Regional
(2010-06-30)
WASHINGTON DC
(KUNC) -
As wildfires burn in remote parts of Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado Senator Mark Udall says he's "looking for answers" about why the state hasn't received an estimated $30 million dollars in federal money for wildfire prevention. Senator Udall says the money is targeted at removing dead and dying trees from the bark beetle epidemic. Although the U.S. Forest Service announced the grant last December, Udall says mountain communities haven't seen the money. On Wednesday he sent letters to the U.S. Forest and Park Service, and the Bureau of Land Management asking when the state will receive the money.
"Sometimes it's the squeaky wheel that gets the grease and I'm going to be the squeaky wheel here until we get those dollars," he says.
Udall also says he'll revive a failed legislative effort from last May that seeks an additional $50 million dollars for clearing bark beetle killed trees. Right now Colorado and southern Wyoming have an estimated 3.6 million acres of trees affected by the epidemic, enough to cover the state of Connecticut. © Copyright 2012, KUNC
