National Forest will get funding boost under budget proposal
Taylor County’s unit of the Chequamegon- Nicolet National Forest will get a boost under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s $2.8 billion 2022 budget proposal.
The Departments of Agriculture and the Interior announced their proposed Fiscal Year 2022 allocations of $2.8 billion in projects, grants and programs authorized in the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) to support economies, outdoor recreation, and access to public lands. The investments are consistent with and help advance the America the Beautiful initiative, the decade-long, voluntary national conservation effort that the Biden-Harris administration recently launched.
GAOA established the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) and authorized up to $1.9 billion per year from Fiscal Year 2021 through Fiscal Year 2025 to reduce deferred maintenance on public lands and at Indian schools. GAOA also provided permanent, full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at $900 million annually to secure public access and improve recreational opportunities on public lands, protect watersheds and wildlife, and preserve ecosystem benefits for local communities.
“Our national forests and grasslands are places of refuge and enjoyment for millions of visitors every year,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “These investments set the framework for better access, experiences and partnerships that not only promote tourism and recreation, but also protect America’s public lands while creating jobs and opportunities in rural communities.”
“One of the best investments we can make is in stewarding the lands and waters that sustain us and the generations to come. Today we are making critical investments that will create tens of thousands of jobs, safeguard the environment, and help ensure that national parks and public lands are ready to meet the challenges of climate change and increased visitation,” said Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. “Deferred maintenance means a backlog of much-needed repairs and improvements throughout our managed lands. In particular, I am encouraged that funding for Bureau of Indian Education schools will help ensure that we are providing a safe and reliable space where students and educators alike can focus on learning.”
Projects proposed for the Chequamegon- Nicolet National Forest will improve safety and sustainable access to the forest and include the following:
• Road maintenance and reconstruction at Mt. Valhalla Recreation Area near Washburn, Wanoka Campground in Bayfield County, Picnic Point in Taylor County, and Luna-White Deer Lake Campground in Forest County
• Parking lot restoration and sign replacement at the David R. Obey Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center
• Repairs at four boat launch sites: Twin Lakes in Price County, Beaver Lake in Ashland County, Stock Farm River Access in Ashland County, and Cisco Lake in Bayfield County
• Possible trail bridge replacement across Joseph Creek on the Perkinstown Trail in Taylor County According to the Forest Service, completion of these projects will reduce accumulated maintenance needs, improve the conditions of the sites, increase visitor safety and satisfaction, and support the tourism and outdoor recreation economies of local communities in northern Wisconsin.
USDA Forest Service and Interior deferred maintenance projects for Fiscal Year 2022 are projected to support over 20,000 jobs and generate nearly $2.2 billion in local communities. The investments will advance the Biden-Harris administration’s goal to create good-paying, union jobs and build back better by addressing critical deferred maintenance needs in America’s national parks, national wildlife refuges, recreation areas, national forests, grasslands and Bureau of Indian Education schools.
The 484 LRF deferred maintenance projects planned by USDA Forest Service and 63 projects planned by Interior will improve recreation facilities, water and utility infrastructure, schools and other historic structures. Other projects aim to increase visitor access by restoring and repairing roads, trails, bridges and parking areas.
The investments included in the budget request for the LRF will enable Interior to address more than $1.2 billion of the deferred maintenance backlog across the nation and supports Interior’s overall portfolio of infrastructure investment.
When combined with the previous year, Fiscal Year 2022 LRF funding will enable the two agencies to pursue deferred maintenance projects in all 50 States and multiple U.S. territories.
