Release No. = 0430.09

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	Release No.=20 0430.09 Contact: Office of = Communications=20 (202) 720-4623 =20 Printable = version=20 Email=20 this page

	AGRICULTURE SECRETARY = VILSACK=20 ANNOUNCES ECONOMIC RECOVERY PROJECTS FOR = FOREST=20 HEALTH PROTECTION

	78=20 projects in 20 States and the District = of=20 Columbia will receive a total of $89 = million to=20 address problems caused by fire, = insects,=20 invasive species and disease

	WASHINGTON, September 9, 2009 = =E2=80=94 Agriculture=20 Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced = projects=20 funded by the American Recovery and = Reinvestment=20 Act (ARRA) for forest health protection=20 projects. These 78 projects will receive = almost=20 $89 million and are located on forested = lands in=20 30 states. This funding will be used to = restore=20 forest health conditions on Federal, = State, and=20 private forest and rangelands recovering = from=20 fires, forest insects and disease = outbreaks.=20 These conditions weaken affected lands = and=20 threaten the benefits these lands = provide,=20 including clean water, clean air, = habitat for=20 wildlife, resistance to wildfire, and=20 recreational opportunities for the = public. "These Recovery Act projects will put = people=20 to work and advance the Obama = Administration's=20 vision for a balanced and cooperative = approach=20 to forest management that will provide = for=20 public health and safety by restoring=20 forestlands and rangelands damaged by = insects,=20 disease, and invasive species," said = Vilsack.=20 "Proper forest management helps protect = our=20 forests for the benefit of current and = future=20 generations by restoring the vitality = and=20 productivity of the land." These Recovery Act funds will be used = to=20 complete high priority projects to = restore=20 forest health and resiliency by reducing = insect=20 and disease problems. Among the projects = announced today will be efforts to thin=20 understory trees and control spread of = pests,=20 which will reduce the risk of massive = forest=20 die-offs. Epidemic insect outbreaks, = such as=20 hemlock woody adelgid, Asian longhorn = beetle and=20 bark beetles have killed large expanses = of=20 forests and threaten to kill more. = Additionally,=20 workers will undertake efforts to = control the=20 spread of invasive plants by hand and = with=20 machinery, thus protecting and restoring = healthy=20 ecosystems. Invasive plants such as = Cogan Grass,=20 leafy spurge and cheatgrass threaten = ecosystems=20 by out-competing and displacing native = plants.=20 Finally, the funds will also help = provide=20 technical and financial assistance for = care of=20 lands owned by States, local = governments,=20 private organizations, and private = individuals.=20 These activities will protect highly = valued=20 forested areas, reduce the risks of = vegetation=20 mortality, increase landscape = resilience, and=20 prevent future disease and insect = outbreaks.=20 A listing of the forest health = protection=20 projects and information on other Forest = Service=20 ARRA projects can be found at http://fs.usda.gov/recovery.=20 Wildland Fire Management - Forest = Health (by=20 State) Alaska =E2=80=93 5 projects =E2=80=93 = $3,911,000 Arizona =E2=80=93 4 projects = =E2=80=93 $3,638,000 California =E2=80=93 4 projects = =E2=80=93 $10,710,000 Colorado =E2=80=93 1 project = =E2=80=93 $1,500,000 District of Columbia =E2=80=93 2 = =E2=80=93 $2,782,000 Delaware =E2=80=93 1 project = =E2=80=93 $895,000 Florida =E2=80=93 1 project =E2=80=93 = $1,570,000 Georgia =E2=80=93 1 project =E2=80=93 = $897,000 Iowa =E2=80=93 1 project =E2=80=93 = $449,000 Idaho =E2=80=93 5 projects =E2=80=93 = $4,403,700 Illinois =E2=80=93 2 projects = =E2=80=93 $2,872,000 Massachusetts =E2=80=93 1 project = =E2=80=93 $4,487,000 Maryland =E2=80=93 2 projects = =E2=80=93 $1,974,000 Michigan =E2=80=93 2 projects = =E2=80=93 $2,443,000 Mississippi =E2=80=93 1 project = =E2=80=93 $897,000 Montana =E2=80=93 5 projects = =E2=80=93 $3,923,000 North Carolina =E2=80=93 4 projects = =E2=80=93 $2,802,000 New Jersey =E2=80=93 4 projects = =E2=80=93 $1,975,000 Nevada =E2=80=93 1 project =E2=80=93 = $494,000 New York =E2=80=93 1 project = =E2=80=93 $763,000 Oregon =E2=80=93 11 projects = =E2=80=93 $17,432,000 Pennsylvania =E2=80=93 2 projects = =E2=80=93 $2,154,000 Rhode Island =E2=80=93 1 project = =E2=80=93 $449,000 South Carolina =E2=80=93 1 project = =E2=80=93 $897,000 Tennessee =E2=80=93 1 project = =E2=80=93 $160,000 Virginia =E2=80=93 2 projects = =E2=80=93 $1,076,000 Vermont =E2=80=93 1 project =E2=80=93 = $567,000 Washington =E2=80=93 7 projects = =E2=80=93 $4,732,000 Wildland Fire Management - Forest = Health=20 (Multi-state) Alaska; California; Oregon; = Washington;=20 Hawaii =E2=80=93 1 project =E2=80=93 = $1,795,000 California; Hawaii =E2=80=93 1 = project =E2=80=93 $2,190,000=20 California; Oregon =E2=80=93 1 = project =E2=80=93 $2,240,000=20 Michigan; Ohio =E2=80=93 1 project = =E2=80=93 $2,244,000 Total =E2=80=93 78 projects - = $89,321,700 # USDA is an equal opportunity = provider,=20 employer and lender. To file a complaint = of=20 discrimination, write: USDA, Director, = Office of=20 Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, = SW,=20 Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) = 795-3272=20 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). =


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