Vermont Nets More Than $5 M. In Forest Upgrades
In Latest Installment Of Economic Recovery Funds
(FRIDAY, June 5) – Vermont’s Green Mountain National Forest and its
surrounding communities will benefit from the next wave of economic
recovery act funds coming to the state. Vermont’s Congressional
Delegation – Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Senator Bernie Sanders
(I-Vt.) and Congressman Peter Welch (D-Vt.) – said the U.S. Forest
Service will invest $5.295 million in economic stimulus funds on
projects that range from road upgrades to waterway improvements that
will help conserve endangered species such as the Atlantic Salmon.
Five projects on and around the Green Mountain National Forest
(GMNF) will create jobs while contributing improvements to public health
and safety and access to the Forest. Two road rehabilitation
projects will improve water quality by reducing sediments in Vermont
streams and help restore aquatic habitat for fish in areas affected by
road erosion. Other projects will improve fish passage by
replacing stream crossings, bridges and culverts, while opening two
miles of fish spawning and rearing habitat. These projects will
especially benefit populations of the Atlantic Salmon and the native
Eastern Brook Trout. The fish recovery projects are a partnership
among the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the White River Partnership,
Trout Unlimited, and local communities.
Leahy said, “These investments are a two-fer for our state and our
forest, letting us tackle the backlog of deferred roadway and waterway
improvements, while creating good private sector jobs. The
benefits to Vermont, and especially to these communities, will last long
beyond the recovery.”
Sanders said, “These
economic stimulus funds are a significant step forward in addressing
long-overdue infrastructure needs of our state while creating
good-paying jobs during this economic crisis.”
Welch said, "These funds will improve Vermont’s ecological and
recreational resources while addressing long-delayed transportation and
infrastructure projects in and around the Green Mountain National
Forest. These projects are another example of how the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act is meeting community needs, creating local jobs and
investing in Vermont.”
The Delegation released this summary of Vermont’s U.S. Forest
Service projects:
$1,200,000 in Rutland, Windsor, Washington, Windham, Addison, and
Bennington Counties for capital improvements and
maintenance work to improve Vermont fish passage. By providing for
unobstructed passage of fish this project will create jobs in Vermont
for work that includes design of bridges and culverts and for
reconstruction. The results will allow for full passage of fish
such as the native Eastern Brook Trout and other aquatic life, while
improving public access and traffic safety.
$1,000,000 in Rutland and Washington Counties for capital improvements and
maintenance work to improve Vermont fish passage. This 18-month project
will include stream-crossing reconstruction to improve traffic safety
for local residents, improve public access for visitors, and allow for
full fish passage through bridge reconstruction. The project will
have long-term benefits for the endangered Atlantic Salmon, a federally
endangered species, and the Eastern Brook Trout, as well as for other
species. The project will also enhance recreation and travel
opportunities for Forest visitors.
$500,000 in Windsor County for capital improvements and maintenance
work to improve Vermont fish passage in the Green Mountain Forest. This
project will improve fish habitat and create safer road systems for
Forest visitors. The work includes replacing stream crossings and
opening two miles of critical fish spawning and rearing habitat over the
next year and a half. The project is a partnership among the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, White River Partnership, and Trout Unlimited.
The work will have long-tem benefits for the Atlantic Salmon and will
enhance recreation and travel opportunities for visitors to the Forest.
$2,475,000 in Rutland, Addison, Windsor, Washington, Windham, and
Bennington Counties for deferred maintenance work in
partnership with the towns of Goshen, Ripton, Chittenden, Wallingford,
Peru, Sunderland, and Winhall. This work will maintain several forest
roads while creating private sector jobs, involving the removal of
encroaching brush; adding gravel surfaces; cleaning ditches; replacing
rusted-out culverts, and grading roadways, which will reduce runoff
sediment and improve water quality. Although many of the GMNF
roads that offer access to the Forest begin as township roads, they
frequently become Forest Service roads often used by local residents for
traveling to work, transporting children to school, providing emergency
services, and for commercial deliveries.
$120,000 in
Windsor and Addison Counties for capital improvements and maintenance in partnership
with the towns of Hancock, Granville, and Rochester. This project will
create private sector positions in several towns in work that will
improve safety for the many users of Forest Service roads that
intertwine with township roads. The work includes removing
encroaching brush; adding gravel surfaces; cleaning ditches; replacing
rusted-out culverts, and grading roadways. These backlogged
maintenance projects will also improve water quality by reducing soil
erosion.
Vermont counties will
also share in additional Forest Service project funds from an overall
pool of $3,500,000 for deferred maintenance work and for signage, for
which Addison, Bennington, Rutland, Windham and Windsor counties are
eligible.
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