Sen. Hickenlooper ide outlines federal wildfire bills, tracks $140M Bureau ask

Sally Bachella, Northern Colorado regional director for U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper, told the Forest Health Council the bipartisan Fix Our Forest Act "directly confronts the escalating wildfire crisis in the West by enabling more forest resilient projects to get underway faster." The bill had a May hearing and could see a committee vote in September.

Bachella also said the senator led a delegation letter urging the Bureau of Reclamation to release $140,000,000 for drought and watershed projects in Colorado, including headwater meadow and watershed restoration. "That funding has not been released yet," she said.

On broader appropriations, she said the Senate Interior Appropriations Committee passed a bill rejecting many proposed cuts and maintained $175,000,000 for hazardous fuels reduction. Bachella described other federal measures under consideration, including the Wildfire Emergency Act and proposals to expand timber production and to consolidate federal wildland fire programs.

Council members pressed for more detail on the proposed reorganization of federal firefighting activities, which Bachella said remained under review. "Information has not been very forthcoming," she told the group, and her office is tracking executive actions and related agency reports.

The senator nd his staff, Bachella said, are reviewing several bills and welcome technical input from subject-matter experts before deciding on cosponsorship. She offered to follow up with council members and provide contact information for questions.

Next steps: Bachella said her office will continue to monitor committee timelines and would provide updates as votes or appropriations decisions develop.