U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., who has previously taken on Environmental Protection Agency rules crushing rural economies here and here, turned his attention on Friday to the Interior Department’s objections to the Healthy Forest Management Act of 2012. The proposed law, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Colo., and co-sponsored by a dozen Republican House members, would give states more discretion in clearing beetle-infested forests subject to wildfires.
“I am stunned by the Dept. of Interior’s objections to the Healthy Forests bill (6089),” said Gardner, sitting in on the House Committee on Natural Resources hearing. “We have a situation, once again, where Washington is fiddling while our states are burning.”
Gardner addressed some of the testimony from Ed Roberson of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management…
“In your testimony, you state that governors can require BLM to manage ‘federal lands and resources to meet the Governor’s objectives, without regard to national objectives, interests, or a fair return to the American people.’”
…and then lit into it…
“A fair return to the American people?” Gardner asked rhetorically. “I have over 200 homes burned in my district. Tens of thousands of acres are burned. You want to protect wild and scenic rivers? What about the Poudre River that now has ash and debris flow, contaminating the river. Drinking water systems that are overwhelmed. And you’re going to oppose this legislation because it gives the governor the authority to save his state?”
