Bruce Westerman: “This is a commonsense amendment that will help ensure that the lands designated as wilderness in this package are not…”

“This is a commonsense amendment that will help ensure that the lands designated as wilderness in this package are not areas that are at high risk for catastrophic wildfire. One of the clear flaws of the package before us is the apparent arbitrary process that was taken in determining the areas to designate as wilderness. At the July 10 hearing that included the bills in today's package, the BLM and Forest Service conveyed findings that a significant number of the proposed wilderness additions are not suitable to be added to the wilderness system. It is critically important that wilderness designations are carefully applied due to their highly restrictive limitations and to make sure to take into account existing uses of the land that can be limited, including wildfire risk. The amount of public lands at high risk for catastrophic wildfire is truly sobering. Just last year, the chief of the Forest Service warned that a billion acres of land across America are at risk of catastrophic wildfire. This is especially true in the three States addressed in the legislation before us, all three of which rank in the top 10, nationally, for severe threat of wildfire: California, number 1; Colorado, number 3; and Washington, number 6. Mr. Chairman, I filed a bill today to plant a trillion trees. We can use forests to help mitigate atmospheric carbon.…”