This past April, agencies responsible for fire prevention in the San Diego area were warning the Bush Administration not to cut funding for deadwood removal, saying it was only a matter of time before another major fire.
"Across San Diego County's fire country, an alliance of agencies has spent about $50 million to clear dead trees and overgrown brush after blazes charred much of the region in 2003.
But now, the federal fire-prevention money for their work is drying up. Priorities in Washington, D.C., have shifted to paying for national defense, cleanups after Hurricane Katrina and other needs, forestry experts say.
The group said Thursday that the administration of President Bush has proposed cutting 14 percent of the budget for a critical fire-prevention fund – one that has paid for work in San Diego County – when what it needed was an 85 percent increase.
To make matters worse, drought conditions that stress forests and make them susceptible to insect infestations aren't abating. In certain places, 80 percent of the trees are dead.
Without enough fire-prevention money, they say, it is only a matter of time before the county faces another massive wildfire."
FULL STORY: Alliance fears cuts in wildfire prevention

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

End Human Sacrifices to the Demanding Gods of Automobile Dependency and Sprawl
The U.S. has much higher traffic fatality rates than peer countries due to automobile dependency and sprawl. Better planning can reduce these human sacrifices.

Seattle Transit Asked to Clarify Pet Policy
A major dog park near a new light rail stop is prompting calls to update and clarify rules for bringing pets on Seattle-area transit systems.

Oregon Bill Would End Bans on Manufactured Housing
The bill would prevent new developments from prohibiting mobile homes and modular housing.

Nashville Doesn’t Renew Bike Share Contract, Citing Lost Federal Funding
The city’s bike share system, operated by BCycle, could stop operating if the city doesn’t find a new source of funding.
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