Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that three New Mexicans have been appointed to an advisory committee set up to help select large forest restoration proposals from around the country for federal funding.  Bingaman is the author of the legislation that created both the advisory board and the restoration funding program.

Bingaman's Forest Landscape Restoration Act, signed into law last year, authorizes funding for landscape-scale forest restoration projects that cover 50,000 acres or more of National Forest and other lands.  Competitive funding will be awarded through the program to restoration projects that are developed collaboratively in local communities.  Eligible projects will focus on ecosystem restoration, job creation, and wildfire risk reduction using the best-available science.

The three New Mexicans appointed today by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack are Dr. Brent Racher of Corona, Dr. Melissa Savage of Santa Fe, and Todd Schulke of Silver City.

"These three New Mexicans are experts in the fields of forest restoration and biomass utilization, and each has a long history of supporting collaborative forest restoration in the New Mexico.  I am confident that their contribution to the advisory board will lead to healthier forests nationwide," said Bingaman, who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Congress set aside $10 million this year in a national fund that will supplement local resources and leverage non-federal support for carrying out the projects under the grant program.  The President has proposed funding the program with $40 million next year.