News Release
_______, July __, 2004
Kearny Lawmaker Continues Efforts to Restore Forest Health Following Sponsorship of Breakthrough Forest Health Legislation
(Phoenix) Representative Cheryl Chase (D-23) is pleased to announce that her recent highly successful trip to Washington, D.C. to promote Arizona’s healthy forest program is another positive step in the critical effort to end the decades long downward spiral of the conditions of Arizona’s forests.
Made with several other legislators, the trip to meet with members of Congress and high ranking officials at the White House followed the passage of the Chase-Jarrett healthy forest bill which creates an incentive for private industry to clean-up forested land and puts in place a wild land fire committee to address fire issues particular to rural Arizona. It also precedes the awarding of the first forest stewardship contract under the federal Healthy Forest Initiative, which is anticipated to occur within the next week or so.
Administration officials told Mrs. Chase and the other members of the Healthy Forest Arizona Delegation that Arizona has blazed a trail on forest health issues with its new cutting edge legislation. This acknowledgement was echoed by members of Congress that included Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT) and Rep. Scott McGinnis (R-CO/Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Forests). The delegation exceeded expectations in achieving its goals to effect a substantial understanding of the new Arizona measure and foster vital coordination with the federal government within the administration and in Congress.
Representative Chase said, “The effort to educate the federal government on what we’ve accomplished in Arizona mirrored the passage of our groundbreaking forest health law. It was successful, bipartisan and holds tremendous promise for yielding meaningful, positive results in the near future. Not only has this enhanced our efforts to work with the Federal government, enhancing Arizona’s opportunity to receive additional grant federal money, but it has also started an important dialog with other western states on this critical issue.”
Rep. Chase added, “It has decades to create the dire situation our forests now face. It will take decades to reverse this condition. But with the combination of the new federal law, our aggressive and responsible state program, and the dedication that I and others have to following through with the federal government and our fellow legislators in other western states, we have made a tremendous start toward reversing the fortunes of our precious forests.”
Arizona’s new forest health measure was passed by the legislature with a super-majority and signed into law on June 3rd. The new law provides incentives for private industry to harvest small trees and brush, and to generally create the opportunity to have our forests cleaned-up so that watersheds may be safeguarded and wildlife habitats and rural communities may be protected. It also facilitates the greatest opportunities for Arizona to work hand-in-glove with federal agencies operating under the new landmark Federal Healthy Forest Initiative.
There are 11.5 million acres of state and federal forested land in Arizona.
For further information contact:
The office of Representative Cheryl Chase at the Arizona House of Representatives
602-926-5030, e-mail: cchase@azleg.gov