May 6, 2009

Washington, D.C.—Nevada Senator Harry Reid today announced major funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that will be dedicated to preventing and fighting wildfires in Nevada. More than $11 million will go to reduction of hazardous fuels, waterway stabilization and restoration of burned areas.

“Millions of acres have burned in Nevada during recent years,” said Reid. “I am pleased that the economic recovery package will help create jobs in restoring Nevada’s burned areas and preventing further wildfires. As we observe Wildfire Awareness Week, it is imperative for each of us to focus on what we can do as land managers, ranchers, land owners, Nevadans, and in my case, elected officials to prevent, fight, and properly manage wildfires.”

Hazardous fuels activities include reducing the volume of hazardous fuels on Federal forests and grasslands and on lands owned by States, local governments, private organizations, and individual land owners through financial assistance and partnership agreements. Ecosystem improvement activities include thinning, removal of competing vegetation, planting native species, and constructing new stream channels and ponds.

A listing of the hazardous fuels and ecosystem restoration projects is below. To see where funding will be awarded through the Forest Service http://www.usda.gov/recovery/map/

Nevada projects that will receive funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act include:

Nevada Invasive Fuels Eradication in Washoe and Lyon Counties - $2,243,000.00  
Restoration from the 2007 Hawken Fire - $718,000.00
Carson River Stream bank Stabilization - $628,000.00  
Restoration from the 2006 Peavine Fire - $583,000.00  
Washoe County Open Space Fuels Reduction -$249,000.00
Pepperweed Control and Fuels Reduction - $763,000.00  
Restoration from the Belli Fire - $538,000.00  
Restoration from the Rancho Haven/Red Rock Fire - $449,000.00  
Restoration from the Arrowcreek and Skinner Fires - $1,077,000.00  
Truckee River Riparian Fuels Reduction - $269,000.00  
Nevada Urban Forest Revitalization - $314,000.00
Pinyon-Juniper Biomass Work in Lincoln County - $900,000.00

An additional $3.9 million will be spent on projects that benefit both Nevada and California.

Over his career in Congress, Reid has prioritized efforts to control wildfires and help communities recover from their devastating effects. Reid has worked to:

·     Make hundreds of millions of dollars available for fire prevention work in the Tahoe Basin, the Spring Mountains, the Carson Range and all across Eastern Nevada. This was made possible through the White Pine County lands bill and the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act.

·     Encourage reseeding after fires. At Senator Reid’s request the Bureau of Land Management is constructing a major seed warehouse in Ely that will serve the entire Great Basin.

·     Support the development and implementation of community wildfire plans

·     Allow private landowners to apply to receive cost share assistance for conservation work on rangeland vulnerable to or affected by wildfire

·     Fund rehabilitation and stabilization work in Carson City after the Waterfall Fire

·     Decrease the threat of wildfire on Nevada’s rangeland through the 2008 Farm Bill

·     Collaborate with community leaders, landowners, firefighters and governments to provide the resources needed to fight wildfires