News Release: USFS Funds road work in Mt. Hood National Forest

Portland, OR (February 26, 2008) – This week the Forest Service announced the amount of federal funds national forest lands in Oregon and Washington will receive for road and trail maintenance work through the Legacy Roads and Trails Remediation Initiative. The program, created in 2008, and funded nationally at $39.4 million, allocates approximately $4.7 million for Oregon and $3.46 million for Washington.

The Legacy Roads and Trails Remediation Initiative provides an opportunity to protect drinking water supplies, ensure viable populations of native fish species, improve recreation access and opportunities, and support local economies through restoration work.

The funding symbolizes the extent of the forest roads problem and a new effort by Congress to capitalize on opportunities to improve watershed health and create local jobs. Congressman Norm Dicks (D-WA), Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies, created the Legacy Roads and Trails program by adding approximately $40 million to the 2008 Omnibus Appropriations bill.

The Forest Service manages 380,000 miles of roads nationally. National Forests in Oregon contain 71,230 miles[1], approximately 19% of the national forest total, only one-fifth of which are maintained up to appropriate and safe standards. The Forest Service estimates over $900 million is needed to bring national forest roads in Oregon up to standards consistent with water quality protection and wild native fisheries recovery.

“This funding is a start to help restore watersheds and better maintain or decommission roads that pose a threat. The longer we wait, the more expensive the price tag,” said Alex Brown, Executive Director of Bark, a local forest conservation group.

Mt. Hood National Forest, received approximately $700,000 through the program, some of which will go towards road decommissioning in the Bull Run watershed, the City of Portland’s drinking water supply. However, Mt. Hood National Forest, and other national forests, still lacks a long-term strategy for improving watershed health while also incorporating diverse recreation demands. The program provides the opportunity to link these two needs together, but an investment in planning is needed to make this happen.

“The Legacy Roads and Trails Remediation funding is moving the Forest Service in the right direction, but without a vision and discussion of environmental needs and recreation access needs, the Forest Service is missing an opportunity to plan for the long-term,” said Brown.

Bark has been working with regional partners, the Washington Watershed Restoration Initiative, and the local Restore Mt. Hood Coalition, to make sure the program is environmentally and fiscally effective. Conservation groups in the Pacific Northwest hope to see additional funding appropriated in subsequent years.

Contact: Alex P. Brown, Executive Director, 503-331-0374, [email protected]