Legislation Would Invest $60 Billion to Reduce Wildfire Risk, Restore Watersheds, Protect Communities, and Reduce Wildfire Suppression Costs.
WASHINGTON – Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) joined a bicameral group of colleagues in reintroducing the Protect the West Act to invest $60 billion to reduce wildfire risk, restore watersheds, and protect communities in forests across the West.
“In Arizona and across the West, we face a rapidly growing backlog of projects for wildfire mitigation, drought resilience, and land restoration,” said Senator Gallego. “I’m proud to help introduce the Protect the West Act which will finally give states and tribes the tools they need to take on these projects, all while creating good-paying jobs and boosting rural economies.”
“In the West, our forests, grasslands, and watersheds are essential to our economy and way of life. But they are under threat from the worsening effects of climate change and consistent underinvestment from the federal government,” said Senator Bennet (D-CO). “As we face a 1,200-year megadrought and wildfire season that never seems to end, we need to break from the status quo and invest in the restoration of our forests and public lands to meet this challenge. We have no time to waste.”
“Colorado’s forests, grasslands, and waterways are the bedrock of our outdoor economy,” said Senator Hickenlooper (D-CO). “Every effort we make to prevent wildfires and mitigate the impact of climate change is an investment in Colorado’s future.”
“With summers getting dryer and hotter, the West and Oregon’s treasured lands are a tinderbox waiting to light ablaze,” said Senator Wyden (D-OR). “In my town halls, I’ve heard countless Oregonians fearing for their health and safety while struggling to maintain their economic livelihood as severe drought and wildfires wreak more havoc on their communities every year. More investments are needed to protect our forests and watersheds so local communities across the West are healthy and can have the opportunity to explore its beautiful natural treasures for generations.”
“Nevada’s forests and public lands are increasingly susceptible to wildfires, drought, and other extreme weather events. We need to do everything we can to protect our communities from the damage caused by these disasters and bolster our ability to recover,” said Senator Rosen (D-NV). “This critical legislation will support Nevada’s wildfire mitigation and restoration efforts, helping to keep Nevadans safe. I’ll always work to ensure Nevada has the resources it needs to fight wildfires and other weather-related events.”
“Climate change is threatening our way of life in Colorado. We must act,” said Rep. Crow (D-CO-6). “The Protect the West Act would help combat intensifying wildfires and help better protect Colorado communities.”
Specifically, the Protect the West Act would:
- Establish an Outdoor Restoration & Watershed Fund to increase support for local efforts to restore forests and watersheds, reduce wildfire risk, clean up public lands, enhance wildlife habitat, remove invasive species, and expand outdoor access;
- Establish an advisory council of local, industry, conservation, Tribal, and national experts to advise funding priorities, coordinate with existing regional efforts, and provide oversight;
- Make $20 billion directly available to state and local governments, Tribes, special districts, and nonprofits to support restoration, drought resilience, and fire mitigation projects. These funds would empower local leaders to bring diverse voices to the table to develop solutions;
- Invest $40 billion to tackle the backlog of restoration, fire mitigation, and resilience projects across public, private, and Tribal lands;
- Create or sustain over two million good-paying jobs, primarily in rural areas, to support existing industries like forest product, agriculture, and outdoor recreation; and
- Invest in wildfire prevention and natural hazard mitigation on the front end, which is thirty times more cost-effective than recovering forests and watersheds after natural disasters have struck.
“Healthy watersheds face numerous challenges, including increasing drought, longer and hotter fire seasons, disconnected watersheds and degraded streams that no longer support healthy fisheries. The most effective way to tackle this challenge is through partnerships and collaborative conservation at the landscape scale,” said Chris Wood, President and CEO, Trout Unlimited. “The Protect the West Act would foster collaboration and provide resources for public-private partnerships to restore lands and waters across multiple jurisdictions, creating jobs and better fishing along the way.”
“The Colorado River District’s highest priority is to protect the water security of Western Colorado. Water security starts with our forests,” said Andy Mueller, General Manager, Colorado River District. “Our largest source of water is the snowpack that develops in our forests above 9,000 feet in elevation, mostly on federal lands.”
“As Western communities continue to face the threats and the impacts of the climate crisis, now is the time to pursue initiatives that will help us become more resilient,” said Jon Goldin-Dubois, President of Western Resource Advocates. “The Protect the West Act will provide critical resources to help Western states mitigate wildfire, restore forests, improve air and water quality, and advance equity, all while pumping billions of dollars into local economies and supporting millions of good-paying jobs; it’s a true win-win.”
“Healthy forests support fish and wildlife habitat and outdoor access important to hunters, anglers, and recreationists in Colorado and across the nation,” said Joel Pedersen, CEO, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “However, decades of inadequate funding for forest management have placed a strain on the National Forest System that will require active management and sustained funding to increase workforce capacity. Further, these investments will help to ensure we’re better prepared to address the growing risks associated with wildfire. The TRCP applauds the proactive investments in our forests and watersheds and the additional resources for growing the forest management workforce provided through the Protect the West Act.”
The bill text is available HERE. A summary of the bill is available HERE.