[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 74 (Wednesday, May 11, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E670]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING MR. RICHARD BURNS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 11, 2016

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I, along with Representative 
Huffman rise today to honor Rich Burns, who has retired after 36 years 
of public service. Throughout his career, Rich demonstrated his 
commitment to protecting our nation's lands through his work ethic, 
integrity, and genuine interest in the well-being of his community and 
employees.
  After completing his degree in Rangeland Sciences at Oregon State 
University in 1979, Rich began his career with the U.S. Forest Service 
as a Range Technician at the Humboldt National Forest in Nevada. He 
joined the Bureau of Land Management as a Range Conservationist in 
1980, and, over the next decade, he served in a variety of positions 
with the Bureau in Nevada, Colorado, and California.
  He has served as Field Manager for the Bureau of Land Management 
Ukiah Field Office for the last 19 years of his federal career, 
overseeing more than 270,000 acres of public land in California across 
Marin, Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Mendocino, Lake, Yolo, Colusa, and Glenn 
Counties.
  Among his many achievements, Rich led the successful effort to save 
the Black Forest from logging in 1999. Thanks to his work with the 
community, Lake County and the Lake County Land Trust were able to 
purchase the forest, which was then deeded to the Bureau of Land 
Management for preservation.
  During his tenure, Rich also managed and assisted successful projects 
including the Cedars Area of Critical Environmental Concern in 1987, 
the Cache Creek Wilderness Area in 2000, the Cedar Roughs Wilderness 
Area in 2006, the Cedars ACEC Main Canyon Addition in 2011, the Point 
Arena-Stornetta portion of the California Coastal National Monument in 
2014, and the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument in 2015.
  Mr. Speaker, Rich dedicated his career to preserving our country's 
natural resources. Therefore, it is fitting and proper that we honor 
him here today and extend our best wishes for an enjoyable retirement 
and many happy memories to come with Kelly, his wife of 36 years, and 
their daughter and son-in-law Ashley and Travis in retirement.

                          ____________________