Build Back Better bill and forest funding

[dave54]

The bill provides $450 million for the Legacy Roads and Trail program and $100 million for trail construction and maintenance.
Also several billion for various fuel treatment projects.
The appropriations are spread out over 10 years, so the annual amounts will be 1/10 of those numbers.

The Legacy Roads and Trails program is rehabbing or decommissioning existing roads/trail that are causing environmental problems.

This is the House version. The Senate will pass their own version, and then the two versions must be negotiated to be the same.

[rightstar76]

Dave54, do you think it will have any major impact? Or will it be negligible?

[dave54]

Too early to tell.
The text of the bill says the funds are to be appropriated now and be available for spending over ten years, so everything gets charged to this year's deficit.
Still requires Congressional approval each year to spend, though. Congress has a poor track record of following its own spending commitments in outyears after the legislation is passed.

[rlown]

But, but, but, we have a 31 Billion surplus in Cali. I want the money back, tax wise. Not to spend on the bullet train.
Time to start actually raking the forests. 3' of duff is way too much. We have seen how that works.

[BillyBobBurro]

Can you save your "let's go Brandon" bs for facebook?

[rlown]

I don't use Fakebook and no. Judging by others sig files don't work yourself into a frenzy. Should have raked the Forest.

[Bishop_Bob]

this is disgusting

[TahoeJeff]

this is disgusting

Jeez, lighten up

[maverick]

Back on topic please.

[creekfeet]

I don't use Fakebook and no. Judging by others sig files don't work yourself into a frenzy. Should have raked the Forest.

Our of curiosity, what is actually meant by "raking the forest"? Looking at the recent KNP complex fire, it seems like years of vigilant controlled burns in the Giant Forest made a big difference in protecting that portion of the park. However, the Giant Forest features 45 miles of hiking trails that serve as natural firebreaks, and grant safe and easy access for doing controlled burns. It's also one of the most iconic places in the NPS, and therefore it's no-brainer to devote the heavy funds required for controlled burns toward its preservation.

However, in this same fire it appears most of the damage was done in the extremely remote areas around Crystal Cave that only the most hardened cavers and marijuana growers have ever set foot in. It's a topography defined by massive amounts of poison oak, an almost complete lack of surface water, thick vegetation, no trails save for the deteriorating remains of Colony Mill Road, and steep, unforgiving hillsides. I don't see how any preventative measures could have been realistically put in place to spare this area.

I get that better measures can be put in place in CA to lessen to the impact of wildfires on residential areas, but the notion of "raking the forest" strikes me as more of a silly catchphrase than an actual solution to a complex problem.