national forests from catastrophic fires as a result of bark beetle mortality. At the same time, the federal government needs to ensure it is doing everything it can to bolster its management programs. We will continue to urge the Forest Service to place as much emphasis as possible on its fuels and forest management programs to protect our communities and our resources,” said Senator Ken Salazar. “As quickly as the beetle epidemic is spreading throughout Colorado, the needs related to forest health and fuel reduction in our national forests are vast and urgent. These funds are critically important for the health and safety of our forests and communities--and ultimately the west, as Colorado stands at the source of life giving rivers that can be impacted by our unbalanced forest condition," said Rep. Mark Udall, (CO-2). “Our state’s forests are our livelihood here in Colorado, and that is why this funding is so critical. Coloradoans live and play in our forested areas. I appreciate my colleagues, from both political parties, who have joined together is stating our support for the Rocky Mountain Region,” stated Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (CO-04) Other United States Senators and Representatives joining the Colorado delegation on the letter include: Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD), Senator John Thune (R-SD) and Congresswoman Barbara Cubin (R-WY). # # #