{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-s-energy-and-commerce-committee-examine-impact-wildfires", "Greg Waldens Energy and Commerce Committee to Examine the Impact Wildfires Have on Air Quality", "2017-09-27", "2017", "2017-09", "Republican", "House", "OR", "Greg Walden", "W000791", "walden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Greg Walden\u2019s Energy and Commerce Committee to Examine the Impact Wildfires Have on Air Quality \nHearing announced as Walden continues efforts to prevent catastrophic fires and protect air quality in Oregon\u00a0\nClick here or on the image above to view Walden\u2019s remarks from a September 13 hearing\nWASHINGTON, DC \u2013\u00a0Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today announced that his committee will be examining the impact wildfires have on air quality. The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on the Environment will hold a hearing on Wednesday, October 4, 2017, at 10 a.m. The hearing is entitled, \u201cAir Quality Impacts of Wildfires: Perspectives of Key Stakeholders,\u201d and will be streamed live on the Energy and Commerce Committee's website here.\nConsidering the devastating and widespread wildfires in Oregon and throughout the West this summer, Walden\u2019s Energy and Commerce Committee will examine the impacts these wildfires have on air quality and emissions in the affected areas and across the country. Walden will also look at how better management of our forests is needed to avoid and minimize catastrophic wildfires. For example, prescribed burns and fuel reduction are important forestry management tools in preventing uncontrolled wildfires, and the resulting air emissions.\u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cYear after year, catastrophic wildfires rage on federal lands, including parts of my district, and our skies are choked with smoke throughout the West. Air quality issues in my home state continue to rise to dangerous levels because of these fires,\u00a0forcing cancellations of community events, school closures, and lost tourism dollars,\u201d\u00a0said Chairman Greg Walden \u201cEnough is enough. \u00a0It's time that decisions about when and how to fight these fires takes into account the impact they have on air quality and human health. \u00a0I\u2019m looking forward to hearing from our panel of witnesses on what our nation can do to better prepare for, manage, and fight these fires.\u201d\nDuring a September 13 hearing of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden stressed the need for urgent action to prevent catastrophic wildfires and protect air quality in Oregon. Walden recently held a roundtable meeting with community officials and local business leaders in southern Oregon to discuss the economic impact this year\u2019s fire season has had on the region and the state.\u00a0\nFor more information on that meeting, as well as Congressman Walden\u2019s recent efforts to push for changes in the way we manage our forests to prevent catastrophic fires, please click here. You can also find more information on next week\u2019s hearing here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-s-energy-and-commerce-committee-examine-impact-wildfires"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9573600254952908, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}