Ritter seeks more funds to combat pine beetles
By Jerd Smith, Rocky Mountain News
Published November 13, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
Gov. Bill Ritter and a bipartisan group of lawmakers want to spend $5.5 million to fight the pine beetle epidemic, more than double what the state has put into the battle in each of the past two years.
Ritter announced the proposed healthy forest initiative Wednesday at a news conference at the state Capitol.
"This initiative will benefit one of our greatest assets: our forests," he said.
The measure would be funded from existing oil and gas severance-tax revenues and would have to be approved by lawmakers. The proposal comes as the state continues to seek more federal money to help cut trees and manage the epidemic on national forest lands.
Sen. Mike Kopp, R-Littleton, who helped craft the initiative, said that having a new source of cash is critical to the initiative, although many details have not been worked out.
"The great part of this is the severance tax that would be freed up," said Kopp, who represents foothills communities threatened by wildfire and beetles.
In each of the past two years, Colorado has spent $2 million helping to fund forest-thinning projects and other efforts. Half of that money has come in matching funds from the federal government.
The U.S. Forest Service has asked for $175 million for regional efforts in the West next year.
Colorado hopes to secure a big part of that money to help cut trees, protect mountain communities surrounded by beetle kill and initiate protection projects in key mountain watersheds that serve the Front Range, said Harris Sherman, executive director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources.
About 1.5 million acres of high country lodge pole pine trees have been affected by beetle kill, and another 2.2 million acres of conifer forests are expected to be hit in coming years.
The infestation is moving at a rate of 300,000 to 400,000 acres a year, said Rep. Christine Scanlan, D-Dillon, who represents Summit, Lake and Eagle counties. She and Ritter said that the state has time to reduce the threat of a catastrophic wildfire in the north-central mountains.
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November 13, 2008
8:20 a.m.
Suggest removal
Mike_In_Hartsel writes:
The pine beetles were a problem in Colorado in the 1980s so the state waits until its a really bad problem to address the issue?
November 13, 2008
8:25 a.m.
Suggest removal
Mtn__Gator writes:
I wonder when people will realize that we can't stop the spread, only fire will. It will be a harsh reality, but that is the only solution. Nature takes care of its own. This proposed spending won't do anything, foolish money spent on this idea.
November 20, 2008
6:33 a.m.
Suggest removal
Wes writes:
Gator doesn't understand that you have to deal with the consequences of the epidemic rather than wait until the fires are burning in Lakewood. Typical "let's do-nothing" Republican attitude.