CONGRESSMEN SALAZAR AND UDALL REQUEST TOP PRIORITY FOR WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS PLAN
Washington, DC – Congressmen John Salazar (CO-3) and Mark Udall (CO-2) today released a copy of a letter sent to U.S. Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Mark Rey urging that the U.S. Forest Service place a high priority on completing and implementing a long-awaited plan on modernizing and securing air tanker readiness to help fight wildfires.
Following a letter sent to Undersecretary Rey in May 2006 wherein Congressmen Udall and Salazar expressed concerns about the safety and effectiveness of air tankers and other aircraft support in suppressing dangerous wildfires, Undersecretary Rey met with Congressmen Udall and Salazar and committed to producing a “long-term plan” by the spring of 2007 for updating the air tanker fleet and making sure such equipment is safe and effective. Last week, Congressmen Salazar and Udall wrote to Undersecretary Rey asking about the status of that promised plan.
Although a response has not yet been received from Undersecretary Rey, press reports, which included comments from a Forest Service spokesman, indicated that this plan is not ready and may not be for some time—which means that it is not ready for the 2007 fire season. As a result, Congressmen Salazar and Udall have again written to Undersecretary Rey urging that the Forest Service redouble its efforts to get this plan completed and implemented.
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