Issue Position: Protecting Colorado's Natural Heritage
Issue Position
My wife and I were initially drawn to Colorado because of the beauty and inspiration provided by its natural environment, and because of the state's commitment to ensuring the protection of the Colorado outdoors for future generations. I believe we hold our western heritage -- our land, water, and wildlife -- in trust for our children and that we have a moral obligation to manage our resources responsibly so that they can be enjoyed by the next generation. As a U.S. Senator, I have worked hard to fulfill that obligation.
Public Lands, Forests, and Wildlife
Our forests and public lands serve as the primary source of our vital water resources, a valuable resource for our vibrant hunting and fishing economies, and as a refuge for Colorado's families.
I support responsible management of our federal lands informed by local stakeholders including communities and citizens, local governments, environmentalists, sportsmen, and local businesses. I believe that responsible management means management that is based in science, that adheres to our environmental laws, and that honors and incorporates local knowledge, traditions, and livelihoods.
Coloradans have a long, bipartisan history of working together to protect our state's most treasured public lands and wildlife habitats. Most recently, that bipartisan work resulted in passage of Omnibus Public Lands legislation that instituted protections for some of our state's most precious public lands, including the Rocky Mountain National Park wilderness, Dominguez Escalante National Conservation Area, and Arapahoe Roosevelt Open Space. I was excited to have the opportunity to vote for this important legislation.
We should continue that tradition with regard to designating wilderness and establishing clear guidelines for protection of the state's roadless areas. Where there are areas that need additional protection, we should continue that work through the creation of better partnerships between federal agencies, the state government, and local interests to ensure the continued use and economic viability of some of Colorado's most beautiful places.
Along those lines, we must allocate enough resources to our land and park agencies so that they have the budgets needed to implement and enforce rules and to protect resources. I know that the Forest Service budget has been particularly hard hit in recent years because of the greater and greater allocation of funding to wildfires. I am currently a cosponsor of legislation in the Senate that will ensure Colorado gets its fair allocation of forest management funding. The FLAME Act would set up a separate fund for fire fighting activities so that forest fire emergencies do not continue to eat up forest management funding.
I am also working with the federal delegation to make sure that Colorado has the resources and legal authority it needs to quickly and correctly address the Bark Beetle Epidemic, and to do what I can to bring communities together to think of innovative ways to approach this growing problem and restore healthy forests.
Hunting, fishing and wildlife watching are valued pastimes and significant contributors to Colorado's $10 billion a year outdoor recreation and tourism economy. I believe that responsible management of our resources means that we protect habitats critical to the survival of the wildlife and fish species that are so vital to the success of local economies.
Global Climate Change
Global climate change is one of the most significant threats and opportunities Colorado faces in the 21st Century. The challenge is great, especially here in Colorado, where our winters have been too warm to stop the spread of the bark beetle, and our early melting snowpack is making water supplies less predictable. That said, the challenge has also presented an immense opportunity for our state. Within our borders we hold the clean energy resources that are essential to reducing the country's carbon emissions. The reality is that the old choice between the economy and the environment has been proven to be a false choice, and as our country mobilizes to respond to global climate change, Colorado will see immense economic growth and job creation.
Earlier this year, two thousand climate change researchers met in Copenhagen to update the science on climate change. They concluded that global warming is accelerating beyond the worst scientific predictions and threatening to trigger "irreversible" climate shifts on the planet. We have moved well past the point where talking about climate change is enough, and we must take action to both adapt to the changes in conditions, and prevent future change from occurring.
I believe we must take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, restore the heat balance in the atmosphere, and return the weather to normal patterns; and support the follow actions towards that goal:
* It is critically important we take the action necessary to develop and expand the new energy economy based on renewable fuels, energy efficiency and natural gas. [See "A New Energy Future" for more information on my position on Energy]
* We must develop programs to lower carbon emissions that: (1) are market based, (2) fair to all stakeholders, (3) based in science, (4) strongly encourage state and local innovation and take advantage of regional strengths, and (5) provide incentives for other countries to participate in similar reform.
* The United States must reestablish global leadership and demonstrate its commitment to reducing its carbon emissions to the international community by joining global discussions and negotiating a new international agreement on carbon emissions.
We also must find a way to adapt to the new reality of a world impacted by global climate change. Changes in weather, precipitation, and water supplies could have a very significant effect on agriculture, the ski industry, and water supply utilities. I support federal efforts to understand the impact of climate change on precipitation, and efforts by those affected to adapt to the changes even before they occur.
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