December 21, 2007
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We want to share some really good news
Sue Gunn, Washington Representative for Wildlands CPR, has been a key player in the Washington Watershed Restoration Initiative, the coalition of environmental groups and state agencies that provided the push on this bill. Among several key functions, Sue has worked with Bethanie to organize the coalition to articulate a medium-term strategy, expand our messaging on this to include the environment AND jobs, generate letters of support to members of Congress from their conservation constituents in other key states, and led negotiations with Forest Service leadership in the Pacific Northwest region. Back here in Montana, Marnie Criley stepped up to interpret what this may mean for harmful roads on forests in Montana. Listen to her 2-minute interview on the local NPR affiliate’s banner news program, Montana Evening Edition. Visit the Montana Public Radio website and fast forward to the beginning of the segment at 6:57. Marnie’s leadership with the Montana Forest Restoration Committee positions her and that group to lobby for a chunk of this money to put to word here in western Montana. Marnie’s credibility and expertise on this issue is recognized in the email message below sent by a leader of Montana’s Fish, Wildlife and Parks agency, which he copied a few of our partners—the MT Governor’s chief policy advisor, a former Congressman and his co-worker from Western Progress (the think tank that recruited Marnie to speak at their recent restoration conference).
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Congress Approves $39 million for Vital Watershed Restoration on National Forest LandsFunds could target crumbling forest roads that harm clean water and bull trout habitat FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 20, 2007 CONTACTS: Marnie Criley, Restoration Coordinator, 406-543-9551 Missoula, MT -- On December 19 Congress passed an appropriations bill which included $39.4 million for urgently needed watershed restoration on national forest lands. Once President Bush signs this bill, the money will go to areas where decaying U.S. Forest Service roads contribute to water quality problems, especially in areas that support threatened or endangered species, like bull trout, and provide clean drinking water for communities. "Not only will this allocation save the Forest Service money in the long run by addressing road issues before they become road nightmares for fisheries and streams, but it will also provide restoration jobs to people living in Montana's rural communities," said Marnie Criley, Restoration Coordinator for Wildlands CPR. The Forest Service is responsible for managing over 32,000 miles of roads throughout Montana. Thousands of miles of these roads are unneeded and harmful--they degrade water quality and are prone to washing out and harming bull trout habitat. Road decommissioning and reclamation is the least expensive option for fixing the problem while also reaping benefits for local workers, water sources, fish and wildlife. This infusion of $40 million for road reclamation and remediation can provide more than 580 family-wage jobs. The investment in restoration can also protect more than 60 million people in 3,400 communities whose water originates on Forest Service lands. This appropriation is a great first step toward addressing these long-standing needs. Road decommissioning and reclamation is the best and least expensive option. The Forest Service estimates that road decommissioning could save taxpayers up to $1,200 annually per mile of decommissioned road. Being proactive is another key strategy. It is cheaper to remove a road before it fails than to remove the sediment from the stream after a road fails. Some engineers have estimated that road reclamation can cost at least 50% less than fixing the problem after the roads fail. While state-by-state allocations of the Forest Service funding have not been made, the money will be shared among forests where decaying roads, impassable culverts, and storm damage impair fish habitat for threatened and endangered species. Streams with threatened bull trout in Montana could be improved by road reclamation projects funded by this appropriation. This appropriation can also be one more infusion into the growing restoration economy in Montana. In 2007 the Montana legislature created a new statewide office of restoration housed at the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. In addition, the state allocated $34 million for restoration projects. In a separate effort 29 people, representing a very broad set of interests including conservation, hunting and fishing, outfitting, logging, mill operations, state government and the Forest Service drafted and adopted a landmark set of 13 principles for restoring Montana’s forests, watersheds and wildlife. Montana is at the forefront of a growing national interest in restoration, as reflected by this significant Congressional appropriation today. “This funding is an important first step toward addressing our longer-term needs and our coalition will continue to work to secure sustained watershed restoration funding,” said Sue Gunn, Wildlands CPR’s Washinton State representative. Sue and several conservation groups and state leaders worked cooperatively with Rep. Norm Dicks and Sen. Maria Cantwell to champion this effort in Congress. This initial investment in watershed restoration is an important first step to an enormous problem that will require significant long-term investments. Wildlands CPR will encourage the Forest Service to use these funds to reclaim unneeded roads in order to restore fish and wildlife habitat, secure sources of clean drinking water, and improve wildlife habitat throughout the state. Listen to a 2-minute radio interview with Wildlands CPR Restoration Coordinator Marnie Criley on Montana Evening Edition and fast forward to the beginning of the segment at 6:57. For more information, please visit: |