U.S. Department of the InteriorDOI News Header
Office of the Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 5, 2006
Contacts:
Joan Moody, 202-208-6416

Proposed Healthy Forests Partnership Act Discussed by Interior, Agriculture Officials

DENVER — U.S. Department of the Interior Deputy Secretary Lynn Scarlett, U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Mark Rey and Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth joined Regional Forester Rick Cables and Director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources Russell George for an aerial tour of the beetle invested areas of Grand and Summit counties and a media briefing in the State Capitol's Legislative Services Building today. During their visit, they discussed proposed legislation which will afford both the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior opportunities to accomplish work on federal lands through partnerships with state, tribal and local governments.

"Partnerships among federal, state, tribal and local agencies under this proposed legislation will enhance forest health, reduce risks to communities from wildland fire, and expand opportunities for cooperative conservation,” Scarlett said.

The proposed Act will allow the departments to perform scientifically based forest, rangeland and watershed restoration and wildland fire reduction projects through partnerships on both federal and adjacent non-federal lands.

The proposed Act provides authorities to each of the Secretaries permitting their respective departments to easily enter into cooperative agreements or contracts, including sole-source contracts, with state, tribal or local governments. These contracts would allow for the implementation of complementary projects across boundaries to enhance forest, rangeland or watershed restoration projects or to complete projects intended to reduce the risk of wildland fires. The proposed Act will enable the Secretaries to designate areas of federal and adjacent non-federal lands as "Healthy Forests Partnership Zones." These zones would be areas either at risk of uncharacteristically severe wildland fire or areas where there is insufficient industry capacity and public infrastructure to implement the required management activities. This designation would foster non-federal investment in local industry development and provide economic benefits to communities.

Since 2001 in Colorado and 2005 in Utah, the Forest Service has implemented similar authorities through the Good Neighbor Authority in those states. Through these special authorities, the Forest Service has accomplished successful projects in both Colorado and Utah by allowing State Foresters to collaboratively work on adjacent federal lands, according to Bosworth.

The President's Healthy Forests Initiative and Healthy Forest Restoration Act are an ongoing commitment to care for America's forests and rangelands, reduce the risk of catastrophic fire to communities, help save the lives of firefighters and citizens and protect critical natural resources.

 
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