Commissioner Upthegrove Applauds Restoration of Wildfire Funding; Urges Legislature to Reconsider Cuts to Recreation and Environmental Justice Programs

Proposed reductions would hobble DNR's environmental justice programs and potentially lead to the closure of more than ten recreation sites across the state

Today, Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove commended the State House and Senate budget committees for proposing to restore full funding for the Department of Natural Resources' wildfire prevention and response and community resilience programs.

"I want to thank budget leaders for restoring this crucial wildfire and community resilience funding," said Commissioner Dave Upthegrove. "Preventing and responding to catastrophic wildfires is a core, basic public safety function of government - this funding will ensure DNR is fully prepared for wildfire season."

In testimony before both committees yesterday, Commissioner Upthegrove also expressed concern about a number of deep cuts to other programs across DNR, including proposed the complete elimination of DNR's HEAL act funding, and proposed reductions the agency's environmental justice programs, recreation maintenance funding, and environmental justice programs. If passed, these cuts would lead to:

• Failure to meet legal mandates set by the HEAL Act, with significant impacts to frontline communities across the state.
• Elimination of DNR's Urban and Community Forestry program, which would end community-based, environmental health projects in marginalized communities.
• Reductions in services at 19 trail systems and recreation sites across the state, with 11 sites having to be fully closed.

"I understand difficult choices must be made this year but the proposed cuts to some of our agency's most critical programs will harm Washington's lands, waters, and most vulnerable communities," said Commissioner Upthegrove. "The significant reductions to our environmental justice programs, and complete elimination of HEAL Act funding, will prevent DNR from meeting our legal mandates and moral obligations to protect frontline communities statewide. I urge legislators to reconsider these cuts and work with us to secure the funding necessary for DNR to serve the people of Washington."

Moving forward, Commissioner Upthegrove will be meeting with legislators to press the urgency of fully funding the agency's work, especially in light of continued cuts and changes at the federal level to long-standing environmental protections and reductions in services provided by federal partners at the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and other federal agencies.

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