Colorado Governor Jared Polis Announces State Funding for Wildfire Flood Risk Reduction Projects
Colorado Governor Jared Polis has announced that the state will cover 75% of the local share of costs for Emergency Watershed Protection projects aimed at reducing flood risk in areas affected by the Aspen Acres and Gold Mountain Fires. These projects are located in Ouray, Pueblo, and Custer Counties. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) program provides assistance, typically covering 75% of eligible construction costs, with local and county organizations responsible for the remaining 25%. Under Governor Polis's new initiative, the state will now cover 75% of that local 25% share, reducing the financial burden on local authorities to just 6.25% of the total eligible construction costs. This decision follows a recent incident where a Beulah man was swept away by floodwaters after the Aspen Acres Fire, highlighting the severe threat of flash flooding in burn scar areas due to vegetation loss and hydrophobic soil.
