Lisa Murkowski

I think it is fair to say that it has been a big year for the Agency since you testified before us last June.

This would include a portion of the Iditarod, but it would effectively go from Tidewater all the way up to Fairbanks.

I think we all recognize that pre-commercial thinning is useful, it is necessary for healthy forests, and as well as for the wildlife habitat.

But there, when you think about our ability to be creative, let us create some value out of what is a dead commodity that will just eventually topple, and be nothing more than fodder for fires coming through.

How will funding provided through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and fiscal year 2022 discretionary funded be allocated and applied to the maintenance/preservation of these valuable investments?

I think we both have talked about a lot of the resources that are coming as a consequence of the Infrastructure Bill...

Well, critical and time is important. So I appreciate that.

Well, I am glad that you have raised that. I can't tell you the number of people who have said to me, you know, I am driving down the highway to go down to the Kenai, and it is just all this dead standing stuff, and there must be some use…

I think we both know that they are not enough to restore forest to a more resilient state.

Thank you, for all the work that you did and given us the money to do this type of work.

These are priorities for Alaskans up and down.

What I am hearing on the ground is that BLM has done everything that they need to do.

That Roadless Rule exemption finalized in 2020 should stand, but instead, we see an administration that is rolling it back.

I would like to do that. I had hoped that you might have an answer for us.

I hope that you are right.

The political definitions of 'forest health' and responsible forestry practices, appears to swing on a pendulum, unfortunately dependent on the occupant of the White House.

So if you have outlined your strategy, and you know where you are going, have you identified any barriers that you are looking at...

The secretary told us, he told the people of Southeast Alaska that it would ensure that a viable timber industry would continue to exist.

It just seems like both sides are pointing the finger at one another.

It was extraordinary to me to see the level of interest from Alaskans all over the state, who flew into Anchorage to hear just exactly what the details are on some of these grants.

I am really quite proud of what we were able to put in, the 5.4 billion over 5 years, the Forest Service receives through the Infrastructure Bill.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I appreciate what you have done so far

I will look forward to following up with you to get more specificity on that.

I'm just curious as to whether or not there was a reason that it didn't make it into the final budget.