Senators Introduce Legislation to Mitigate Dangers Posed by Tree Spiking

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, introduced S.2506, the Tree Spiking Mitigation Act. This legislation will reduce the dangers that trees spiked by eco-terrorists pose to firefighters, loggers, and sawmill workers.

'Eco-terrorists spiked trees in Idaho and across the West with the intent of injuring or killing people in the timber industry,' said Risch. 'Some of these spiked trees remain standing today, posing a danger to firefighters, smoke jumpers, loggers, and mill workers. It is extremely troubling that our land management agencies have no record of where these trees are or any plan to mitigate this serious safety issue. I am proud to introduce the Tree Spiking Mitigation Act with Senator Barrasso to clear our forests of these heinous acts and prevent any further harm coming to those who use and protect our forests.'

'Tree spiking is a disturbing and dangerous eco-terrorist tactic meant to intimidate, injure, or kill fellow Americans,' said Barrasso. 'Many trees that were spiked decades ago remain standing on our public lands, including trees spiked in the 1989 Post Office timber sale on the Clearwater National Forest. Our legislation will reduce the threat of these old spikes. Forestry workers, including our firefighters, loggers, and mill workers, deserve to know they are safe from the life-threatening risk of tree spikes.'

The Tree Spiking Mitigation Act will:

• Direct the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior (working through the Bureau of Land Management) to work together to detect, identify, and mitigate tree spikes on National Forests and public lands; and
• Direct these agencies to, where appropriate, update safety guidelines and safety protocols to include the awareness, detection, identification, and mitigation of tree spikes.

Read the text of the Tree Spiking Mitigation Acthere.

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