"At a time when the whole world is watching California forests burn up, due in a large part to mismanagement, Richard Lunt knows it is more important than ever that we continue the fight to restore and save Arizona forests," said David Tenney, Director of the Department of Forestry and Fire Management for the state of Arizona. "Richard is one of a handful of county officials in northeastern Arizona that were critical in the formation of the Four Forest Restoration Initiative. He was persistent and forceful as he worked with the federal government, including the Secretary and Under Secretary of Department of Agriculture, the Chief of the Forest Service, congressional leaders in both the House of Representatives and the Senate as well as local and regional Forest Service officials in an effort to bring significant change to forest management policies and practices in Arizona. He successfully lobbied Congress in the effort to give the Forest Service the authority to offer 20 year stewardship contracts in an effort to attract industry that could ultimately restore and save Arizona's forests."
U.S. Senator Martha McSally (R-AZ) and Rep. Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ-01) on Friday, September 25, 2020, led members of the Arizona delegation in a letter to the U.S. Forest Service highlighting the need for action on the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI) in Northern Arizona to help reduce wildfire risk. Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Reps. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ-02), Paul Gosar (R-AZ-04), Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05), David Schweikert (R-AZ-06), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-07), Debbie Lesko (R-AZ-08), and Greg Stanton (D-AZ-9) also signed onto the letter.
“In Arizona this year, there have been more than 1,600 wildfires and more than 700,000 acres burned which is more land burned than in 2018 and 2019 combined,” the Members wrote. “Entire communities, industries, and businesses across the state are waiting on the 4FRI project to move forward. The steadily increasing risk of wildfire combined with the economic uncertainty caused by prolonged delays means it is critically important for the Forest Service to expeditiously award this Phase 2 contract.”
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