Acting Deputy Secretary of the Interior Laura Daniel-Davis visited Colorado and Nevada to highlight investments from President Biden's Investing in America agenda. In Denver, she announced a $6.5 million funding allocation for wildland fire management in Colorado, part of a broader effort to enhance wildfire resilience through improved firefighter training and rehabilitation of burned areas. This brings the total investment in Colorado to over $31.6 million since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was enacted.
Daniel-Davis stated, "The Biden-Harris administration is making transformational investments in wildland fire management across the nation – from preparing communities to better withstand future fires to supporting our brave firefighters with better training."
In fiscal year 2024, hazardous fuels management projects were completed on more than 100,000 acres in Colorado. At Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Daniel-Davis observed efforts funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law aimed at managing fuels to mitigate wildfire risks.
She also reviewed a collaborative project with the City of Denver and Mile High Flood District, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, which focuses on restoring First Creek drainage within the Refuge. The project includes planting native trees and shrubs with local youth corps participation.
Additionally, the Inflation Reduction Act facilitated new fencing installations at the Refuge for bison grazing expansion and grassland improvement.
In Nevada, Daniel-Davis toured ecosystem restoration projects along the Truckee River near Reno with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials. These projects aim to recover two federally listed fish species vital to the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe: Lahontan cutthroat trout and Cui-ui sucker.
At Numana Dam, an $8.3 million National Fish Passage project is underway to retrofit a barrier affecting fish migration for over a century. The initiative will provide access to 65 miles of habitat along the Truckee River for these endangered species.
The National Fish Passage Program collaborates with various partners to remove barriers obstructing fish passage while enhancing community infrastructure by reconnecting aquatic habitats and increasing flood resilience.
