Heinrich To Call For Wildfire Funding Reform In Committee Hearing

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) will participate in a U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing tomorrow, Tuesday, May 5, at 10 a.m. ET/8 a.m. MT, where he will call for wildfire funding reform and highlight the importance of wildfire prevention programs in New Mexico, including hazardous fuel reduction, stewardship contracting, and watershed restoration. The committee will receive testimony on the federal government's role in wildfire management, impact of fires on communities, and potential fire operation improvements.

Senator Heinrich is a cosponsor of S.235, the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act of 2015, which would treat the largest fires--roughly 1 percent of annual fires--as natural disasters, and fund firefighting efforts from a disaster account similar to the one that funds hurricane and other natural disaster relief efforts.

WHO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich

WHAT: U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing to receive testimony on the federal government's role in wildfire management, the impact of fires on communities, and potential improvements to be made in fire operations.

WHEN: Tuesday, May 5, at 10 a.m. ET/8 a.m. MT

WHERE: 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building and via live stream.

WITNESSES:

Mr. Thomas Tidwell
Chief, U.S. Forest Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture

Dr. Stephen Pyne
Regents' Professor & Distinguished Sustainability Scholar
School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University

Dr. Sharon Hood
Post-Doctoral Researcher, College of Forestry & Conservation
University of Montana

Mr. Bruce Hallin
Director of Water Rights and Contracts
Salt River Project

Mr. Bob Eisele
Watershed and Fire Analyst
County of San Diego, CA - Retired.