The head of the U.S. Forest Service says the agency is allocating $54 million for forest restoration work in northern Arizona. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore announced the funding decision Tuesday in Flagstaff during a meeting with two members of the state’s congressional delegation and numerous other officials.
The Forest Service will commit the money in fiscal year 2022 to accelerate high-priority projects on some 135,000 acres over the next 10 years. High-priority areas include Bill Williams Mountain and the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project, among others.
The funding will also address road and bridge maintenance.
The announcement follows the Forest Service's September cancellation of a contract for a larger restoration project in Coconino, Kaibab, Tonto and Apache-Sitgreaves forests.
The project is aimed at protecting communities and watersheds from catastrophic wildfires.