$125 million has been designated to restore the nation’s lands and waters. This funding is a part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will advance the restoration and resilience framework released last month by the Department of the Interior.
The funding will be spent over the next four years and will support 240 locally-led projects driven by collaborative partnerships to advance the outlined goals; and is set to be divided into three categories: build resilient communities, restore healthy lands and waters, and enhance local communities.
Nearly $22 million will be allocated to create communities that withstand more intense wildfires, drought, and frequent flooding.
More than $41 million is to restore rivers and grasslands, support healthy island ecosystems, and conserve cultural resources.
While another $36 million will be used to improve the quality of life in communities by building healthy ecosystems, addressing legacy pollution, and enhancing outdoor spaces.
Funding will also be allocated to support coordinated restoration efforts. This includes almost $18 million for a National Early Detection and Rapid Response to address invasive species and $8 million for implementing the National Seed Strategy to ensure seed supplies for the restoration of native plant communities.
This announcement follows a $68 million investment last year for ecosystem restoration projects. You can learn more about the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for ecosystem restoration and view the complete project list on the Department’s website.
