Wayne Allard

What is the status of the legislation Senator Allard is proposing to help combat the Pine Beetle infestation?

The pine beetle epidemic is only the most recent addition to the problem of an enormous buildup of hazardous fuel across Colorado. Senator Allard believes that any legislation must address the most pressing needs for action by federal and state agencies in concert with local communities’ efforts, as well as look toward the future with measures aimed at reducing the serious nature of the threat to life and property when the next bark beetle epidemic occurs. At this time we are gathering information, comments and concerns and the legislation is in the drafting stage.

What are some of the features of this legislation?

The legislation that we are considering addresses the immediate crisis as well as the longer term need for sustained effective forest management.
It recognizes the need for all agencies, jurisdictions and communities to work cooperatively toward an effective resolution.
It recognizes that judicious and effective thinning and harvesting of forest vegetation is more acceptable and cost effective than managing catastrophic events and their aftermath.

It provides incentives to encourage the re-establishment of forest industry infrastructure, opportunities for rural communities to convert public buildings to biomass fuels, an incentive for power companies to convert to woody biomass for energy, initial assistance to the State of Colorado to assist with the development of a more stable forest products industry and a market sufficient to ensure a sustained harvest of forest products.
It also provides for some research and is designed to build on existing tools and efforts such as the Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA), Community Wildfire Protection Plans, and the multi-jurisdictional efforts already begun in Colorado.

Senator Allard believes that there are existing ways to help with the problems caused by the beetles. Can you elaborate on what these incentives and programs are?

See above section, last paragraph.

What does Senator Allard believe some of the long term effects of the infestation will be?

What are some of the opportunities available to us after the pine beetle is gone?

(Answers both questions)

We believe that the current situation is due, primarily, to the following chain of events.

Thinning and harvesting in Colorado has significantly declined in the past 20 years.

This precipitated a lack of a consistent supply of raw material.

Over time, this resulted in Colorado experiencing:

Loss of sawmills

Decline in forest product processing facilities in Colorado.

Absence of an adequate market for small diameter materials and wood chips.

An abundance of hazardous fuels.

The drought has increased the risk of catastrophic wildfire and subsequent flooding. The enormous increase in the number of homes built in or near the forests since the pine beetle epidemic of the 1980’s, adds to the threat of loss of homes, life and property, destruction of mountain reservoirs supplying the State’s drinking water and the economic health of the state due to the loss of healthy green forests - essential to Colorado’s mountain tourism industry.

The opportunities

Judicious and effective harvesting of forest vegetation would be far more cost effective than management of catastrophic events.

The federal agencies which manage the majority of the affected lands need to adopt an accelerated pace to reduce the risk to public health and safety as soon as possible.

Federal legislation can assist the state in its initial efforts to reduce the chances of a similarly serious crisis developing in the future by encouraging the re-establishment of forest products industry and allowing for sustained and judicious thinning of our forests.

If you have a draft version of the legislation available for us to post on our site, please attach it too this email.

We don’t at this time. We welcome suggestions and comments that will allow us to craft legislation that will meet the current and future needs of our forests and our constituents. If you would like more information, please contact Courtney Staatz at 303-220-7414.