Lummis Grills USDA Chief Over Forest Service Funds

During a House Budget Committee hearing on the allocation of stimulus funds, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told U.S. Representative Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., that more than $6.5 million in forest service related stimulus dollars will be flowing to Wyoming very soon.

"I am extremely pleased that the spigot of forest service dollars has finally been turned on," Lummis said. "This money will go a long way in helping our state face the numerous issues currently threatening the health of our forests."

Prior to Vilsack's announcement, Lummis grilled him over the lack of forest service funds being allocated to the state, particularly in light of the bark beetle epidemic wreaking havoc on the state's forests.

"The bark beetle infestation is ravaging Wyoming's forests," Lummis told Vilsack. "In fact, forest managers estimate that by 2012, every single adult lodge pole pine in southern Wyoming will be destroyed by beetle kill. This is devastating to our forest economies."

"The U.S. Forest Service has distributed nearly $940 million - over 80 percent - of its total stimulus dollars. Yet, less than $400,000 has reached our national forests in Wyoming. So, can you please explain to me the disparity between forest service stimulus dollars in Wyoming compared to our neighboring states?"

Vilsack responded by saying Wyoming's low unemployment rate was the chief reason for the state not being included in the first rounds of forest service stimulus allocations.

Lummis countered by stating that, "Utah has a lower unemployment rate than Wyoming - 5.7 percent - yet it has received nearly 12 million dollars in forest service stimulus funds - as has Montana, with a very comparable unemployment rate of 6.4 percent."

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