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BLM to invest $10 million in Oregon's fire resiliency, vegetation protection

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U.S. Capitol Building

The United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. on an unspecified date.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) announced on Friday that a $10 million investment is coming to Oregon to help increase fire resiliency and protect native vegetation, state officials said.

State officials said the Bureau of Land Management will investing the funds through the federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and is part of a $161 million investment by the BLM in public lands for ecosystem restoration and resilience.

“Dynamic ecosystems have defined Oregon for ages, but with intensifying climate chaos, fires and other threats are putting Oregonians, our communities, and our natural treasures in danger,” said Sen. Merkley. “Working together to make our lands and waters more resilient and healthier has never been more important. This federal investment will be used for collaborative efforts to help make our forests more resilient and conserve and restore Oregon’s important habitats, for the benefit of future generations.” 

The Southeast Oregon Landscape Restoration Area received $5 million for aquatic restoration projects centered on Oregon Coast Coho Salmon and other threatened species, as well as other forest resilience restoration projects, the state said.

“As summer approaches with its increased threat of wildfires, protecting Oregonians’ lives, homes, businesses and our unmatched outdoors from those destructive blazes is top-priority work,” Sen. Wyden said. “These federal funds from the Inflation Reduction Act I worked to pass into law take a significant step forward throughout southern Oregon to provide that protection and restore ecosystems. And I’ll keep battling to equip our entire state with similar resources.”

The BLM’s investment focuses on 21 restoration landscapes across 11 western states, state officials said.