04/12/07 $3 million for Healthy Lands Initiative

The BLM is giving Idaho and six other Western states three million dollars for on the ground restoration work under the Healthy Lands Initiative. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne says the initiative addresses many public lands issues like increased development, rising energy demand, wildfires and ongoing weed invasion. KEMPTHORNE "We have world-class wildlife habitat and in many instances it is sitting right over world-class energy resources. Through the initiative we can assure that America's public lands stay healthy and productive for multiple uses both now and in the years to come." 380 thousand dollars will be set aside for the southern Idaho-Snake River plains for sage grouse restoration through the planting of sage brush seedlings and invasive weed control. The three state corner, southwest Idaho, southeast Oregon and Northern Nevada will have 454 thousand for shrub steppe restoration, juniper removal, weed control and riparian restoration. The three million dollars Kempthorne talks about is on top of 22 million dollars in funding that President Bush requested in the next fiscal year budget. With contributions from state and private partners the BLM hopes to restore about 74 thousand acres in Idaho and the other states. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott