Utah Valley Times

Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) took a prominent role in a Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing in Washington focused on preventing and responding to wildfires in the United States. During the hearing, Senator Romney emphasized the importance of addressing wildfires, stating, "This is a national priority."

Acknowledging the widespread impact of wildfires across the country, Senator Romney expressed gratitude to Utah’s Director of Forestry, Jamie Barnes, for sharing expertise with the Committee. He highlighted the need for proactive measures, mentioning the necessity of additional funding and different approaches such as prescribed burns processes.

Director Jamie Barnes highlighted regulatory barriers, including the NEPA process, affecting effective forest management. Senator Romney raised concerns about the economic value of dead wood in forests, prompting discussions on utilizing biomass technologies to create value from low or no-value wood products.

Administrator Lucinda Andreani emphasized the importance of investments in biomass utilization technologies to address the issue of dead wood fueling wildfires. Director Barnes shared Utah's efforts to align firefighter pay with federal standards, emphasizing the importance of fair compensation for firefighters across agencies.

Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell noted the shortage of wildland and structural firefighters, stressing the critical role of structural firefighters in covering federal and state lands. She expressed appreciation for the passing of the SAFER Act to address the nationwide shortage of structural firefighters.

The hearing underscored the urgent need for collaboration and innovative solutions to modernize federal wildfire policies and mitigate the devastating impact of wildfires in the United States.