Letter to Jeff Merkley, Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Chair; and Lisa Murkowski, Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Ranking Member

Letter

Dear Chair Merkley and Ranking Member Murkowski:

As your committee develops its fiscal year (FY) 2023 appropriations bill, we write to request that you fully fund the United States Forest Service (USFS) Water Source Protection Program (WSPP).

The health of our forests, our watersheds, and our economy are deeply connected. National Forest System lands are the single most important source of water in the country and supply drinking water for close to 20 percent of the entire US population. However many of these watersheds are considered "degraded" and "impaired."

Congress authorized the Water Source Protection Program in the 2018 Farm Bill to encourage partnerships between agricultural producers, businesses, cities, and the USFS. These partnerships would improve forest health and benefit downstream communities, often bringing in significant new investments from non-federal partners. Despite widespread interest in WSPP across the country, it has not received dedicated funding.

As growing populations and climate change place additional stress on our forests and watersheds, it is critical that Congress invest in programs that support local, collaborative solutions to these challenges. Therefore, we urge you to provide at least $10 million for WSPP in FY23.

We look forward to working with you on this program.