Pearce's Message for the U.S. Forest Service: "New Mexico remains a tinderbox . . . we are courting catastrophe until you act"

Pearce's Message for the U.S. Forest Service: "New Mexico remains a tinderbox . . . we are courting catastrophe until you act"
2nd District Representative warns about severe wildfire danger after meetings with local volunteer firefighters and leadership of Mescalero Apache tribe

Washington, D.C., Jan 27 -

U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce today expressed his grave concern about the severe wildfire risk that remains throughout New Mexico due to drought and the negligence of the U.S. Forest Service in failing to properly thin overgrowth and underbrush in New Mexico's five national forests. While he continued to praise the performance of local leaders and first responders during early January's wildfires, Rep. Pearce cited poorly equipped rural volunteer fire departments as evidence that many New Mexico communities have not achieved the--maximum preparedness--they need to prevent the utter devastation the next wildfires could bring.

"January's wildfires demonstrated just how dangerous a threat we face," Rep. Pearce said. "Hobbs and Tatum narrowly averted outright destruction thanks to the selfless heroism of our rural volunteer firefighters and first responders and a fortuitous shift in winds--but we may not be so fortunate next time.

"During my recent meeting with the rural volunteer firefighters who did so much to avert disaster, I learned that the Eunice, Jal, Lovington, Maljamar, Happy Valley, Monument, Knowles, Melrose, and Tatum volunteer fire departments have not been receiving the funding and modern equipment they desperately need--for their own safety as well as ours.

"New Mexico remains a tinderbox--and our local communities must remain on alert, seeking to achieve maximum coordination. To that end, I have instructed my District staff to stay in regular contact with volunteer and paid fire departments alike. We will do all we can to help them obtain U.S. Department of Homeland Security grants and other federal assistance--and I urge local governments to do their part as well.

"The information I received from our rural volunteer firefighters renewed my determination to achieve federal adoption of our Certified Community Preparedness Initiative so that every community across America will have the incentive to plan ahead, identify unique threats, and properly allocate federal resources."

In a joint meeting with Rep. Pearce, President Mark Chino and the full council of the Mescalero Apache tribe articulated their continuing concerns regarding the U.S. Forest Service's negligence to sufficiently clear overgrowth and underbrush in New Mexico's national forests. The Forest Service is also refusing to approve any new timber contracts, endangering the lives, property, and economic viability of the Mescalero Apache tribe and the neighboring region.

"The Mescalero Apache tribe owns the last two large dimension timber mills left in New Mexico. Since the late 1960s, New Mexico has lost 21 mills which produced 391,000,000 board feet annually," Rep. Pearce said. "New Mexico now lacks the capacity to process the timber the Forest Service does manage to cut, but the Forest Service doesn't seem to make the connection. Even potential builders of biomass facilities are unable to secure long-term supply contracts with the Forest Service--foreclosing a promising means of cleaning up our forests and generating clean energy.

"Forest Service policies threatening the survival of the Mescalero timber mills--which employ almost 100 non-tribal members--are not just foolhardy; they're dangerous. A wildfire could sweep through the region and literally wipe out the Mescaleros and their neighbors.

"Thus, I have a message for the U.S. Forest Service: Our predicament rests upon your shoulders. For far too long, you have yielded to the demands of the extreme environmental lobby. Because of your negligence, a campfire or even a cigarette can become a raging wildfire anywhere in our national forests. We are courting catastrophe until you act."

http://pearce.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=39036