May 17, 2024 |
Photo – Aircraft dumps fire retardant on a fire – Bigfoot99 file photo
During a senate hearing Thursday for the U.S. Forest Service’s 2025 budget, Wyoming Senator John Barrasso told the agency’s chief, Randy Moore, that he’s not doing enough in Wyoming or anywhere in the West to address the wildfire crisis.
Senator Barrasso is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. In addition to the Forest Service chief, also appearing before the committee was Mark Lichenstein, the agency’s Director of Strategic Planning.
Senator Barrasso said he is pleased with some of the agency’s budget requests, including increased pay for wildland firefighters.
Senator Barrasso was critical of the agency’s handling of its money. Since 2021, Congress has granted Forest Service with $40 billion dollars in additional monies over its regular budget. Despite the additional funding, the USFS has not treated more acres to reduce vulnerability to forest fires. Nor has it sold more timber during prescribed sales.
Senator Barrasso asked the two USFS heads where have all the U.S. tax dollars gone under their leadership?
Wyoming’s Senior Senator said the Forest Service must change course and start managing forests in a serious and credible way. The senator added that the private forest products sector is willing to help get the work done.
The Forest Service appeared before the senate committee in an attempt to secure a 6.5 percent increase in funding. Democrat Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, the chairman of the committee, noted that already this year U.S. Forests have been burning although still covered in snow. Manchin pointed to the 1-million acres burned in Texas this year, killing two people and destroying 130 homes.
Senator Manchin noted that Congress has invested heavily in hazardous fuels reduction, noting that two bills—the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the inflation Reduction Act, the Forest Service is earmarked for $12 billion in addition to the agency’s annual appropriations.
