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Posted: 6:32 AM Feb 9, 2010
Colorado Getting $30 Million for Bark-Beetle Epidemic
The Colorado Forest Service will get $30 million to deal with the bark-beetle epidemic.
Reporter: AP |
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3 Comments 
U.S. Forest Service officials in Colorado are getting $30 million to deal with the aftermath of the bark-beetle epidemic that have killed about 3.6 million pine trees in the state and southern Wyoming.
U.S. Democratic Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet said Monday the funds are a sign federal officials recognize how severe the bark-beetle problem has become since the infestation started more than a decade ago. Udall calls it "one of the West's biggest natural disasters."
The funding Colorado is getting is part of $40 million that federal officials have allocated to deal with the infestation. Wyoming will receive $8 million, and South Dakota $2 million.
Udall says he wants the money to address wildfire threats, erosion on waterways, and safety risks associated with falling trees.
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Latest Comments
Most of the damage has already been done. Take a look around the Winter Park area. My family has had a cabin up there since 1966 and the devastation that has been done is DISGUSTING. I say too little, too late. Whatever they can save from here on out would be nice to see, but for the Grand County area it is way too late. The forest is totally gone. We went to the cabin last summer, as we always do, and it is just getting worse, NOT BETTER. Our cabin neighbors have lost every single tree on their property. This, of course, lowers the value of the property. It saddens my heart to see what was a once beautiful lush forest, turned into a bald, devastated mound of dirt and rocks. Not to mention the fire danger. That $30 mil. might go towards harvesting the dead trees and decreasing the fire danger. That's all the help it could do at this point. Why didn't they do this 4 years ago?? The forest service dropped the ball on this one for sure. Like I said, too little, too late.
This is great news, our forests have been devastated long enough from the epidemic, especially in the Northern Rockies.
This is great news. The mountains do not deserve to be bald as beautiful as they are. Good luck with this project.Use this money wisely so we all benefit.
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