Sinema, City of Flagstaff Discuss Her Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's Historic Investments in Wildfire Prevention and Rural Broadband

Press Release

Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema discussed with the City of Flagstaff updates around her work to strengthen wildfire prevention and rural broadband in Northern Arizona.

"We updated our partners at the City of Flagstaff on our work to strengthen wildfire prevention, flood control, and rural broadband in Northern Arizona. We'll continue working with Arizona's local leaders to ensure communities across our state receive their fair share of funding from our bipartisan infrastructure law," said Sinema, co-author and negotiator of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs law.

Sinema and the City of Flagstaff discussed the Rio Flag Flood Control Project -- which Sinema secured its expedited completion in 2020's bipartisan Water Resources Development Act -- forest health funding for the 4 Forests Restoration Initiative (4FRI), and rural broadband.

Sinema recently announced a $61 million investment for wildfire prevention in Arizona for 2022. This investment is in addition to funding that will come from Sinema's Infrastructure Investment and Jobs law, directly investing in Arizona for the implementation of 4FRI as well as in four critical recovery and mitigation projects: the Museum Fire Sediment Reduction Project, the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project, the Coconino National Forest Cragin Watershed Protection Project, and the Tonto National Forest Cooperative Forest Restoration Project.

Sinema, along with fellow Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, announced $3,500,000 for the City of Flagstaff's Watershed Protection Project -- funding both Senators secured in the annual budget bill.

In early March, following Sinema and Kelly's urging, the U.S. Department of Agriculture agreed to release $12.8 million in disaster funds for the Museum Fire Flood, Telegraph Fire, and Bush Fire Flooding after both senators pressed the administration for wildfire relief.

Last November, while Sinema hosted the Forest Service Chief in Flagstaff, $6.5 million in federal funding was announced for rehabilitating the Museum Fire Burn Scar and boosting flood mitigation in Northern Arizona.

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