Salud Ortiz Carbajal: “I thank Mr. Panetta for offering this important amendment which further clarifies that nothing in this bill would hinder…”

“I thank Mr. Panetta for offering this important amendment which further clarifies that nothing in this bill would hinder any fuels management or fire suppression activities on our public lands. I represent the central coast of California, and we have seen our share of wildfires. I believe that, if we can take preventative measures to address any wildfire risks, we should. As a former county supervisor for Santa Barbara County, I have experienced firsthand the obstacles and challenges of balancing red tape and coordinating amongst stakeholders. As a supervisor, I helped implement the first community wildfire protection plan in Santa Barbara County. I support Representative Panetta's amendment because it reaffirms that this legislation would not interfere with any firefighting or fuels management activities. The underlying bill we are debating here today would not do that. Specifically, section 305(b) of my bill explicitly addresses these concerns. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment as well.”