Missoula, Mont. (May 1, 2023) – Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced investments of more than $36 million in nearly 100 projects to improve water quality, roads, trails, bridges and fish habitat on national forests and grasslands nationwide.  30 of those projects will occur within the Forest Service’s Northern Region.  In addition to improving roads and trails for communities, businesses, and visitors, the investments create jobs, including those in stream restoration, environmental design and heavy equipment operations.

The announcement is part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and the Administration’s work to build a clean energy economy while creating economic opportunity in communities across the country.

In northern Idaho there are four projects identified, two on the Idaho Panhandle National Forest and two on the Nez Perce Clearwater Forest.  In Montana, work will occur on 25 separate projects: five on the Beaverhead Deerlodge Forest, one on the Bitterroot Forest, two on the Custer Gallatin Forest, three on the Flathead Forest, six on the Helena-Lewis and Clark Forest, three on the Kootenai Forest, and five on the Lolo National Forest.  In North Dakota there is one project identified on the Dakota Prairie Grasslands.

The investments are made possible by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which devotes unprecedented resources to infrastructure improvements. The funds are delivered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service through their Legacy Roads and Trails Program, which supports 98 projects in fiscal year 2023. The program funds projects, along with other restoration and infrastructure work, to improve water quality and aquatic habitat while making transportation systems safer, more sustainable and durable.

For a complete list of projects being funding in fiscal year 2023 visit the Legacy Roads and Trails | US Forest Service (usda.gov).

The mission of the Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The Forest Service’s Northern Region includes nine National Forests and 1.2 million acres of National Grasslands in North and South Dakota.  These public lands provide timber for people, forage for cattle and wildlife, habitat for fish, plants, and animals, and some of the best recreational opportunities in the country.