Biden Administration Announces $68 Million for Ecosystem Restoration Projects (Wyoming Included)
Written by Caleb Nelson on May 13, 2022
The Biden Administration announced a series of ecosystem restoration projects in over twenty states, tribes, and territories. These projects will receive nearly $68.4 million dollars during the fiscal year 2022 as per Biden’s “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.”
The U.S. Department of the Interior says the Biden Infrastructure Law is “a major investment in the conservation and stewardship of America’s public lands that will lead to better outdoor spaces and habitats for people and wildlife for generations to come.” The Biden administration has been pushing for large scale infrastructure investment across the board.
These restoration projects hope to advance healthy forests, detect and eradicate invasive species, invest in National Seed Strategy collection and production, and restore recreation sites and National Parks.
The state of Wyoming is set to receive a portion of the $3.1 million dollars allocated for specific projects in the region.
The announcement comes at a time when many Gubernatorial candidates here in Wyoming have been critical of Federal overreach, especially when it comes to public lands. Wyoming Gubernatorial candidate Rex Rammell recently told David Iverson on Cowboy State Politics that “the Federal Government controlling the public lands is unconstitutional.” Governor Mark Gordon has repeatedly cited Federal overreach as one of the major challenges facing Wyoming.
The administration’s view is markedly different. In a prepared statement, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland says, “President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a once-in-a-generation investment that will allow us to restore healthy ecosystems across the country.”
Based on the information provided by the Department of the Interior’s website, Wyoming will receive funding for many different projects including:
- North Prong Good Neighbor Project
- Increasing Westwide Detection of Invasive Species Through Additional Environmental DNA Collection and Analysis
- Increasing Reclamation’s Biocontrol Efforts to Support Invasive Plant Eradication Efforts
- Recreation Lands Weed Inventory, Increase Recreational Access and Accessibility on BLM Managed Public Lands
- Mitigate Impacts to Sensitive BLM Managed Lands and Promoting Public Safety
- Optimizing Resilience and Adaptation for Restored Native Seedings in Sagebrush Steppe
- Increase Native Seed Production for Restoration in Upper Colorado Basin National Parks
- Increase Native Seed Production for Restoration in Intermountain National Parks.
