July 20, 2012

During a Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands hearing on legislation to help combat the pine beetle epidemic, Rep. Kristi Noem questioned Mary Wagner, Associate Chief for the U.S. Forest Service, on the agency's response to the epidemic. Rep. Noem recently inserted provisions into the House Agriculture Committee-passed Farm Bill that would streamline environmental processes to get boots on the ground faster and increase the area emergency mitigation tactics can be implemented to help get ahead of the beetle.