Pearce introduces bill to thin southeast forests

From KOB-TV.com - By: Joe Bartels, KOB Eyewitness News 4; Taryn Bianchin, KOB.com -Congressman Steve Pearce has introduced a bill in the House that would allow for the timber industry to begin operations again, while protecting the endangered Mexican Spotted Owl which forced the industry to shut down in the first place. Pearce says his bill would help return the forest to a sustainable condition while creating thousands of jobs, increasing water supplies, and reducing fire danger. Officials say dry conditions plus decades of fuel build up are leading to an explosive fire danger. The bill would allow for responsible forest thinning; a select harvest of big and small trees. The bill will likely face opposition. The endangered Mexican Spotted Owl lives in the trees which prompted the ban on forest cutting in the first place. More News New Mexico

Pearce introduces bill to thin southeast forests