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"Will place a high priority on implementing cooperative projects to remove brush, small trees and other overgrown vegetation that serve as fuel for wildfires. Barack Obama will focus the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management's efforts on working with local communities on hazardous fuels projects to make communities safer and forests healthier."
During the presidential campaign, Barack Obama campaigned vigorously in the Western states, where wildfires are a major public policy issue. We found three promises related to wildfires from a fact sheet the campaign published on the issue; see them all here .
The economic stimulus package that Obama signed during his first month in office gave him an early start on keeping this wildfire promise. The bill funded "Wildland Fire Management" to the tune of $500 million. The conference report designates $250 million for "hazardous fuels reduction, forest health protection, rehabilitation and hazard mitigation activities on Federal lands" and another $250 million for "cooperative activities to benefit state and private lands."
That covers both points on the above promise. We rate this Promise Kept.
Thomas, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 , Sec. 1241
Speaker of the House Web site, Joint Explanatory Statement: Section A , Feb. 12, 2009 (pdf document)