Kelly Secures $6.5 Million in Federal Funds Coming for Northern Arizona Museum Fire Rehabilitation, Flood Mitigation

Today, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Committee, released a statement following the announcement that Arizona will receive $6.5 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with $3.5 million to support Coconino County’s burn scar remediation and $3 million for flood mitigation at the Mount Elden Estates. 

The announcement comes weeks after Kelly received a commitment from Deputy Chief of the Forest Service, Christopher French, that Forest Service Chief Moore would visit Arizona and that next steps on the Four Forests Restoration Initiative (4FRI) would be announced soon. Yesterday, Kelly’s staff joined an Arizona delegation tour, hosted by Coconino County and members of the U.S. Forest Service, of the Museum Flood Area and Shultz Flood Area.

“Massive wildfires followed by damaging floods have had a severe impact on northern Arizona. These resources are an important step towards rehabilitating  the burn scar and strengthening flood mitigation efforts to protect homes and businesses, but there’s still more that can be done,” said Senator Kelly. “The Four Forests Restoration Initiative (4FRI) remains vital to fire management and prevention in Arizona. I remain committed to working with the Forest Service until Arizonans get the forest management and fire prevention needed to protect our communities.”

In the Senate, Kelly continues to work with Republicans and Democrats to pass legislation that strengthens Arizona fire prevention, mitigation, and forest rehabilitation. Through his leadership, Kelly secured $8.25 billion for wildfire management in the bipartisan infrastructure bill awaiting President Biden’s signature. The bipartisan infrastructure bill also includes funding Kelly secured for new programs tailored to assist forest restoration projects like the Four Forests Restoration Initiative (4FRI).