[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 136 (Friday, September 27, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S11570]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             THE WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION AIRCRAFT TRANSFER ACT

 Mr. KEMPTHORNE. Mr. President, late last night the Senate 
acted to adopt S. 2078, the Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act. 
Senator Bingaman of New Mexico and I introduced this bill, along with 
Senator Craig with the support of the administration 2 weeks ago. 
Senator Kyl has joined us as a cosponsor, and the bill has been cleared 
by the Armed Services Committee.
  This summer, more acres have burned than in any other fires season in 
the past 50 years, and unfortunately, this fire season is not over yet. 
Forest scientists warn us that severe fire seasons are becoming more 
and more frequent, which is a real cause of concern when rural 
populations growth is increasing the number of private homes that come 
into direct contact with fires on Federal lands.
  The Forest Service has determined that the existing fleet of aircraft 
is inadequate to meet Federal obligations to control fire to protect 
lives, property and resources. The fleet available to them consists 
currently of 39 planes, two thirds of which are World War II and Korean 
war era aircraft. An average of one plane a year is lost to old age or 
accidents. In meetings with the Armed Service Committee, to which the 
bill was referred, the Forest Service estimated that they will need 
access to 20 additional planes over the next 3 to 5 years to maintain 
service and meet increasing demands.
  The most obvious source of these planes is surplus military 
equipment. But the Forest Service and the Department of Defense have 
found that the planes are not making it through the system to be 
available for purchase by private contractors. In response, this bill 
would give the Secretary of Defense the option of making fire fighting 
needs a priority for the sale of aircraft excess to the needs of the 
Department. The Secretary of Defense would do so only in response to a 
request from the Secretary of Agriculture. The legislation ensures that 
aircraft could only be available for purchase by companies certified to 
have Forest Service contracts to fight fires, and requires the 
Secretary of Defense to develop regulations to enforce restrictions 
that the aircraft sold would only be used for fire fighting purposes.
  We do not have time to waste. It will take an estimated 1 to 2 years 
to retrofit a plane to be used to fight forest and range fires. By 
Forest Service estimates, we are already two planes short of an 
adequate fire fighting fleet. The 1996 fire season has already burned 
nearly 6 million acres across the country. That is three times the 10 
year average, but it is not much more than we saw burn in 1994. These 
fires are burning more intensely, with devastating effects on the 
environment, and creating dangerous situations for our citizens. In my 
own State, local and Federal officials are working around the clock to 
ensure that the scorched hillsides above Boise to try to minimize the 
devastating mudslides that are only a few inches of rain away. In the 
way of those mudslides are schools, homes, the downtown district, and 
our State capitol building.
  I am pleased my colleagues recognized the urgency, and agreed to 
adopt this legislation to make it possible for the Forest Service to 
have access to the equipment they need to keep our citizens, their 
property and our natural resources safe from catastrophic 
fires.

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