Region 6 Announces More Stimulus Projects
The US Forest Service’s Region 6 (Oregon and Washington) has announced an additional $10 million in Stimulus funds will be spent on fuels management projects in Oregon.
This is in addition to the $3.25 million announced a week ago [here] to be spent on existing school programs followed by a summer youth employment program in Washington.
The additional $10 million in economic stimulus funds is to be spent in Deschutes, Douglas, Jefferson, Josephine, Curry, and Crook counties.
The announcement was posted yesterday (March 10) on the brand new Region 6 website news page [here].
The March 10 news release [here]:
Forest Service Announces More Economic Recovery Projects
Released: 10 March 2009
PORTLAND, OR – Jobs clearing brush and trees to prevent disastrous wildfires in rural Oregon will be funded with $10 million in economic stimulus funds, U.S. Forest Service Chief Gail Kimbell announced today.
Hazardous fuel reduction projects in six central and southern Oregon counties will receive the money, meant to create jobs quickly. The work will employ approximately 100 people with private companies already under contract with the Forest Service.
Another $3.25 million will fund the second half of a $6.5 million Oregon Youth Employment Initiative that will put 1,500 youth to work in Oregon’s national forests doing natural resource conservation and restoration work on public and private lands.
“I am excited that we will be doing our part in helping put people to work,” Regional Forester Mary Wagner said Tuesday. “Reducing wildfire threats and putting young people to work in the woods are two of our highest priorities.”
The announcement marks the balance of initial funds the Forest Service is spending nationwide to create jobs within seven days under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Contracts are expected to be awarded by March 17.
The Pacific Northwest region of the Forest Service will get $13 million of $33 million awarded nationally today.
The Forest Service received a total of $1.15 billion nationally under the Recovery and Reinvestment act. The other 90 percent of the Forest Service’ allotment is expected to be announced in a few weeks. Project proposals were solicited from forests as well as cities, counties and non-profit agencies.
Deschutes, Douglas, Jefferson and Josephine counties will receive approximately $2 million each for hazardous fuel reduction work, while Curry and Crook counties will receive approximately $1 million each.
Information on the overall U.S. Forest Service role in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act can be found at: http://fs.usda.gov/recovery/. For information on the total federal effort please visit http://www.recovery.gov/.
