Teller government officials have recently announced that, along with their partners at the city of Woodland Park, the county has received a $1 million grant from the Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Program (COSWAP).
This will enable the county the ability to conduct wildfire mitigation in a buffer zone surrounding Woodland Park.
This is the second $1 million COSWAP grant awarded in Teller County in the last two years. The first grant was awarded with the county’s support to the Colorado Springs Utilities, which conducted significant wildfire mitigation projects on the northwest slope of Pikes Peak between Woodland Park and the Catamount Reservoirs.
The recent mitigation project was chosen because of the critical need to protect energy, water, sewer, transportation, data, and communication resources that serve residents in and around Woodland Park.
Teller County Commissioner Erik Stone said the grant resulted from collaboration with Woodland Park city officials, with assistance from Northeast Teller County Fire District.
The city of Woodland Park was instrumental in developing the initial application for this grant in 2022 when the county was in the process of hiring a new director of Emergency Management, according to county officials. “Hence, the city did a lot of heavy lifting to create a comprehensive plan to protect the valuable infrastructure running through Woodland Park. The grant reflects our dedication to ongoing mitigation to protect the residents of Teller County.”
While the county was unsuccessful in receiving the grant in 2022, state officials were impressed enough by the original application to reach out and ask that the grant be resubmitted again for consideration in 2024, according to Stone.
Woodland Park city officials are also elated about the grant award. “The city is thrilled to have these funds from COSWAP to plan and mitigate several critical areas,” stated Woodland Park officials. “We appreciate the partnership and collaboration with Teller County officials to seek out and secure these funds for the benefit of our community. We look forward to working on these projects to offer greater protection to our residents.”
The mitigation work will commence in the fall of 2024, with completion slated in mid-2027.
