Forest Health Protection

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Program Accomplishments

Annual acres of forest insect and disease surveys is approximately 500,000,000. Annual acres of insect and disease suppression is approximately 1,000,000. The number of applications received and funded is not available without an additional data gathering effort from among field line units. Grants and agreements for base forest health programs on cooperative lands are not competitive, but are of a continuing nature, annually renewable, and based on negotiated targets. Grant and agreements for pest prevention and suppression projects, methods and technology development and special projects are generally competitive and solicited through Requests for Proposals. The total percentage of applications received and funded was 100 for base programs.

Uses and Use Restrictions

To assist State Foresters, State Plant Regulatory Officials, equivalent State officials, or other official representatives, subdivisions of states, agencies, institutions (public and private), organizations (profit or nonprofit), and individuals on non-Federal lands.

Activities include: conducting surveys to detect and assess insect, disease, invasive plant and other stressors; monitoring and reporting on the health of forests and trees; recommending measures to prevent, retard, slow the spread, control, suppress or eradicate incipient, potential, threatening or emergency forest and tree pests; planning, organizing, directing, and performing such measures; providing technical and scientific information, advice, and related assistance; developing applied methods and technology to improve management of forest health; providing information on pesticides and their use; promoting implementation of appropriate silvicultural or management techniques to improve forest health; and taking other actions deemed necessary to accomplish the objectives and purposes of the Forest Health Protection program.

Assistance to tribal lands held in trust by the United States Government is provided directly by the Forest Service, and thus are not included in this cooperative program.

However, other tribal lands, such as Alaska Native Corporation Lands, that are not held in trust are included.

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Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

State Forestry, State Agriculture or equivalent State agencies, subdivisions of states, Alaska native corporations and tribal governments, institutions (public and private), organizations (profit and non-profit), and municipalities are eligible.

All States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and the territories and possessions of the United States are eligible.

Beneficiary Eligibility

State Foresters, State Plant Regulatory Officials, equivalent State officials or other official representatives, tribes, subdivisions of states, agencies, institutions (public and private), organizations (profit or nonprofit), and individuals on non-Federal lands.

Credentials/Documentation

Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments, as implemented by 7 CFR Part 3016.

Aplication and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act is required for this program whenever pesticides are to be used.

This program is eligible for coverage under E.O.

12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." Applicants should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in their State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

The standard application forms as furnished by the Federal agency and required by OMB Circular No.

A-102, as implemented by 7 CFR Part 3016, must be used for this program (i.e., SF-424).

Application Procedures

Not applicable. Contact Regional or Area or International Institute of Tropical Forestry (IITF)Office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog.

Award Procedures

Established by the Regional, Area or IITF Office.

Deadlines

States and eligible applicants are requested to submit Form SF-424(A) with SF 424 application and other required forms as advised by the Regional, Area or IITF Office within 10 to 60 days.

Authorization

Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978, Public Law 95-313; Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990, as amended, Public Law 101-624; Consolidated Appropriations Resolution FY 2003, Public Law 108-7, Division F, Title II; subsequent appropriation Acts, Pubic Law 108-108.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Submission due dates are developed for each fiscal year. Contact Region, Area or IITF office. State single point of contact will have 30 days from notification of tentative allotments to comment.

Appeals

Not applicable.

Renewals

Submit SF-424(A) with SF 424 application to amend the allotment amount or length of commitment; other requirements may be established by the Regional, Area or IITF Office.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Funding for the Cooperative Forest Health Protection program is provided to states to help support a base level of professional forest health expertise for non-federal forest land managers. Grants for this program are allocated to states using a formula that is based on the number of acres of non-federal forest land within the states, other factors, and amount of funding available through annual appropriations; the purpose of this funding is to help support a base level of professional forest health expertise for non-federal forest land managers. Applicant matching for cooperative Forest Health Protection programs and projects that treat specific forest health problems on non-federal lands is required and is usually about 50%. In cases where it is mutually agreed that an applicant will treat Federal lands as part of a cooperative project or program, the Forest Service reimbursement is 100% for the federal portion. However, applicant matching rates may be adjusted in emergency or extraordinary situations. Forest Service cost-share rates for activities involving development of new and improved forest health protection methods and technologies, and the conduct of special projects and evaluations are negotiated on a project-by-project basis with the grantee. The applicant share of cooperative programs may be in the form of cash, services, or in-kind contributions. If a state elects to consolidate the annual Forest Service financial assistance, in lieu of functional cost sharing mechanisms, the total consolidated payment to any state during any fiscal year may not exceed the total amount of non-federal funds expended to implement its state forest resources program during that year. However, the Forest Service may exceed the non-federal amount for specific selected activities under the program as long as the total federal expenditure during any fiscal year does not exceed the total non-federal expenditure during that year under the state forest resources program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Electronic transfers of payments are encouraged.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Periodic and annual accomplishment reports are required.

Audits

Periodic and annual accomplishment reports are required. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," non federal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records

State and other generally accepted accounting systems are permissible, if acceptable to audit and reconciliation. All grantees need to maintain adequate systems for collecting and recording statistical data.

Financial Information

Account Identification

12-1105-0-1-302.

Obigations

(Grants) FY 07 $40,000,000; FY 08 est not available; and FY 09 est not reported.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

$25,000 to $6,000,000. Average: $1,000,000.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

Forest Service Manual- Title 3400 is available in all Forest Service offices, and State Forestry agency offices. OMB Circular Nos. A-102 and A-87, as implemented by 7 CFR Part 3016, are applicable to State and local government grantees.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

Refer to Appendix IV of the Catalog for Regional and Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry offices of the Forest Service and for addresses and telephone numbers of Regional Foresters and Northeastern Area Director of the Forest Service.

Headquarters Office

Deputy Chief, State and Private Forestry, Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 96090, Washington, DC 20090-6090. Telephone: (202) 205-1657.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

All grants and cooperative agreements are approved on the basis of negotiated targets, project objectives to be achieved, and relationship to national and regional forest health issues, priorities, and needs.