Rod Grams: “I join with Senator Wellstone to speak about the urgent need for cleanup and fire threat reduction funding in northern…”

“I join with Senator Wellstone to speak about the urgent need for cleanup and fire threat reduction funding in northern Minnesota. I first want to thank Senator Gorton for his willingness to work with me on this crucial issue for our state. As many of my colleagues know, I've been working with my colleagues in the Senate, including Senator Wellstone, Senator Gorton and Senator Stevens, for months to ensure that this crucial funding would be available for the Superior and Chippewa National Forests. I've made my request repeatedly, in both letters and in conversations with the Appropriations Committee and the Senate Leadership. My colleagues on the Appropriations Committee gave me their assurance that the needs of Minnesota would be met. I just returned from hearing over five hours of testimony in northern Minnesota on last year's storm and its dramatic aftermath. Regardless of political affiliation or the specific interests of those testifying, everyone agreed that the most crucial need in northern Minnesota was the reduction of the tremendous amount of downed timber scattered across the Superior National Forest and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Right now, there are over 450,000 forested acres in northern Minnesota upon which lie millions of broken, dead or dying trees. Right now, those downed trees pose a fire threat that the Forest Service cannot model.”