Sen. Michael Bennet touts new bill for outdoor restoration projects

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- On Thursday afternoon, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet met with members of the Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance to discuss his Outdoor Restoration Partnership Act.

The bill would give $60 billion dollars to help create 2 million forest and watershed restoration projects across the country, lowering the risk of catastrophic wildfire to protect Colorado’s watersheds and boost the state’s economy. 

The bill would make $20 billion dollars available to state and local governments to help collaborative efforts on the ground.

Bennet calls the bill and investment in the future of Colorado.

"Now with climate change we're seeing the devastation that's occurring with the wildfires that we're having. The duration and intensity is nothing like we've seen in the last year with the three worst in the state's history, so my view is we'll be a lot better off spending the money mitigating the risk of fire on the front end than paying the incredibly expensive cost of fighting fires on the back end," said Bennet.

Parts of the bill will likely be included in President Joe Biden's infrastructure bill, but it's not clear exactly how much. The infrastructure bill is currently working its way through Congress.

The Outdoor Restoration Partnership Act is also back by U.S. Representatives Jason Crow (D-Colo.) and Mike Simpson (R-Idaho).