Secretary Salazar Declares $24,000 to Support Large Woody Habitat Restoration on Wisconsin Lakeshores

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced that the Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, under the guidance of the Countrywide Fish Habitat Action Project (NFHAP), will gain $24,000 in backing from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The backing will support a multi-partner effort to replenish large woody habitat in the shoreline area of lakes located in northwest Wisconsin.

"The economic recovery investments that the Department of the Interior is making will create jobs by building trails, restoring habitat, upgrading visitors' centers, and protecting Countrywide treasures in communities across America, while leaving a lasting legacy for our children and grandchildren," said Secretary Salazar.

The objective of the plan is to replenish large woody habitat in shoreline areas that have been lost due to development and past logging practices. NFHAP partners will work with landowners to place and anchor trees along lake shores in the Eau Claire Chain of Lakes, reducing erosion and benefitting native and sport fish species.

NFHAP is a Countrywide investment strategy to maximize the impact of conservation dollars on the ground. Under NFHAP, Federal, State, Tribal, and privately-raised funds are leveraged through regional partnerships to address the nation's biggest fish habitat challenges. For anglers, conservation groups, and industry leaders, NFHAP has become an unprecedented rallying point for those committed to conserving America's fisheries.


"The Midwest Region has a long tradition of enjoying the fish, wildlife, lakes, rivers and prairies we are so fortunate to have," said U.S.F.W.S. Midwest Regional Director Tom Melius. "The plans we will undertake in the Midwest as part of ARRA will provide jobs, increase the energy efficiency of government buildings, protect and enhance our natural resources, provide greater opportunities for people to enjoy those natural resources, and perhaps most importantly, help current and future generations understand and share our passion for the natural world."

Backing for these plans and hundreds more across the nation comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Of the $3 billion appropriated to the Department of the Interior, the Act provides $280 million for the U.S.F.W.S. - which includes $115 million for construction, repair and energy efficiency retrofit plans at Service facilities, and $165 million for habitat restoration, deferred maintenance and capital improvement projects. The Service will benefit from an additional $10 million, which is administered by the Department of Transportation and is not included in the Service's $280 million appropriation that will be used to rebuild and enhance roads on several National wildlife refuges. Plans will immediately create local jobs in the communities where they are located, while stimulating long-term employment and economic opportunities for the American public.

Recovery Act Plans address long-standing priority needs identified by the U.S.F.W.S. through its capital planning process. The Service worked through a rigorous merit-based process to identify and prioritize investments meeting the criteria put forth in the Recovery Act: namely, that a plan addresses the Department's highest priority mission needs; generates the biggest number of jobs in the shortest period of time; and creates lasting value for the American public.

Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Department of the Interior is making an investment in conserving America's timeless treasures - our stunning natural landscapes, our monuments to liberty, the icons of our culture and heritage - while helping middle class families and their communities prosper again. Interior is also focusing on renewable energy projects, employing youth and promoting community service.

For a full list of funded Plans nationwide, go to the Department's Recovery Web Location at http://recovery.doi.gov/. For a list of Service projects, click on the Service's logo at the bottom of the page. Secretary Salazar has pledged unprecedented levels of transparency and accountability in the implementation of the Department of the Interior's economic recovery projects. The public will be able to follow the progress of each plan on the recovery web site, which will include an interactive map that enables the public to track where and how the Department's recovery dollars are being spent. In addition, the public can submit questions, comments or concerns at recoveryact@fws.gov.

Secretary Salazar also has appointed a Senior Advisor for Economic Recovery, Chris Henderson, and an Interior Economic Recovery Task Force. Henderson and the Task Force will work closely with the Department of the Interior's Inspector General to ensure the Recovery Plan is meeting the high requirements for accountability, responsibility and transparency that President Obama has set.