[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 125 (Monday, September 30, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1695]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        THE THREAT OF WILDFIRES

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                           HON. BOB SCHAFFER

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 26, 2002

  Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the efforts of 
the Colorado General Assembly concerning the mitigation of the threat 
of wildfires in the national forests through the removal of dead fuel. 
Resolution 02S-1002, passed by Colorado's General Assembly urges 
federal action on a fire strategy to comprehensively reduce the risk of 
catastrophic wildfire and improve the overall condition of Colorado's 
forests. The bill further supports utilizing an appropriate mix of 
fire-prevention activities and management practices including forest 
restoration, treatment of at-risk forest stands, grazing, selective 
tree removal, and other measures to control insects and pathogens, 
removal of excessive dead ground fuels, and small-scale prescribed 
burns. I commend the work of the Colorado General Assembly for its 
strong efforts toward the betterment of the state and well being of the 
people of the great state of Colorado.
  I hereby submit for the Record Colorado House Resolution 02S-1002: 
2002:

       Whereas, The current condition of Colorado's national 
     forest lands poses public health and safety risks to citizens 
     of this state in the areas of air quality, water quality and 
     quantity, and potential loss of human life and damage to 
     property and threatens damage to municipal infrastructure; 
     and
       Whereas, The USDA Forest Service has allowed an unnatural 
     volume of dead fuels to build up within national forest lands 
     that poses an immediate threat to nearly 20 million forested 
     acres in Colorado; and
       Whereas, The number of forested acres in Colorado treated 
     by the USDA Forest Service has been grossly insufficient to 
     mitigate the threat of unnatural, catastrophic wildfires; and
       Whereas, Insect and disease infestations have impacted over 
     500,000 acres throughout the state, and these conditions have 
     exacerbated the already dangerous wildfire hazard; and
       Whereas, Major wildfires that occur in Colorado's 
     backcountry decrease wildlife habitat, including that of 
     federally-listed species, and threaten to denude critical 
     watersheds surrounding high-mountain reservoirs; and
       Whereas, The wildfires in Colorado have burned 357,000 
     acres in 25 counties, cost $110 million, received 14 FEMA 
     declarations, and burned over 1,000 structures; now, 
     therefore,
       Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the 
     Sixty-third General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
       1. That we, the members of the House of Representatives, 
     hereby recognize the dangerous conditions of Colorado's 
     forests and urge aggressive action by the USDA Forest Service 
     to mitigate the threat of wildfire on national forest lands 
     in the State of Colorado through the removal of vast 
     accumulations of dead fuels.
       2. That we urge federal action on a fire strategy to 
     comprehensively reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and 
     improve the overall condition of Colorado's forests.
       3. That we support all possible and necessary steps in 
     order for projects to control various insect- and disease-
     impacted forests in Colorado.
       4. That we support utilizing an appropriate mix of flre-
     prevention activities and management practices including 
     forest restoration, treatment of at-risk forest stands, 
     grazing, selective tree removal, and other measures to 
     control insects and pathogens, removal of excessive dead 
     ground fuels, and small-scale prescribed burns.
       5. That we strongly encourage the Congress of the United 
     States to expeditiously pass legislation, maintain sufficient 
     National Fire Plan funding, and encourage refinements of 
     current regulations to address the gridlock issue obstructing 
     active land management by the USDA Forest Service and other 
     federal land management agencies.
       Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Resolution be 
     sent to the USDA Forest Service and to each member of the 
     Colorado Congressional Delegation.

     

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