The Department’s 2009 budget includes over $300 million
for the Healthy Forests Initiative, including $202.8 million for the Hazardous
Fuels Reduction program, a slight increase over 2008. Reducing the
accumulation of hazardous fuels helps to reduce the threat of catastrophic
wildfire. more
Our nation's forests and rangelands are at risk. An estimated 190 million acres of federal forests and rangelands in the U.S., an area twice the size of California, face high risk of catastrophic fires that could have severe impacts on people, communities, and natural resources. Years of natural fuels build-up, coupled with drought, insect and disease damage make our forests vulnerable to environmentally destructive fires. Many of our forests are 15 times denser than they were a century ago. Where 25 to 35 trees once grew per acre now more than 500 trees are crowded together in unhealthy conditions.
President Bush announced his Healthy Forests Initiative on August 22, 2002.
On December 3, 2003, he signed the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003,
vital legislation that supports his Healthy Forests Initiative.
Today we use the procedural tools provided by these two actions to help reduce the risk of catastrophic fire. The new tools help speed the approval process for projects that reduce hazardous fuels in priority locations chosen in collaboration with state, tribal, and local officials as well as other partners. These tools also provide for more timely responses to disease and insect infestations and to other events judged to threaten forest health.
Additional Information:
Press Releases: |
02/04/2008 |
$10.7 Billion Interior Budget Sustains Core Conservation, Stewardship Programs; Focuses on Emerging Challenges |
09/05/2006 |
Proposed Healthy Forests Partnership Act Discussed by Interior, Agriculture Officials |
09/23/2005 |
Federal, State Wildland Fire Experts jointly respond to Hurricanes |
06/23/2005 |
Associate Deputy Secretary Jim Cason Announces $1.4 million in Fire Recovery Funds for Crow Creek High School |
05/26/2005 |
Federal Agencies' Aerial resources are ready for 2005 Fire Season |
10/12/2004 |
Bush Administration Officials: Federal Land Managers set Record-Level Accomplishments of President's Healthy Forest Initiative |
08/13/2004 |
Residents of Louisiana's St. Tammany Parish to Enjoy Insurance Premium Savings Resulting from Healthy Forest Initiative Partnership |
08/12/2004 |
Federal Firefighting Agencies Will Return Two Additional Large Airtankers to Service |
08/10/2004 |
Agency Officials Announce Record Fuels Reduction Expected in 2004, Second Anniversary of Healthy Forests Initiative |
07/27/2004 |
Secretary Norton Says Federal Agencies are Taking Aggressive Steps To Reduce Hazardous Fuels in Arizona |
06/21/2004 |
Federal Agencies Announce Key Firefighting Deployments: Additional Aerial Tankers Prepared to Combat Potential Wildfires |
05/13/2004 |
Statement
of Mark Rey - Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment,
United States Department of Agriculture And P. Lynn Scarlett -
Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget, United States
Department of the Interior Before House Committee on Resources
Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health Concerning Firefighting
Preparedness |
05/05/2004 |
Statement
of P. Lynn Scarlett - Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and
Budget United States Department of the Interior, Before House
Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Natural Resources and Regulatory
Affairs Concerning Administration's Regulatory Response to Wildland
Fires in the West |
03/03/2004 |
Federal
Agencies Announce Guidelines to Aid Wildfire Prevention and
Restoration of Healthy Forests and Rangelands |
02/07/2004 |
Secretary
Norton Announces Implementation of Hungry Valley Wildfire Project:
Touts President's FY 2005 Budget Request |
01/28/2004 |
Bush
Administration Proposes Increased Funding to Maintain and Restore
Forest and Rangeland Health |
12/03/2003 |
President
Bush Signs Healthy Forest Restoration Act into Law |
12/03/2003 |
Implementation
of the Healthy Forests Initiative |
11/21/2003 |
Secretary
Norton Applauds Passage of Healthy Forests Legislation |
10/31/2003 |
Interior
Secretary Gale Norton and Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman praise
Senate passage of Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 |
10/22/2003 |
Assistant
Secretary Scarlett Announces WFLC Innovations That Will Strengthen
Wildland Fire-Fighting |
08/11/2003 |
President
Bush Promotes Healthy Forests |
08/11/2003 |
Remarks
by the President on Healthy Forests Initiative |
08/11/2003 |
Joint
Fact Sheet |
06/23/2003 |
A
Record of Success: Meeting On-the-Ground Challenges With
On-the-Ground Solutions |
06/19/2003 |
Remarks
Prepared for Delivery By The Honorable Gale Norton Secretary of the
Interior Western Governors' Association Forest Summit |
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