Trone Announces $446,000 Inflation Reduction Act Investment into Catoctin Mountain Park
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 8, 2023
Contact: Sasha Galbreath, Sasha.Galbreath@mail.house.gov
Trone Announces $446,000 Inflation Reduction Act Investment into Catoctin Mountain Park
THURMONT, MD— Today, Congressman David Trone (D-MD) announced that $446,000 in federal funding through the Inflation Reduction Act will be used to plant more than 5,000 native trees and protect endangered species at Catoctin Mountain Park. Last Congress, Trone helped pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which will deliver $52 million to the National Park Service in Fiscal Year 2023 to fund projects throughout the country related to ecosystem resilience, restoration, and environmental planning needs.
“With a rise in severe weather and natural disasters across the world, it’s more important than ever that we continue our fight against climate change. I voted for the Inflation Reduction Act so that we could invest in and defend our vital natural resources,” said Congressman David Trone. “I’m glad that with this new funding we can preserve our national parks and protect endangered species in Maryland. It’s on all of us to create a brighter future for our children and grandchildren.”
“The forest needs our help – removing invasive plants and overabundant deer is not enough,” Rick Slade, Catoctin Mountain Park superintendent, said. “Investments from the Inflation Reduction Act will help us create a forest of healthy, abundant, and mature native trees, which are essential components of climate resilience and wildlife habitat.”
In addition to forest restoration efforts, 40 parks across the eastern United States, including Catoctin Mountain Park, will expand native grasslands by restoring agricultural fields and environmentally degraded lands, funded by a $3 million investment from the IRA. More than 90 percent of U.S. grasslands have been converted to other land uses, making them the most at-risk ecosystems in North America.
Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, the National Park Service is working to address the impacts of the climate crisis, including intensifying drought, wildfires, flooding, and legacy pollution in national parks and other public lands. Resources are making significant strategic investments to repair critical facilities and infrastructure and enhance conservation through ecosystem restoration and recreation opportunities.
The full lists of fiscal year 2023 projects are available online: IRA Restoration and Resilience projects and BIL Ecosystem Resilience projects.
Congressman David Trone was elected to the House of Representatives in November 2018 to serve the 6th District of Maryland, which includes all or part of Montgomery, Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett Counties. Trone serves on the Appropriations, Budget, and Joint Economic Committees in the 118th Congress. In Congress, Trone is fighting to make progress on issues that matter to Marylanders.
Follow Congressman Trone at @RepDavidTrone for updates on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
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