Blog: Senate Committee Holds Hearing on Bark Beetle Bill

Statement

The bark-beetle epidemic has devastated Colorado's iconic lodgepole pines, leaving rust-red, dead forests in its wake. These dead trees are more than just an eyesore; they pose a critical risk to the safety of Coloradans. While insects are a natural part of our forests, human and natural conditions have combined to create a natural disaster of unprecedented proportions.

Last winter, I introduced a bipartisan bill to address the impacts of the bark-beetle infestation in Colorado and across the Mountain West. And today, the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee, on which I sit, held its first hearing on the bill. This is an important step toward the legislation's passage.

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to see firsthand what the U.S. Forest Service is doing to reduce the risk of wildfire around mountain communities and to protect watersheds that supply to the entire state.

The Forest Service is doing a great job, but limited resources and certain unnecessary legal barriers have held it back. My bill solves these problems by providing additional tools and resources to the Forest Service to help it manage this serious natural disaster. I will continue to fight for the passage of my bipartisan bill.

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