John Salazar

I wouldn't support stopping anyone from using our legal system to protect our forests.

I believe it is time we looked for a bipartisan legislation that will once again allow forest-management decisions to be made by those who wear the emblem of the Forest Service.

We need proactive forest management to restore our forests to a more healthy condition and reduce the threat to communities from raging wildfire.

We have been able to address some of the issues along the urban interface areas, but, as you see, the devastation is incredible in Colorado.

The Mountain pine beetle epidemic in Colorado and throughout the West is devastating. It is destroying our forests and threatening our communities.

The mountain pine beetle epidemic in Colorado and throughout the West is devastating, Madam Chair. It is destroying our forests and threatening our communities.

I will not tolerate the kind of improper actions highlighted in the Inspector General's findings.

This combination of perspectives--sensible energy production and other resource development with a sharp eye on the need to protect more enduring values and resources--hopefully will return our national public lands management to the true…

I will take whatever steps are necessary, and within the scope of my authority, to redress improper decision-making regarding endangered species determinations.

Achieving these objectives requires a Secretary willing to engage Indian country, listen to and appreciate the wisdom and experience of Indian tribal leaders.

Don't they say in the West you can steal my wife but don't steal my water? I don't say that.

You can steal neither my wife nor my water.

I look forward specifically as part of President-elect Obama's energy team in helping craft the kinds of economic opportunities as we pursue the Renewable Energy Agenda.

He recognizes that energy development should not override other public land and environmental priorities.

Failure here is not an option.

The income gaps of $10,000+ between rural versus urban Americans was real, the health care disparities were real, the educational disparities were real.

There really are two Americas that we have--that have a different reality and it all depends on how far you are away from those big urban centers.

I hope that you will work with us and give coastal States like mine a seat at the table

The President-elect asked me to leave this U.S. Senate post to help him change the world.

I will not tolerate the kind of tampering with science uncovered by the Inspector General with regard to the endangered species program.

The last thing we want to do is to drive ranchers, some of whom have been using these lands for five-six generations, essentially off the lands and into bankruptcy.

I think we have failed in many aspects of that and would hope that that would be one of the areas that you would be rigorous and really try to make positive steps.

We can't be hostage to the whims of dictators from the Middle East or other places around the world.

We ought not to be reckless and thoughtless about how we move forward.