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2 History of the Kittitas County Community Wildfire Protection <br />Plan <br />2.1 Recent Federal Initiatives and Legislation <br />The Healthy Forests Initiative (HFI) was <br />established by the federal <br />government in 2002 to improve <br />regulatory processes to ensure more <br />timely decisions, greater efficiency, <br />and better results in reducing the risk <br />of high intensity wildfire. This initiative <br />allowed forest management agencies, <br />for the first time, to expedite the <br />documentation process for reducing <br />hazardous fuels on public lands. <br />The U.S. Congress passed historical bi-partisan legislation, The Healthy Forests Restoration Act <br />(HFRA), in 2003. This legislation expands the initial effort under the HFI and directs federal agencies <br />to collaborate with communities in developing a CWPP, which includes the identification and <br />prioritization of areas needing hazardous fuels treatment. It further provides opportunities and <br />authority for federal agencies to expedite the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process for <br />fuels reduction projects on federal lands. The act also requires that 50% of funding allocated to fuels <br />projects be used in the WUI. <br />The development and implementation of this CWPP gives the communities of Kittitas County the <br />opportunity to participate in determining where federal agencies place their fuels reduction efforts. <br />With a CWPP in place, Kittitas County, Kittitas County Conservation District (KCCD), community <br />groups, and other stakeholder groups can apply for federal grants to treat hazardous fuels and <br />address special concerns to reduce the risk of catastrophic loss as a result of wildland fire. <br />Congress passed the Federal Land Assistance, Management, and Enhancement (FLAME) Act in 2009 <br />and called for a National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy (Cohesive Strategy) to <br />address wildland fire related issues across the nation in a collaborative, cohesive manner. The <br />Cohesive Strategy was finalized in 2014 and represents the evolution of national fire policy: <br />• To safely and effectively extinguish fire, when needed; use fire where allowable; manage our <br />natural resources; and as a Nation, live with wildland fire <br />• The primary, national goals identified as necessary to achieving the vision are: <br />Community Wildfire Protection Pian 4 September 2018 <br />