HB 22-1379

House Bill 22-1379, titled "Wildfire Prevention Watershed Restoration Funding," allocates $20 million from the state's economic recovery fund to various initiatives aimed at reducing wildfire risks and restoring watersheds. This includes funding for forest health projects, wildfire mitigation efforts, flood prevention grants, and assistance in applying for federal funds related to water management. The bill benefits communities facing high wildfire risks by providing them with resources to improve forest health and resilience. Since the bill has been signed into law, these funds are now available to be used as specified to support these critical environmental initiatives.

Official Summary

The act requires the state treasurer to make the following transfers from the economic recovery and relief cash fund: $3,000,000 to the healthy forests and vibrant communities fund for projects that will help communities address the urgent need to reduce wildfire risks by supporting implementation of risk mitigation treatments that focus on promoting watershed resilience; $2,000,000 to the wildfire mitigation capacity development fund for wildfire mitigation and fuel reduction projects; $10,000,000 to the Colorado water conservation board construction fund for watershed restoration and flood mitigation grants; $2,500,000 to the Colorado water conservation board construction fund for the direct and indirect costs of providing assistance to political subdivisions and other entities applying for federal "Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act" money and other federally available money related to water funding opportunities; and $2,500,000 to the Colorado water conservation board construction fund for issuing grants to political subdivisions of the state for the hiring of temporary employees, contractors, or both that will assist those political subdivisions and other entities in applying for federal "Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act" money and other federally available money related to natural resource management. All of these transfers relate to essential government services and must comply with the relevant compliance, reporting, record-keeping, and program evaluation requirements established by the office of state planning and budgeting and the state controller. $15,000,000 is appropriated from the Colorado water conservation board construction fund to the department of natural resources for use by the Colorado water conservation board for watershed restoration and flood mitigation project grants. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Votes