Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Clearing in the forest with mountains in the background — A section of the Jerome Miller Project, Bailey Colorado, after mechanical thinning to reduce wildfire risk. Courtesy photo by Stewardship West

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is an opportunity for the Forest Service to demonstrate we can deliver on investments and provide significant benefits to the American public. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 provides the Forest Service $5.5 billion and the authority to tackle the most pressing issues. In fiscal year 2022, the Forest Service made critical investments to reduce wildfire risk, restore healthy, productive forests, and improve environmental, recreation and economic infrastructure. These investments are occurring in tandem with a broader portfolio of work from other funding sources. In 2022 investments were made in:

Fire:

Invested $131 million on 10 high-risk landscapes that can reduce exposure of people, communities, and natural resources to the risk of catastrophic wildfire, identified in the 10-year wildfire strategy.

Invested in our workforce by increasing firefighter pay by as much as $20,000 a year, converted record number of temporary firefighter positions permanent positions and expanded mental health support and increased rest periods.
Issues $1 billion in grants to help private forest owners, Tribal communities, state forestry agencies and other at-risk communities plan for and reduce wildfire risk by launching the Community Wildfire Defense Program with support from the National Association of State Foresters, Intertribal Timber Council, and others.
Developed the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission alongside the Department of the Interior and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to recommend strategies and policies to prevent, suppress and recover from wildfires.

Non-Fire

Released a new National Reforestation Strategy including a strategy to plant a billion trees across national forests over the next ten years, eliminating a four-million-acre backlog. This work has started with four national reforestation agreements.

Invested $37 million to improve recreation infrastructure, historic sites and cabins on national forests, supporting recreation economies and improving experiences for visitors.
Funded $32 million in community wood and wood innovations grants to expand wood product use, strengthen wood markets that support long-term, sustainable forests management. We are creating renewable building and energy products while removing hazardous fuels that threaten wildfire-prone communities.
Issued $238 million to 742 counties through the Secure Rural Schools program, reauthorized through 2023 by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to fund schools, roads and other public services. These crucial investments strengthen rural communities, ensure the people, communities and resources are supported, protected and uplifted.
Invested $10 million to scale-up innovative bio-based product development to create new sources of revenue for America’s farmers using low-cost agricultural materials with low carbon footprints. This program will help farmers take field residues and waste products and turn them into value-added products that create wealth and drive economic development in rural areas.

We are working alongside partners and the communities we serve to take bold action to curb climate change, grow forest economies, and care for and support our wildland firefighting workforce.

A Wildfire Crisis Strategy saying that we'll complete treatments up to an additional 20 million acres of national forest system lands, 30 million acres of other federal, state, tribal and private lands and develop a plan for long-term maintenance beyond the 10 years. — “Confronting the Wildfire Crisis: A New Strategy for Protecting Communities and Improving Resilience in America’s Forests”