The Pueblo Chieftain - House OKs Tipton Fund Shift

News Article

By Chris Woodka

The U.S. House this week adopted an amendment that would shift $20 million from the Environmental Protection Agency's administrative account to the wildland fire management fund.

"With limited resources available, we must prioritize spending to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being used in the most impactful and efficient way possible," said U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Colo., who sponsored the amendment. "This amendment takes money from an administrative expense account at EPA and uses it to help address the most pressing environmental crisis facing the United States -- catastrophic wildfire."

Tipton has fought for forest management since first coming to Congress in 2011.

"Proactive management efforts pay tremendous dividends in the long run, and are far more cost-effective than having to combat a wildfire once it's burning," Tipton said. "By doing more today to proactively manage forests on federal public lands we can save property and lives, while protecting watersheds and habitats from future destruction."

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