Port Deal & Wildfire Mitigation ***UPDATED***

Port Deal & Wildfire Mitigation ***UPDATED***

Port Deal & Wildfire Mitigation. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.
Last week U.S. Congressmen Dan Newhouse, Reichert, Schrader, and Costa introduced a bipartisan resolution in the House urging an end to the contract negotiation between the Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. Now, just a week later, the resolution has been signed by 61 members of Congress. Dan Newhouse says it’s critical to get this negotiation settled.
NEWHOUSE: Everyday I hear stories from people back home, friends of mine, potato farmers facing bankruptcies, workers being laid off at apple facilities and many other facilities throughout the district. And this port slowdown and the constant threat of a shutdown has had a devastating economic impact on the Pacific Northwest as well as the entire nation.
USDA has announced some $37 million in investments to mitigate wildfire threats to landowners and communities. 2015 Projects include Idaho’s Upper North Fork Project which is a great example of a project that provides a big benefit for a small investment. Fires often spread from private property onto public lands where they are difficult to control and become wildfires. The fix is to stop fires at the point where they start, before they have a chance to spread. However, many private landowners do not have the technical knowledge or funds to treat hazardous fuels on their property. Implementing this simple solution would be unlikely without coordination among the partners.
That’s today’s Northwest Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network of the West. 
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