WASHINGTON – This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced $250 million in investments for 158 projects as part of its second round of funding under the Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) program. The program assists at-risk and low-income communities with planning for and mitigation of wildfire risks. During his time as Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, Representative Raúl M. Grijalva helped pass the authorization of $1 billion, five-year CWDG program as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Representative Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-07) issued the following statement:
“I applaud the latest round of investments by the Biden administration to manage wildfire risk and promote resilient, safe communities in Arizona and around the country. As climate change intensifies, these federal funds are necessary and critical to help mitigate its worsening effects,” said Rep. Grijalva. “As the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee, I will continue to advocate for Arizonans, our community, and to address our shared climate crisis.”
Recipients of federal funding in the 7th District of Arizona, include:
- Tucson Audubon Society, Santa Cruz County, AZ – $2,364,129
- Cochise County Emergency Management, Cochise County, AZ – $135,000
- Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, Santa Cruz County, AZ – $178,160
More information on the USDA’s CWDG program can be found hereand award recipients can be found here.