An excerpt from the letter reads:

I respectfully request that part of the response or briefing your administration provide clarification about two requests the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) makes every year for $3 million for capital needs to prepare for and fight forest fires. For the past several years, they have requested $2,000,000 for equipment needed to clear forested areas of brush, which not only allows access to forests for users, but also establishes fire breaks to prevent the spread of fires. They have also requested $1 million annually to repair fire towers. Both of those requests are routinely listed as lesser priorities than many of their discretionary requests unrelated to protection of life and property request for $20 million.

It is unclear whether DEP’s request for these capital needs have been granted. No line item in the annual budgets enacted in recent years appear to reflect the requests. Similarly, no line items in separate legislation appropriating constitutionally dedicated funds for open space management appear to reflect the requests.

Senator Testa additionally announced that he will be introducing legislation to ensure that emergency management departments are fully prepared to coordinate efforts to prevent and fight forest fires.

You can read the full letter online.