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Wyden introduces stand-alone legislation to create Prineville forest health research center
Prineville facility would assess Western forest health, help reduce fire risk

Nov. 20, 2003

Washington, DC – After negotiators from the U.S. House stripped out a provision to the wildfire bill that would have located a forest health research center at the headquarters of the Ochoco National Forest in Prineville this afternoon, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden this evening introduced a stand-alone bill to create the Prineville center.

"A Prineville forest health research center would be a win-win situation for Central Oregon: it would help reduce wildfire risks throughout the West and provide a much-needed boost for the local economy," Wyden said. "I'm going to keep fighting to create this research center in Prineville."

The Prineville facility would be charged with carrying out a major requirement of the wildfire legislation: to inventory and assess forest stands on federal forest land and, with the consent of owners, private forest land. The objectives of the assessment are to evaluate forest health conditions now and in the future, and to consider the ecological impacts of insect, disease, invasive species, fire and weather-related events. The center would work to make sure data is as accurate as possible in order to improve forest management.

In addition to introducing the stand-alone bill for the Prineville forest research center, Wyden said he would continue to look at other bills currently moving through Congress that he might attach the Prineville language to.

Wyden also spoke with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman this afternoon and received assurances that the Administration would work with him to locate a facility in Prineville.

The Prineville forest health research center bill will likely be referred to the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

 

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