New bills could help White River Forest

By John LaConte

EAGLE COUNTY — It took an act of Congress to allow the recent Epic Discovery recreational enhancement to take place on Vail Mountain. Celebrating that moment, U.S. Department of Agriculture deputy undersecretary Leslie Jones visited Vail from Washington, D.C., a few weeks ago, and talked about another act of Congress that could enhance the recreational opportunities in the White River National Forest. “In 1996, about 16 percent of the Forest Service budget was spent on fire service suppression,” Jones said. “Now, it is well over 50 percent, and we anticipate in the next 10 to 15 years, if the cost …

Source:: Vail Daily Feed