U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member: Agriculture, Energy, Veterans' Affairs, Ethics and Aging Committees

 

2300 15th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

 

 

For Immediate Release

September 5, 2006

CONTACT:    Cody Wertz – Comm. Director

                        303-455-7600

Andrew Nannis  – Press Secretary

                        202-224-5852


  Sen. Salazar Applauds USDA for Providing Additional $1 Million in Federal Funds to Combat Bark Beetles in Rocky Mountain Region

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service has announced that it will provide an additional $1 million in federal funding to combat bark beetles in Region 2, the Rocky Mountain Region. On June 21, 2006, Senator Salazar sent a letter to Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Mark Rey requesting additional funding to United States Forest Service hazardous fuels and forest health projects in the State of Colorado during the current fiscal year. Click on linked text to view Senator Salazar’s letter.

Already this year, Senator Salazar fought to add $30 million to the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill to directly address fire hazards resulting from insect infestation, including the bark beetle, across the country. The funding was later removed by conference committee after a veto threat by President Bush. Senator Salazar was not part of the conference committee.

FY 2006 to date, USDA and DOI are reporting 77,827 acres are receiving fuel treatments in Colorado. This additional money could be used to treat a portion of the additional 280,000 acres in Colorado that are NOT receiving treatment.

# # #