[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 99 (Wednesday, July 22, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H6074]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              ENVIRONMENTAL EXTREMISM PERPETUATES WILDFIRE

  (Mr. GIBBONS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, the tug of war between the common sense of 
ordinary people and the nonsense of government bureaucracy continues. 
Recently a wildland fire started in my district and has continued to 
burn unabated for the last 3 days. This fire could have been put out in 
its very early stages only if Secretary Babbitt would have just let the 
firefighters do their jobs.
  The fire started in not a wilderness area but a wilderness study area 
and since mechanical vehicles are not allowed in the so-called study 
area, firefighters must carry their equipment 2\1/2\ miles just to 
reach the flames. Not only that, 12 planeloads of fire retardant have 
been dropped which have cost the taxpayers $60,000, to no avail.
  This environmental extremism has allowed the fire to burn nearly 
1,000 acres, and that is strange since firefighters believe they could 
have put the fire out on the first night had they been able to use 
their mobile equipment.
  The lack of common sense and the bogus government extremism are 
wasting taxpayer dollars. This could threaten our land and destroy 
human lives in the process.
  Let us pray that this government nonsense does not get out of hand, 
destroy lives, homes and create a truly desolate America.

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