Senator Martin Heinrich recently addressed a Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing on forest health.
The New Mexico Democrat expressed his concern that new initiatives could affect New Mexico’s current efforts to reduce catastrophic wildfires. Heinrich mentioned increased timber sales and how those sales could impact New Mexico’s existing fire prevention programs.
Heinrich then discussed the impact increased timber sales could have on watershed restoration projects in New Mexico and their effects on recreational facilities and permit programs.
Heinrich stressed that outdoor recreation activities in New Mexico are said to earn $6.1 billion dollars a year in consumer spending and also directly account for 68,000 jobs in the state. He said these figures should be considered when looking at the $23,000 in timber contracts New Mexico sold last year.