Spearfish Sets Aside $60K for Pine Beetle Fight

SPEARFISH, S.D. (AP) - The city of Spearfish has set aside $60,000 to help fight a mountain pine beetle epidemic that has killed thousands of acres of ponderosa pine trees in the Black Hills.

The Black Hills Pioneer reports (http://bit.ly/VI9bkR) that the money from the city's hydroelectric funds will help Lawrence County's ongoing beetle fight.

The donation announced Monday night marks the third to the county to aid in the fight. In 2012, the city donated $90,000.

Spearfish Mayor Jerry Krambeck says that no matter where the sawyers are cutting, it affects Spearfish.

The Lawrence County Mountain Pine Beetle program has been halted for the winter due to the lack of funds. Before the funds dried up, 16 sawyers in their second year of work were felling 1,500 beetle infested trees a day.

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