Prescribed burns are an important tool to burn excess vegetation, keep landscapes healthy and reduce the risk of destructive wildfires. But starting last week, some Forest Service staff were told not to conduct burns in preparation for a potential shutdown. "We were told, 'No ignitions,'" said a Forest Service fire management officer, who didn't want to be named for fear of losing his job. "'Don't even start.'"
The $18 billion cut targets money for two major transportation projects. One is construction of a rail tunnel under the Hudson River between New York and New Jersey, due for completion in the next decade. It is a priority for Schumer and was backed by former President Joe Biden. The second is the Second Avenue project in the New York City subway system.
