John Chenoweth: “the Granite Watershed Enhancement and Protection Act is an excellent bill that will enable the Forest Service to…”

“the Granite Watershed Enhancement and Protection Act is an excellent bill that will enable the Forest Service to accomplish multiple resource objectives aimed at reducing fire risk and improving water quality under a single contract. H.R. 2886 provides for a pilot project on approximately 8,000 acres of National Forest land located in and around the 1993 Granite Burn on the Groveland District of the Stanislaus National Forest. Major meadow restoration, thinning, fuels reductions and road maintenance work is needed in order to improve watershed and runoff conditions for this river canyon. Current law does not allow the Forest Service to offer such a multiple services contract. The legislation provides the necessary authority, and specifies that the project will be subject to all applicable environmental rules and standards. Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Doolittle), for his work on this bill. He has done an admirable job in moving the bill forward with the support of the administration.”