Sad, but perfect timing that U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton’s bill to help fight forest fires is expected to hit the House floor for a vote before the August recess, Colorado Politics reports.
The bill is a no-brainer to support, as it would give the Forest Service direct funding to fight fires. But oh wait, it also allows the Forest Service to thin the forest to prevent wildfires.
So guess who is already complaining?
“This is a radical, agenda-driven bill that sacrifices our national forests by catering to industry interests at all costs,” Tracy Coppola, legislative counsel for the nonprofit environmental law organization Earthjustice, told Colorado Politics.
It will be interesting to note how U.S. Rep. Jared Polis votes when the bill comes up for consideration.
Will Polis side with environmentalists who oppose the bill because dead trees are more important than live people and property?
It’s one thing to get all high and mighty about saving trees simply because you hate pretty much all natural resource development.
It’s quite different when the trees go up in flames your own state is on fire.
We’ll be watching.