US Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden have announced that $5.4 million is coming to Oregon from the Inflation Reduction Act for hazardous fuels projects across the state.
The federal funding awarded by the US Forest Service will reduce the risk of wildfires by removing hazardous fuels -- smaller trees, "live" or dead brush, tree limbs and other natural debris -- from national forests and grasslands to facilities for use in wood products and wood energy production.
The awards to Oregon are part of a $20 million effort by the Forest Service to fund 34 entities for 66 projects as part of its hazardous fuels transportation assistance program. These funds provide economic benefits to the timber industry and local communities while supporting the agency's Wildfire Crisis Strategy.
A total of eight projects were selected in Oregon, with three of them in the southwest part of the state.
The Cow Creek Umpqua Tribe Project will receive $375,000 to remove 65,000 tons of material on 1,000 acres of Umpqua Tribal lands adjacent to US Forest Service lands.
The Mineral Creek Logging Project will receive $248,668 to remove 4,000 tons of non-saw Timber Subject to Agreement material from 402 acres on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest.
The Biomass One Project gets $88,000 to remove 15,000 tons of green biomass material on approximately 950 acres near Crater Lake National Park.
