Forest Service Appropriations: Five-Year Data and Trends and FY2017 Budget Request

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    Forest Service Appropriations: Five-Year
 Data and Trends and FY2016 Budget Request
Katie Hoover
Analyst in Natural Resources Policy
February 4, 2015

Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
R43417

 Forest Service Appropriations: Five-Year Trends and FY2016 Budget Request

Summary
The Forest Service (FS) is responsible for managing 193 million acres of the National Forest
System, as well as for conducting forestry research and providing assistance to state, local,
private, and international forest owners. Funding to complete such work is provided through both
discretionary and mandatory appropriations.
In FY2015, the FS received $5.53 billion in both discretionary and mandatory appropriations. The
FY2015 discretionary appropriation was $5.06 billion, slightly above the five-year average of
$5.00 billion. FS discretionary appropriations are primarily divided among six main accounts:
Forest and Rangeland Research (FRR); State and Private Forestry (S&PF); National Forest
System (NFS); Capital Improvement and Maintenance (CI&M); Wildland Fire Management
(WFM); and the FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve account established under the Federal
FY2017 Budget Request
    February 17, 2016
            (R43417)
          Jump to Main Text of ReportContentsIntroduction
Forest Service Discretionary Appropriations
Forest Service Mandatory Appropriations
Appropriations Data and Analysis
FY2017 Budget Request
Conclusion

      Figures
      Figure 1. Forest Service Discretionary and Mandatory Appropriations, FY2012-FY2016
Figure 2. Enacted Discretionary Forest Service Appropriations, FY2012-FY2016
Figure 3. Forest Service Requested and Enacted Discretionary Appropriations, FY2012-FY2016
Figure 4. Difference Between Forest Service Requested and Enacted Discretionary Appropriation, by Major Accounts, FY2012-FY2016

    

      Tables
      Table 1. Forest Service Total Appropriations, FY2012-FY2016
Table 2. Forest Service Enacted Discretionary Appropriations, by Account, FY2012-FY2016
Table 3. Forest Service Requested Discretionary Appropriations, FY2012-FY2017, by Account
Table 4. Forest Service Requested and Enacted Discretionary Appropriations, FY2012-FY2016, by Account

    
SummaryThe Forest Service (FS) is responsible for managing 193 million acres of the National Forest System, as well as for conducting forestry research and providing assistance to state, local, private, and international forest owners. Funding to complete such work is provided through both discretionary and mandatory appropriations. 

    For FY2016, the FS received $7.065 billion in discretionary and mandatory appropriations. This figure includes funding provided under a $700 million emergency supplemental appropriation for wildfire suppression activities from FY2015. The FY2016 discretionary appropriation was $6.364 billion, more than $1 billion above the five-year average of $5.334 billion. Much of this increase is due to the wildfire supplemental, as well as additional funds provided for FY2016 wildland fire management activities. FS discretionary appropriations are primarily divided among six main accounts: Forest and Rangeland Research (FRR); State and Private Forestry (S&PF); National Forest System (NFS); Capital Improvement and Maintenance (CI&M); Wildland Fire Management (WFM); and the FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve account established under the Federal Land Assistance, Management, and Enhancement Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-88). The agency then
 allocates the appropriations from these accounts among the nine FS regions, five research
 stations, two service stations and laboratories, and national headquarters. Discretionary
 appropriations averageaccount for an average of 88% of the agency’s total appropriations over the last five years.
's total FY2012-FY2016 appropriations.
    The FS has more than 20 permanent appropriations accounts and 4 trust funds that constitute
are mandatory spending. Together, they account, on average, for about 1312% of total agency
 appropriations. Budget authority for these accounts is provided for in authorizing statutes, and
several are for several of the accounts it is dependent on the level of revenue generated by specific activities on the national
 forests. The FS estimates that FY2015 mandatory spending will be $474.6 million, below the
five-year average of $691.1 million. The decrease is largely due to the expiration of certain
payments made to the counties containing NFS land.
For FY2016FY2016 mandatory spending will be $700.8 million. 
    For FY2017, the Administration is requesting $5.80757 billion in discretionary appropriations for the
FS. However, this figure includes a proposal  FS. The request continues a proposal from FY2015 to change wildfire suppression funding by providing
 access to nearly $1 billion outside of the statutory discretionary limits for emergency purposes.
 Funding for wildfire management activities in general and suppression activities specifically
 accounts for an increasing percentage of agency appropriations. This fact, which may raise questions
 about the amount of resources necessary to adequately address wildland fire management issues
 or about the extent to which wildfire management activities direct agency resources—financial
 and otherwise—away from other FS statutory obligations.

Congressional Research Service

 Forest Service Appropriations: Five-Year Trends and FY2016 Budget Request

Contents
Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 1
Forest Service Discretionary Appropriations ................................................................................... 1
Forest Service Mandatory Appropriations ....................................................................................... 3
Appropriations Data and Analysis ................................................................................................... 4
FY2016 Budget Request ................................................................................................................ 11
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 12

Figures
Figure 1. Forest Service Discretionary and Mandatory Appropriations, FY2011-FY2015 ............. 6
Figure 2. Enacted Discretionary Forest Service Appropriations, FY2011-FY2015 ........................ 7
Figure 3. Forest Service Requested and Enacted Discretionary Appropriations, FY2011FY2015 ......................................................................................................................................... 8
Figure 4. Difference Between Forest Service Requested and Enacted Discretionary
Appropriation, by Major Accounts, FY2011-FY2015 .................................................................. 9

Tables
Table 1. Forest Service Total Appropriations, FY2011-FY2015 ..................................................... 5
Table 2. Forest Service Requested Discretionary Appropriations, FY2011-FY2015,
by Account .................................................................................................................................. 10
Table 3. Forest Service Enacted Discretionary Appropriations, by Account,
FY2011-FY2015 ......................................................................................................................... 11
Table 4. FY2016 Budget Request .................................................................................................. 12
Table 5. Forest Service Requested and Enacted Discretionary Appropriations, FY20112015, by Account ........................................................................................................................ 13

Contacts
Author Contact Information........................................................................................................... 14

Congressional Research Service

 Forest Service Appropriations: Five-Year Trends and FY2016 Budget Request

Introduction

    
  Forest Service Appropriations: Five-Year Data and Trends and FY2017 Budget Request
  
    Introduction
    The Forest Service (FS) is responsible for managing 193 million acres of the National Forest
 System,11 as well as for conducting forestry research and providing assistance to state, local,
 private, and international forest owners. Funding to complete such work is provided through both
 discretionary and mandatory appropriations (see Figure 1). 
    ).
Although it is an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the FS receives its
 discretionary appropriations through Title III of the regular Interior, Environment, and Related
 Agencies appropriations bill.2 The2 In some years, the FS has received additional discretionary monies through
 supplemental appropriations bills. In addition, continuing appropriations resolutions have been
 used to maintain funding for the agency when regular appropriations bills have not been enacted
 before the start of the fiscal year—and in some cases, likesuch as with the FY2015 appropriations measure, to
 provide full-year funding.3
3 
    The FS also receives annual mandatory appropriations under existing authorizing statutes. Laws
 authorizing mandatory appropriations allow the FS to spend money without further action by
 Congress. The budget authority for several of these mandatory spending accounts is dependent on
 revenue generated by activities on the national forests. Typically, these laws are permanent—such
 as the Timber Salvage Sale Fund—but sometimes the authorizations have a sunset date.
 
    This report presents and analyzes the discretionary and mandatory appropriations for the FS—
including the President’s discretionary budget requests— over the last five years, from FY2011 to
FY2015FY2012 to FY2016. It also includes a section on the President’s FY2016's FY2017 budget request.


    Forest Service Discretionary Appropriations

    FS discretionary appropriations—which account for 88% of total agency appropriations on
 average—are primarily divided among six main accounts, described below and listed in the same
 order as they generally appear in appropriations laws. The Wildland Fire Management and
 National Forest System accounts together receive nearly 8085% of total FS discretionary
 appropriations (see Figure 2). FS budget requests and Interior Appropriations Subcommittee
 documents typically allocate monies at the account and subaccount levels, and in some cases,
 among specific programs and activities. Allocations below the account level generally are not
 addressed in this report.
 
    The FS accounts are described briefly below:
•

Forest and Rangeland Research (FRR). The FRR account funds research and
 development efforts to provide scientific information and new technologies to

1

For more information, see CRS Report R43872, National Forest System Management: Overview, Appropriations, and
Issues for Congress
2
For more information, CRS Report R43617, Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies: FY2015 Appropriations.
3
Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (P.L. 113-235). Additional information on the three
types of appropriations measures is contained in CRS Report R42388, The Congressional Appropriations Process: An
Introduction.

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 Forest Service Appropriations: Five-Year Trends and FY2016 Budget Request

 support sustainable forest and rangeland management. Over the last five years,
 this account has averaged approximately 6% of FS discretionary appropriations.
•


    State and Private Forestry (S&PF). The S&PF account funds programs to
 provide financial and technical assistance to nonfederal forest owners and
 managers, and to protect communities and the environment from insects,
 diseases, and invasive plants. S&PF averages approximately 5% of FS
 discretionary appropriations.4

•

4
    National Forest System (NFS). NFS appropriations fund management of the 193
 million acres of national forests and grasslands. This account includes several
 subaccounts, the largest of which is the Forest Products subaccount, which
 generally receives aboutjust over 20% of the NFS appropriation, and funds the Timber
Sale Sales program. The NFS account averaged approximately 3028% of the FS
 discretionary appropriations over the last five years.5

•

5 
    Capital Improvement and Maintenance (CI&M). CI&M activities help the FS
 provide and maintain facilities, roads, trails, and other infrastructure needs. Over
 the last five years, the CI&M account received approximately 87% of FS
 discretionary appropriations.

•


    Land Acquisition (LA). LA activities allow the FS to acquire lands for
 conservation or ownership consolidation purposes. LA activities are funded
 primarily through the Land and Water Conservation Fund. In addition to this LA account, Congress provides appropriations for two smaller land acquisition accounts. These two appropriations—one for special act land acquisitions and one to complete land exchanges—averaged $1.1 million annually over the last five years. For purposes of this report, those appropriations are included in the LA account. In total, LA received total, LA received
approximately 1% of FS discretionary appropriations on average over the last
 five years.

•

 
    Wildland Fire Management (WFM) and FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve
 Fund (FLAME)..6 The WFM account funds activities related to the management of
 unplanned and unwanted fires, including planning for and suppression of
 wildfires. The FLAME account was established under the Federal Land
 Assistance, Management, and Enhancement Act of 2009 for emergency wildfire
 suppression activities.67 While FLAME is a separate account from WFM, for
 purposes of this report, the two accounts are combined. Funding for wildland fire
 management activities is sometimes provided outside of the regular Interior
 appropriations bills when there is a need (e.g., a severe fire season). In this
 report, these emergency or supplemental appropriations will be reflected in the
 WFM account. Together, WFM and FLAME appropriations, along with
 supplemental appropriations, averaged 5054% of the FS discretionary appropriation
 over the last five years.7

•

8 
    Other. In addition to the larger accounts listed above, there are several relatively
small accounts. They provide appropriations for the acquisition of land for

4

For more information, see CRS Report RL31065, Forestry Assistance Programs.
For more information on the National Forest System, see CRS Report R43872, National Forest System Management:
Overview, Appropriations, and Issues for Congress.
6
P.L. 111-88. The Federal Land Assistance, Management, and Enhancement Act (FLAME) also established a separate
account for the Department of the Interior (DOI) to fund wildfire management activities on DOI-managed federal
lands.
7
For information on Wildland Fire Management (WFM) and FLAME funding for the Forest Service (FS) and the DOI,
see CRS Report R43077, Wildfire Management: Federal Funding and Related Statistics.
5

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 Forest Service Appropriations: Five-Year Trends and FY2016 Budget Request

national forest special acts; the acquisition of lands to complete land exchanges;
the  small accounts. They provide appropriations for the range betterment fund; the agency to give or receive gifts, donations, and
 bequests for research; and management of national forest lands for subsistence
 uses. Together, these “other”"other" accounts received less than 10.5% of FS discretionary
 appropriations over the last five years.
The FS allocates the appropriations from these accounts among the nine FS regions, five research
 stations, two service centers and laboratories, and the national headquarters office in Washington,
 DC. For most accounts, once the funds have been allocated to the regions, the money is then
 further allocated to each national forest. Some accounts, however, are managed at a national
 level. For example, the wildfire suppression account is allocated based on need throughout the
 wildfire season. This can make analyzing appropriations by region or by forest challenging.
 Further, FS regions do not follow state boundaries, and many national forests cross state
 boundaries, which can make analyzing FS appropriations by state challenging. This level of detail
 is beyond the scope of this report.

 
    Forest Service Mandatory Appropriations

    The FS has overmore than 20 permanent appropriations accounts and four4 trust funds that constitute
 mandatory spending. Together, they account on average for about 1312% of total agency
 appropriations. Budget authority for these accounts is provided in authorizing laws.89 For several
 of these accounts, the budget authority is dependent on the level of receipts received for specific
 National Forest System activities, and some may even have geographic or programmatic
 expenditure restrictions. For example, the Timber Sales Pipeline Restoration Fund9Fund10 authorizes the
 FS to collect a portion of the revenue from a specific set of national forest timber sales. The
 revenue is available in the FS region where it was generated for preparing future timber sales or
 conducting recreation projects.
 
    Another example of a permanent appropriation is the Payments to States fund, which consists of
 several programs that are partially dependent on receipts. More specifically, the Payments to
 States Act of 190811 authorizes the FS to make payments to states—to be distributed to counties—
based on a percentage of the revenue generated by activities in the national forests within those
 counties. The Payments to States fund also consistedconsists of payments authorized under the Secure
 Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000,1012 which wereare based on a formula
 dependent in part on historical receipts. The authorization for the Secure Rural Schools Act
expired at the end of FY2013, and the last payments were issued in 2014.

8

Forest Service, FY2014 Budget Justification, April 2013, p. 15-1, http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/budget/2014/
FY2014ForestServiceBudgetJustificationFinal041613.pdf.
9
The Timber Sales Pipeline Restoration Fund was established by the Department of Interior and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-134 Title III §327, 110 Stat. 1321-206 and 207).
10
P.L. 106-393, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 7101 et seq. For more information, see CRS Report R41303, Reauthorizing the
Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000.

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 Forest Service Appropriations: Five-Year Trends and FY2016 Budget Request

Appropriations Data and Analysis
 expired at the end of FY2013, but it was reauthorized in April 2015 (P.L. 114-10). The reauthorization provided a makeup payment to be made in FY2015 for the payment missed during the period the program was expired, as well as a payment to be made in FY2016.
    Appropriations Data and Analysis
    Forest Service requested and enacted discretionary appropriations and mandatory appropriations
for the previous five years (FY2011-FY2015) for FY2012 through FY2016 are provided in several figures and tables.
 Specifically,
•

Figure 1 and Table 1 provide Forest ServiceFS total discretionary and mandatory
 appropriations in current and constant dollars;

•


    Figure 2 shows enacted discretionary appropriations by WFM, NFS, and all
 other FS accounts in current and constant dollars;

•


    Figure 3 and Table 54 (at the end of the report) provide side-by-side comparisons
of Forest Service of FS discretionary budget requests and discretionary appropriations;

•

 
    Figure 4 shows the difference between requested and enacted discretionary
 appropriations by WFM, NFS, and all other FS accounts;

•


    Table 2 contains enacted FS discretionary appropriations contains Forest Service discretionary budget requests, listed by account,
 with five-year change in current and constant dollars; and

•


    Table 3 contains FS discretionary budget requests, listed by account.In FY2016 contains enacted Forest Service discretionary appropriations, listed by
account, with five-year change in current and constant dollars.

In FY2015, total FS enacted appropriations (discretionary and mandatory) were $5.537.065 billion, 1%
25% higher than the FY2011FY2012 total appropriation of $5.45655 billion (in current dollars, see Table 1 and Figure 1). When adjusted for inflation, total FS appropriations have increased by 17% since FY2012. The FY2016 level was also higher than the five-year average total appropriation of $6.089 billion and is the largest appropriation over the five-year period. The FY2012 appropriation of $5.655 billion in FY2012 was the smallest appropriation over the same period. After FY2012). This level
was, however, below the five-year average total appropriation of $5.69 billion. Over the five-year
period, total appropriations ranged from a low of $5.45 billion in FY2011 to a high of $6.23
billion in FY2014. After FY2011, total FS appropriations increased annually for three years until
decreasing in FY2015.11 When adjusted for inflation, total FS appropriations have decreased by
3% since FY2011.two years, decreased in FY2015, and then increased in FY2016.13 On average over the five-year period, FS mandatory spending constituted
 about 1312% of total FS appropriations, or about $691.1755.0 million (see Table 1). In FY2015, FS
FY2016, FS estimates its mandatory spending will be approximately $474.6 million, well below the average.12
The decrease is largely due to the expiration of the Secure Rural Schools payments.13
From FY2011 to FY2015700.8 million.14 
    From FY2012 to FY2016, FS discretionary appropriations increased 732%, from $4.69834 billion in
FY2011 to $5.06 FY2012 to $6.364 billion in FY2015FY2016 (in current dollars; see Table 1, , Table 32, and Figure 2). ).
Within the five-year period, however, appropriations have been variable. Appropriations
 increased after FY2011 for threeFY2012 for two consecutive years until decreasing in FY2015 and then increasing by more than $1 billion in FY2016. Over the five . Over the five
years, FS discretionary appropriations have averaged $5.00334 billion in current dollars, ranging
from a low of $4.69 billion in FY2011 to a peak of $5.48 billion in FY2014. All but two of the
. All but two of the accounts decreased over this period, although not equally. For example, CI&M appropriations
 had the largest decline—259% since FY2011—whereas NFS appropriations decreased at a slower
11

Total agency spending increased in FY2013 over FY2012, despite the sequestration of budget authority as specified
by Section 302 of the Budget Control Act (P.L. 112-25, as amended by P.L. 112-240). See CRS Report R42972,
Sequestration as a Budget Enforcement Process: Frequently Asked Questions. FS sequestered budget authority was
offset by emergency supplemental funds for wildland fire management, although individual accounts were reduced as
specified.
12
Forest Service, FY2016 Budget Overview, http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/budget/.
13
For more information, see CRS Report R41303, Reauthorizing the Secure Rural Schools and Community SelfDetermination Act of 2000.

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 Forest Service Appropriations: Five-Year Trends and FY2016 Budget Request

FY2012—whereas NFS appropriations decreased at a slower rate of 3% over that same time period. In contrast, total WFM appropriations have increased by 28%.14
71% since FY2012.15 When adjusted for inflation to 20112015 dollars, FS total discretionary appropriations have increased
 by 324% since FY2011FY2012 (see Table 1, , Table 32, and Figure 2).
    In FY2016).
In FY2015, the FS requested $5.71797 billion in discretionary appropriations (see Table 2), 63), 26% more
 than the FY2011FY2012 request in current dollars. When adjusted to constant dollars, however, the
the overall FS budget request for FY2016 was 18was 1% more than the FY2011FY2012 request. Although total budget requests
 appear to have kept pace withexceeded the pace of inflation, there are some variances at the account level.15 (See
“FY2016 Budget Request.”)
16 The "FY2017 Budget Request" section contains more information on the agency's budget requests.
    The distribution of FS discretionary appropriations among the WFM accountaccounts, the NFS account,
 and the total of the remaining accounts is provided in Figure 2. The WFM appropriation has a
 five-year average of $2.52892 billion in current dollars, ranging from a low of $2.06290 billion in
FY2011 FY2012 to a peakhigh of $3.08909 billion in FY2014. On average, the WFM account received 50% of the
FY2016. The FY2016 WFM appropriation is the largest appropriation going back to at least FY2004. On average over the last five years, the WFM accounts have received 54% of the total FS discretionary appropriation and accounted for 52. They account for 61% of FS discretionary appropriations in
FY2015 FY2016. The next-largest account, NFS, received on average $1.51502 billion, or 3028% of the total FS
 discretionary appropriation. The FY2013 NFS appropriation of $1.45455 billion included postsequesterpost-sequester reductions. The FY2015FY2016 appropriation of $1.49509 billion (3024% of FS discretionary
 appropriations) is a slight decreaseincrease from the FY2014FY2015 appropriation of $1.50494 billion.

    
      
        Table 1. Forest Service Total Appropriations, FY2011-FY2015
(dollars in millions)

Discretionary
Mandatorya
TOTAL

5-year
Average

5-year
Change

5-year
Change

Current
Dollars

Current
Dollars
(% Change)

Constant
2011 Dollars
(% Change)

FY2011

FY2012

FY2013

FY2014

FY2015

4,685.0

4,834.3

4,924.7

5,479.6

5,056.2

4,996.0

371.2 (7%)

124.8 (3%)

761.9

820.7

762.5

635.7

474.6

691.1

-287.3 (-38%)

-310.4 (-41%)

5,446.9

5,654.9

5,687.2

6,115.4

5,530.8

5,687.0

83.9 (1%)

-185.6 (-3%)

Source: Discretionary figures in this table were derived from detailed funding tables prepared by the House
Committee on Appropriations. Mandatory figures were derived from the annual Forest Service Budget
Justifications. Current dollars were adjusted to constant 2011 dollars using the gross domestic product (GDP)
price deflator published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis in National Income and Product Accounts Table
1.1.9. An index for 2013 also was used for the FY2014 and FY2015 constant dollar computations, as neither a
2014 or 2015 index was available.
a.

FY2015 mandatory appropriations are estimates and will be updated when final figures become available.
Forest Service, FY2016FY2012-FY2016
        (dollars in millions)
FY2012
FY2013
FY2014
FY2015
FY2016
5-Year Average
Current Dollars
5-Year Change

            Current Dollars(% Change)
          
          
            5-Year Change

            Constant 2015 Dollars(% Change)
          
        
        
          
            Discretionary
4,834.3
4,936.7
5,479.6
5,056.2

          
          
            6,364.3a5,334.2
1,530.1 (32%)
1,196.1 (24%)

          
        
        
          
            Mandatoryb820.7
762.5
635.7
855.4
700.8
755.0
-119.9 (-15%)
-170.6 (-20%)
TOTAL
5,654.9
5,699.2
6,115.4
5,911.7
7,065.1
6,089.3
1,410.2 (25%)
1,025.5 (17%)
Source: Discretionary figures in this table were derived from detailed funding tables prepared by the House Committee on Appropriations. Mandatory figures were derived from the annual Forest Service Budget Justifications. Current dollars were adjusted to constant 2015 dollars using the gross domestic product (GDP) Chained Price Index listed in table 10.1 published by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) at https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Historicals.
        a.

    The FY2016 discretionary enacted figure includes $700 million in emergency wildfire suppression funds that were appropriated to the Forest Service in P.L. 114-53. 
        b.

    FY2016 mandatory appropriations are estimates and will be updated when final figures become available. Forest Service, FY2017 Budget Overview, at http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/budget/. 
      
    
    
      
        Table 2. Forest Service Enacted Discretionary Appropriations, by Account, FY2012-FY2016
        (dollars in millions)
Accounts
FY2012

          
          
            FY2013aFY2014
FY2015
FY2016
5-Year Average
Current Dollars
5-Year Change

            Current Dollars(% Change)
          
          
            5-Year Change

            Constant 2015 Dollarsb(% Change)
          
        
        
          
            FRR
295.3
279.9
292.8
296.0
291.0
291.0
-4.3 (-1%)
-23.2 (-7%)
S&PF
252.9
239.7
230.0
232.7
237.0
238.5
-15.9 (-6%)
-32.0 (-12%)
NFS
1,554.1
1,455.3
1,496.3
1,494.3
1,509.4
1,501.9
-44.8 (-3%)
-143.8 (-9%)
CI&M
382.1

          
          
            358.5c333.0
343.4
348.2
353.0
-33.9 (-9%)
-57.9 (-14%)
LA
53.7
50.7
44.7
48.7
64.6
52.5
10.9 (20%)
7.3 (13%)

          
        
        
          
            WFMd2,290.2
2,547.8
3,077.3
2,636.4
3,909.3
2,892.2
1,619.1 (71%)
1,446.9 (60%)
Other
5.9
4.9
5.5
4.9
4.9
5.2
-1.0 (-17%)
-1.4 (-22%)
Total 
4,834.3
4,936.7
5,479.6
5,056.2
6,364.3
5,334.2
1,530.1 (32%)
1,196.1 (24%) 
% Wildfire
47%
52%
56%
52%
61%
54%
—
—
% Non-Wildfire
53%
48%
44%
48%
39%
46%
—
—
Source: Information in this table is derived from detailed funding tables prepared by the House Committee on Appropriations.
Notes: Figures in columns may not sum to totals indicated due to rounding. Figures generally reflect supplemental appropriations and rescissions, but do not reflect scorekeeping adjustments. The account abbreviations are: FRR = Forest and Rangeland Research; S&PF = State and Private Forestry; NFS = National Forest System; CI&M = Capital Improvement and Maintenance; LA = Land Acquisition; and WFM = Wildland Fire Management. 
        a.

    FY2013 enacted figures reflect post-sequester appropriations. 
        b.

    Current dollars adjusted to constant 2015 dollars using the GDP Chained Price Index listed in table 10.1 published by OMB at https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Historicals.
        c.

    This figure includes $4.2 million for CI&M enacted by P.L. 113-2, Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013, which was not reflected in the detailed funding tables. 
        d.

    This includes appropriations to the FS WFM and FLAME wildfire suppression reserve fund accounts, as well as any supplemental or emergency funds provided for wildland fire purposes, including, for example, the $700 million provided as emergency funding for wildfire suppression in the FY2016 Continuing Resolution (P.L. 114-53). For total WFM appropriations, including DOI, see CRS Report R44082, Wildfire Spending: Background, Issues, and Legislation in the 114th Congress and CRS Report R43077, Wildfire Management: Federal Funding and Related Statistics, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed].
      
    
    
      

        
          
            Figure 1. Forest Service Discretionary and Mandatory Appropriations, FY2012-FY2016
            (current and 2015 constant dollars, in billions)
Source: CRS. Data compiled from detailed funding tables prepared by the House Committee on Appropriations.
Notes: Data shown in columns are presented in current dollars; line reflects total Forest Service appropriations adjusted to 2015 constant dollars. Current dollars adjusted to constant 2015 dollars using the GDP Chained Price Index listed in table 10.1 published by OMB at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Historicals. 
          
        
      
    
    
      

        
          
            Figure 2. Enacted Discretionary Forest Service Appropriations, FY2012-FY2016
            (current and 2015 constant dollars, in billions)
Source: CRS. Data compiled from detailed funding tables prepared by the House Committee on Appropriations.
Notes: Data shown in columns presented in current dollars; line reflects total Forest Service discretionary appropriations adjusted to 2015 constant dollars. Current dollars adjusted to constant 2015 dollars using the GDP Chained Price Index listed in table 10.1 published by OMB at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Historicals. 
          
        
      
    
    
      

        
          
            Figure 3. Forest Service Requested and Enacted Discretionary Appropriations, FY2012-FY2016
            (current dollars in billions)
Source: CRS. Data compiled from detailed funding tables prepared by the House Committee on Appropriations and annual Forest Service budget justifications.
Requested and Enacted Appropriations Comparisons
    The difference between the Administration's requested appropriations and the enacted appropriations for a fiscal year may reflect many factors, including differing Administration and congressional priorities and budgetary directives; supplemental appropriations enacted to address emergency wildfire suppression needs; or account restructuring. Total enacted appropriations for the FS exceeded the amount requested four out of the last five years: in FY2012, FY2013, FY2014, and FY2016. However, enacted appropriations were less than the amount the FS requested in FY2015 (see Table 4 and Figure 3). At the account level, however, budget/.

14

Appropriations for land acquisition also increased from FY2011 to FY2015 by 44%. However, this trend appears
because the FY2011 appropriation for land acquisition ($32.9 million) was a significant decrease from the FY2010
appropriation ($63.5 million). The appropriation increased in subsequent years.
15
Current dollars were adjusted to constant 2013 dollars using the gross domestic product price deflator published by
the Bureau of Economic Analysis in National Income and Product Accounts Table 1.1.9, at http://www.bea.gov/iTable/
iTable.cfm?ReqID=9&step=1#reqid=9&step=3&isuri=1&903=13.

Congressional Research Service

5

 Forest Service Appropriations: Five-Year Trends and FY2016 Budget Request

Figure 1. Forest Service Discretionary and Mandatory Appropriations,
FY2011-FY2015
(current and 2011 constant dollars, in billions)

Source: CRS. Data compiled from detailed funding tables prepared by the House Committee on
Appropriations.
Notes: Data shown in columns are presented in current dollars, whereas the line reflects total Forest Service
appropriations adjusted to 2011 constant dollars. Current dollars were adjusted to constant 2011 dollars using
the GDP price deflator published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis in National Income and Product Accounts
Table 1.1.9, available at http://www.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?ReqID=9&step=1#reqid=9&step=3&isuri=1&903=
13. An index for 2013 also was used for FY2014 and FY2015 constant dollar computations, as neither a 2014 or
2015 index was available.

Congressional Research Service

6

 Forest Service Appropriations: Five-Year Trends and FY2016 Budget Request

Figure 2. Enacted Discretionary Forest Service Appropriations, FY2011-FY2015
(current and constant dollars, in billions)

Source: CRS. Data compiled from detailed funding tables prepared by the House Committee on
Appropriations.
Notes: Data shown in columns are presented in current dollars, while the line reflects total Forest Service
discretionary appropriations adjusted to 2013 constant dollars. Current dollars were adjusted to constant 2011
dollars using the GDP price deflator published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis in National Income and
Product Accounts Table 1.1.9. An index for 2013 also was used for the FY2014 and FY2015 constant dollar
computations, as neither a 2014 nor 2015 index was available. WFM data include regular and supplemental
appropriations to the WFM account as well as appropriations to the FLAME reserve account.

Congressional Research Service

7

 Forest Service Appropriations: Five-Year Trends and FY2016 Budget Request

Figure 3. Forest Service Requested and Enacted Discretionary Appropriations,
FY2011-FY2015
(current dollars in billions)

Source: CRS. Data compiled from detailed funding tables prepared by the House Committee on Appropriations
and annual Forest Service budget justifications.

Requested and Enacted Appropriations Comparisons
The difference between the Administration’s requested appropriations and the enacted
appropriations for a fiscal year likely reflects many factors, including differing Administration
and congressional priorities and budgetary directives. Differences also may be due to
supplemental appropriations enacted to address emergency wildfire suppression needs or to
account restructuring. Total enacted appropriations for the FS exceeded the amount requested in
FY2012, FY2013, and FY2014. However, in FY2011 and FY2015, enacted appropriations were
less than the amount the FS requested (see Table 5 and Figure 3). At the account level, however,
the trend was more variable (Figure 4). For example, the enacted appropriation was less than the
 amount requested for the NFS account for all five years, and for all other FS accounts combined for three out for four out
of the five years, but that trend was not observed for WFM. The varied differences between the
 enacted and requested appropriations for WFM may be attributable to the enactment of
 supplemental appropriations (e.g., $700 million in FY2016 and $600 million in FY2014) or to account restructuring proposals
(e.g., in FY2015).

Congressional Research Service

8

 Forest Service Appropriations: Five-Year Trends and FY2016 Budget Request

 (e.g., in FY2015 and FY2016).
    
      
Figure 4. Difference Between Forest Service Requested and Enacted Discretionary
 Appropriation, by Major Accounts, FY2011-FY2015
FY2012-FY2016
            (dollars in millions)


          
        
        
          
        
        
          
            Source: CRS.
 
            Notes: When the column extends above the $0 horizontal axis, the enacted appropriation was greater than the
 requested amount. When the column extends below the $0 horizontal axis, the enacted appropriation was less
 than the requested amount. WFM data include regular and any type of supplemental appropriation to the WFM
 account as well as appropriations to the FLAME reserve account.

Congressional Research Service

9

 Forest Service Appropriations: Five-Year Trends and FY2016 Budget Request

Table 2. Forest Service Requested Discretionary Appropriations, FY2011-FY2015,
by Account
(dollars in millions)

Accounts

5-year
Average

5-year
Change

5-year
Change

Current
Dollars

Current
Dollars
(% Change)

Constant
2011 Dollarsa
(% Change)

FY2011

FY2012

FY2013

FY2014

FY2015

FRR

304.4

295.8

292.8

310.2

275.3

295.7

-29.0 (-10%)

-41.4 (-13%)

S&PF

321.6

341.6

250.7

240.0

229.5

576.7

-92.1 (-29%)

-88.0 (-27%)

1,585.7

1,704.5

1,623.6

1,556.7

1,640.5

1,662.2

54.8 (3%)

52.3 (3%)

438.4

337.9

334.4

310.8

288.3

342.0

-150.1 (-34%)

-143.4 (-24%)

73.7

90.0

57.9

58.0

51.0

66.1

-22.7 (-31%)

-21.6 (-72%)

WFMb

2,645.4

1,830.9

2,286.4

2,361.7

3,219.1

2,468.7

1,146.8 (55%)

548.0 (20%)

Other

7.6

4.5

3.6

4.2

3.5

4,7

-4.0 (-53%)

-4.3 (-55%)

5,376.6

4,605.2c

4,849.4

4,841.5

5,707.2

5,076.0

-385.2 (-7%)

52.5 (1%)

% Wildfire

49.2%

37.1%

47.1%

48.8%

56.4%

48.6%

na

na

% Non-Wildfire

50.8%

56.2%

52.9%

51.2%

43.6%

51.4%

na

na

NFS
CI&M
LA

Total

Source: Information in this table is derived from detailed funding tables prepared by the House Committee on
Appropriations.
Notes: Figures in columns may not result in totals indicated due to rounding. Figures generally reflect the
Administration’s initial budget submissions to Congress and do not include any subsequent adjustments to the
request. The account abbreviations are: FRR=Forest and Rangeland Research; S&PF=State and Private Forestry;
NFS=National Forest System; CI&M=Capital Improvement and Maintenance; LA=Land Acquisition,
WFM=Wildland Fire Management and FLAME; Other = appropriations for the acquisition of land for national
forest special acts, appropriations for the acquisition of lands to complete land exchanges, appropriations to the
range betterment fund, appropriations for gifts, donations and bequests for research, and appropriations for the
management of national forest lands for subsistence uses.
a.

Current dollars were adjusted to constant 2011 dollars using the GDP price deflator published by the
Bureau of Economic Analysis in National Income and Product Accounts Table 1.1.9, available at
http://www.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?ReqID=9&step=1#reqid=9&step=3&isuri=1&903=13. An index for
2013 was also used for FY2014 and FY2015 constant dollar computations, as an index for either year was
not yet available.

b.

For FY2011-FY2014, this figure includes the requested appropriations for the FS WFM account and FS
FLAME wildfire suppression reserve account. In FY2015, FS proposed a new funding mechanism for wildfire
suppression activities, which included eliminating the FLAME reserve account. Therefore, FS did not request
an appropriation to the FLAME reserve account in FY2015. However, FS requested up to $954.0 million to
be available in FY2015 upon request for emergency suppression operations, which is included here in
addition to the $2.27 billion requested for the WFM account. This is discussed in more detail in the
“FY2016 Budget Request” section. For total WFM and FLAME appropriations, including DOI appropriations,

          
        
      
    
    FY2017 Budget Request
    For FY2017, the Administration is requesting $5.757 billion in discretionary appropriations for the FS (see Table 3). The FY2017 request is $40.0 million below the FY2016 request and $606.9 million below the FY2016 enacted discretionary appropriation.
    Starting in FY2015 and continuing in FY2017, the FS has proposed a new funding mechanism for wildfire suppression activities, which included eliminating the FLAME reserve account. Therefore, the FS did not request an appropriation to the FLAME reserve account. For FY2017, the FS is requesting $2.451 billion for WFM. In addition, it is requesting up to $864.1 million to be available in FY2017 upon request for emergency suppression operations (for a total of $3.315 billion). As part of the proposal, any funds for emergency suppression operations up to the maximum $864.1 million would be provided as an adjustment to the statutory discretionary limits established in the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.17 Similar legislative proposals have been introduced in the 114th Congress (H.R. 167 and S. 235).18

    Conclusion
    Overall agency appropriations for the FS increased in FY2016 after decreasing in FY2015. However, funds provided for wildfire management (supplemental and regular appropriations) are responsible for much of the observed differences. Funding for many of the other FS accounts has decreased. Furthermore, funding for wildfire management activities accounts for an increasing percentage of agency appropriations, which may raise questions about the amount of funding necessary to adequately address wildland fire management issues or about the extent to which wildfire management activities direct agency resources—financial and otherwise—away from other FS statutory obligations. 

    
      
        Table 3. Forest Service Requested Discretionary Appropriations, FY2012-FY2017, by Account 
        (dollars in millions)
Accounts
FY2012
FY2013
FY2014
FY2015
FY2016
FY2017
FRR
295.8
292.8
310.2
275.3
292.0
292.0
S&PF
341.6
250.7
240.0
229.5
236.6
234.0
NFS
1,704.5
1,623.6
1,556.7
1,640.5
1,648.3
1,501.0
CI&M
337.9
334.4
310.8
288.3
341.9
343.3
LA
90.0
59.1
59.1
52.2
65.2
66.8

          
        
        
          
            WFMa1,830.9
2,286.4
2,361.7
3,219.1
3,208.6
3,315.5
Other
4.5
2.4
3.0
2.4
4.8
4.8
Total
4,605.2
4,849.4
4,841.5
5,707.2
5,797.4
5,757.4
% Wildfire
39.8%
47%
49%
56%
55%
58%
% Non-Wildfire
60.2%
53%
51%
44%
45%
42%
Source: Information in this table is derived from detailed funding tables prepared by the House Committee on Appropriations and Forest Service, FY2017 Budget Justification, http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/budget/.
        Notes: Figures in columns may not sum to totals indicated due to rounding. Figures generally reflect the Administration's initial budget submissions to Congress and do not include any subsequent adjustments to the request. The account abbreviations are as follows: FRR = Forest and Rangeland Research; S&PF = State and Private Forestry; NFS = National Forest System; CI&M = Capital Improvement and Maintenance; LA = Land Acquisition; and WFM = Wildland Fire Management and FLAME.

        a.

    For FY2012-FY2014, this figure includes the requested appropriations for the FS WFM account and FS FLAME wildfire suppression reserve account. Starting in FY2015, this figure reflects the WFM request plus the requested adjustment. For information on the proposal, see Forest Service, FY2017 Budget Justification, p. 267, http://www.fs.fed.us/about-agency/budget-performance. For total WFM and FLAME appropriations, including DOI appropriations, see CRS Report R43077, Wildfire Management: Federal Funding and Related Statistics, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed]. 
      
    
    
    
      
        Table 4. Forest Service Requested and Enacted Discretionary Appropriations, FY2012-FY2016, by Account
        (dollars in millions)
Accounts
FY2012

          
          
            FY2013aFY2014
FY2015
FY2016
Requested
Enacted
Requested
Enacted
Requested
Enacted
Requested
Enacted
Requested
Enacted
FRR
295.8
295.3
292.8
279.9
310.2
292.8
275.3
296.0
292.0
291.0
S&PF
341.6
252.9
250.7
239.7
240.0
230.0
229.5
232.7
236.6
237.0
NFS
1,704.5
1,554.1
1,623.6
1,455.3
1,556.7
1,496.3
1,640.5
1,494.3
1,648.3
1,509.4
CI&M
337.9
382.1
334.4

          
          
            358.5b310.8
333.0
288.3
343.4
341.9
348.2
LA
91.2
53.7
59.1
50.7
59.1
44.7
52.2
48.7
65.2
64.6

          
        
        
          
            WFMc1,830.9
2,290.2
2,286.4
2,547.7
2,361.7
3,077.3
3,219.1
2,636.4
3,208.6
3,086.3
Other
3.3
5.9
2.4
4.9
3.0
5.5
2.4
4.9
4.8
4.9
Total
4,605.2d4,834.3
4,849.4
4,936.7
4,841.5
5,479.6
5,707.2
5,056.2
5,797.4
6,364.3
Difference 
229.1
87.3
638.1
-651.0
566.9
Source: Information in this table is derived from detailed funding tables prepared by the House Committee on Appropriations.
Notes: The difference was calculated by subtracting the requested from the enacted appropriation (therefore, a negative number in this row would indicate that the enacted amount was less than the requested amount for that fiscal year). Figures in columns may not result in totals indicated due to rounding. Figures generally reflect Wildfire Management: Federal Funding and Related Statisticshttp://www.crs.gov/pages/
Reports.aspx?PRODCODE=R43077.

c.

This total does not include $328.0 million requested for the Payments to Communities program as a new
proposed discretionary account, which was reauthorized as mandatory spending. Including the $328.0
million, the total requested amount was $4,933.2 million. For more information on the program, see CRS
Report R41303, Reauthorizing the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000.

Congressional Research Service

10

 Forest Service Appropriations: Five-Year Trends and FY2016 Budget Request

Table 3. Forest Service Enacted Discretionary Appropriations, by Account,
FY2011-FY2015
(dollars in millions)

Accounts

5-year
Change

Current
Dollars

Current
Dollars
(% Change)

Constant
2011 Dollarsb
(% Change)

FY2012

FY2013a

FRR

306.6

295.3

279.9

292.8

296.0

294.1

-10.6 (-3%)

-25.1 (-8%)

S&PF

277.6

252.9

239.7

230.0

232.7

246.6

-44.9(-16%)

-56.3 (-20%)

1,542.2

1,554.1

1,455.3

1,496.3

1,494.3

1,508.5

-47.9 (-3%)

-120.7 (-8%)

459.6

382.1

346.5c

333.0

343.4

372.9

-116.3 (-25%)

-133.0 (-29%)

32.9

52.5

49.8

43.5

47.5

45.3

14.6 (44%)

12.3 (37%)

WFMd

2,058.5

2,290.2

2,547.8

3,077.3

2,636.4

2,522.0

577.9 (28%)

449.4 (22%)

Other

7.5

7.1

5.8

6.7

6.0

6.6

-1.5 (-20%)

-1.8 (-24%)

4,685.0

4,834.3

4,924.7

5,479.6

5,056.2

4,996.0

371.2 (7%)

124.8 (3%)

% Wildfire

44%

45%

52%

56%

52%

50%

na

na

% Non-Wildfire

56%

55%

48%

44%

48%

50%

na

na

CI&M
LA

Total

FY2015

5-year
Change

FY2011

NFS

FY2014

5-year
Average

Source: Information in this table is derived from detailed funding tables prepared by the House Committee on
Appropriations.
Notes: Figures in columns may not result in totals indicated due to rounding. Figures generally reflect
supplemental appropriations and rescissions, but do not reflect scorekeeping adjustments. The account
 abbreviations are: FRR= as follows: FRR = Forest and Rangeland Research; S&PF= = State and Private Forestry; NFS= = National Forest
 System; CI&M=Capital Improvement and Maintenance; LA=Land Acquisition, WFM=Wildland Fire Management;
Other = appropriations for the acquisition of land for national forest special acts, appropriations for the
acquisition of lands to complete land exchanges, appropriations to the range betterment fund, appropriations for
gifts, donations and bequests for research, and appropriations for the management of national forest lands for
subsistence uses.
a.

FY2013 enacted figures reflect post-sequester appropriations.

b.

Current dollars were adjusted to constant 2011 dollars using the GDP price deflator published by the
Bureau of Economic Analysis in National Income and Product Accounts Table 1.1.9, available at
http://www.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?ReqID=9&step=1#reqid=9&step=3&isuri=1&903=13. An index for
2013 was also used for FY2014 and FY2015 constant dollar computations, as an index for either year was
not yet available.

c.

 = Capital Improvement and Maintenance; LA = Land Acquisition; and WFM = Wildland Fire Management. 
        a.

    FY2013 enacted figures reflect post-sequester appropriations. 
        b.

    This figure includes $4.2 million for CI&M enacted by P.L. 113-2, Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013,
 which was not reflected in the detailed funding tables.

d.

This includes FS WFM appropriations and
        c.

    This includes FS WFM appropriations; emergency, supplemental, or additional appropriations enacted for wildland fire management purposes; and appropriations for the FS FLAME wildfire suppression reserve fund account. For total
 WFM appropriations, including DOI, see CRS Report R43077, R44082, Wildfire Management: Federal Funding and
Related Statistics.

FY2016 Budget Request
For FY2016, the Administration is requesting $5.80 billion in discretionary appropriations for the
FS (see Table 4). The FY2016 request is $90.2 million above the FY2015 request and $741.1
million above the FY2015 enacted discretionary appropriation.

Congressional Research Service

11

 Forest Service Appropriations: Five-Year Trends and FY2016 Budget Request

In FY2015 and again in FY2016, FS proposed a new funding mechanism for wildfire suppression
activities, which included eliminating the FLAME reserve account. Therefore, FS did not request
an appropriation to the FLAME reserve account either year. For FY2016, FS is requesting $2.35
billion for WFM. In addition, it is requesting up to $854.6 million to be available in FY2016 upon
request for emergency suppression operations (for a total of $3.21 billion). As part of the
proposal, any funds for emergency suppression operations up to the maximum $854.6 million
would be provided as an adjustment to the statutory discretionary limits established in the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.16 Similar legislative proposals
have been introduced in the 114th Congress (H.R. 167 and S. 235).
Table 4. FY2016 Budget Request
(dollars in millions)
Accounts

FY2016

FRR

292.0

S&PF

236.6

NFS
CI&M
LA

1,648.3
341.9
65.2

WFMa

3,208.6

Other

4.8

Total

5,797.4

% Wildfire

55%

% Non-Wildfire

44%

Source: Forest Service, FY2016 Budget Justification, http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/budget/.
a.

The figure in the table reflects the WFM request plus the requested adjustment. For information on the
proposal, see Forest Service, FY2016 Budget Justification, p. 251, http://www.fs.fed.us/about-agency/budgetperformance.

Conclusion
In terms of overall agency funding, FS appropriations decreased in FY2015 after increasing three
years in a row. However, emergency or supplemental funds provided for wildfire management
(e.g., suppression) are responsible for much of the observed differences, particularly in FY2014,
when the FS received an additional $600 million appropriation for wildland fire management.17
Funding for many of the other FS accounts has decreased. Further, funding for wildfire
management activities is accounting for an increasing percentage of agency appropriations. This
may raise questions about the amount of resources necessary to adequately address wildland fire
management issues or about the extent to which wildfire management activities direct agency
resources—financial and otherwise—away from other FS statutory obligations.
16

P.L. 99-177, Title II, 2 U.S.C. 900-922, as amended by the Budget Control Act of 2011. More information on the
proposal is available as a CRS congressional distribution memorandum upon request.
17
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014 (P.L. 113-46).

Congressional Research Service

12

 Table 5. Forest Service Requested and Enacted Discretionary Appropriations, FY2011-2015, by Account
(dollars in millions)
Accounts

FY2011
Requested

FY2012

Enacted

Requested

FY2013a

Enacted

Requested

FY2014

Enacted

Requested

FY2015

Enacted

Requested

Enacted

FRR

304.4

306.6

295.8

295.3

292.8

279.9

310.2

292.8

275.3

296.0

S&PF

321.6

277.6

341.6

252.9

250.7

239.7

240.0

230.0

229.5

232.7

NFS

1,585.7

1,542.2

1,704.5

1,554.1

1,623.6

1,455.3

1,556.7

1,496.3

1,640.5

1,494.3

CI&M

438.4

459.6

337.9

382.1

334.4

346.5b

310.8

333.0

288.3

343.4

LA

73.7

32.9

90.0

52.5

57.9

49.8

58.0

43.5

51.0

47.5

WFMc

2,645.4

2,058.5

1,830.9

2,050.2

2,286.4

2,547.7

2,361.7

3,077.3

3,219.1

2,636.4

Other

7.6

7.5

4.5

7.1

3.6

5.8

4.2

6.7

3.5

6.0

Total

5,376.6

4,685.0

4,605.2d

4,594.3

4,849.4

4,924.7

4,841.5

5,479.6

5,707.2

5,056.2

Difference

-691.6

-11.0

75.3

-651.0

Source: Information in this table is derived from detailed funding tables prepared by the House Committee on Appropriations.
Notes: The difference was calculated by subtracting the requested from the enacted appropriation. Figures in columns may not result in totals indicated due to rounding.
Figures generally reflect supplemental appropriations and rescissions, but do not reflect scorekeeping adjustments. The account abbreviations are: FRR=Forest and
Rangeland Research; S&PF=State and Private Forestry; NFS=National Forest System; CI&M=Capital Improvement and Maintenance; LA=Land Acquisition,
WFM=Wildland Fire Management; Other = appropriations for the acquisition of land for National Forest Special Acts, appropriations for the acquisition of lands to
complete land exchanges, appropriations to the range betterment fund, appropriations for gifts, donations and bequests for research, and appropriations for the
management of national forest lands for subsistence uses.
a.

FY2013 enacted figures reflect post-sequester appropriations.

b.

This figure includes $4.2 million for CI&M enacted by P.L. 113-2, Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013, which was not reflected in the detailed funding tables.

c.

This includes FS WFM appropriations; emergency, supplemental, or additional appropriations enacted for wildland fire management purposes; and appropriations for
the FS FLAME wildfire suppression reserve fund account. For total WFM appropriations, including DOI, see CRS Report R43077, Wildfire Management: Federal
Funding and Related Statistics.

d.

This total does not include $328.0 million requested for the Payments to Communities program as a new proposed discretionary account, which was reauthorized
as mandatory spending. Including the $328.0 million, the total requested amount was $4,933.2 million, and the difference between the enacted and requested
appropriation was $339.0 million.

CRS-13

 Forest Service Appropriations: Five-Year Trends and FY2016 Budget Request

Author Contact Information
Katie Hoover
Analyst in Natural Resources Policy
khoover@crs.loc.gov, 7-9008

Congressional Research Service

14

 Spending: Background, Issues, and Legislation in the 114th Congress, by [author name scrubbed] et al., and CRS Report R43077, Wildfire Management: Federal Funding and Related Statistics, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed]. 
        d.

    This total does not include $328.0 million requested for the Payments to Communities program as a new proposed discretionary account, which was reauthorized as mandatory spending. Including the $328.0 million, the total requested amount was $4,933.2 million, and the difference between the enacted and requested appropriation was $339.0 million. 
      
    
    
    
  
  
    Author Contact Information
[author name scrubbed], Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
        ([email address scrubbed], [phone number scrubbed])
      
Footnotes1.
            
        
           For more information, see CRS Report R43872, National Forest System Management: Overview, Appropriations, and Issues for Congress, by [author name scrubbed].
2.
            
        
           For more information, see CRS Report R44061, Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies: FY2016 Appropriations, by [author name scrubbed].
3.
            
        
           Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (P.L. 113-235). Additional information on the three types of appropriations measures is contained in CRS Report R42388, The Congressional Appropriations Process: An Introduction, by [author name scrubbed].
4.
            
        
           For more information, see CRS Report RL31065, Forestry Assistance Programs, by [author name scrubbed].
5.
            
        
           For more information on the National Forest System, see CRS Report R43872, National Forest System Management: Overview, Appropriations, and Issues for Congress, by [author name scrubbed].
6.
            
        
           For more information, see CRS Report R44082, Wildfire Spending: Background, Issues, and Legislation in the 114th Congress, by [author name scrubbed] et al. 
7.
            
        
           P.L. 111-88. The Federal Land Assistance, Management, and Enhancement Act (FLAME) also established a separate account for the Department of the Interior (DOI) to fund wildfire management activities on DOI-managed federal lands. 
8.
            
        
           For information on WFM and FLAME funding for the FS and the DOI, see CRS Report R43077, Wildfire Management: Federal Funding and Related Statistics, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed].
9.
            
        
           Forest Service, FY2017 Budget Justification, p. 514, http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/budget/.
10.
            
        
           The Timber Sales Pipeline Restoration Fund was established by the Department of Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-134 Title III §327, 110 Stat. 1321-206 and 207).
11.
            
        
           Act of May 23, 1908, 16 U.S.C §500.
12.
            
        
           P.L. 106-393, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 7101 et seq. For more information, see CRS Report R41303, Reauthorizing the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, by [author name scrubbed].
13.
            
        
           Total agency spending increased in FY2013 over FY2012, despite the sequestration of budget authority as specified by Section 302 of the Budget Control Act (P.L. 112-25, as amended by P.L. 112-240). See CRS Report R42972, Sequestration as a Budget Enforcement Process: Frequently Asked Questions, by [author name scrubbed]. FS sequestered budget authority was offset by emergency supplemental funds for wildland fire management, although individual accounts were reduced as specified. 
14.
            
        
           Forest Service, FY2017 Budget Overview, http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/budget/.
        
      
      
        15.
            
        
           Total WFM appropriations include appropriations to the WFM account, the FLAME account, and the supplemental appropriations enacted for wildfire suppression purposes in FY2013 ($380.0 million), FY2014 ($600.0 million), and FY2016 ($700.0 million).
16.
            
        
           Current dollars were adjusted to constant 2015 dollars using the gross domestic product price (GDP) Chained Price Index listed in table 10.1 published by the Office of Management and Budget at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Historicals.
17.
            
        
           P.L. 99-177, Title II, 2 U.S.C. 900-922, as amended by the Budget Control Act of 2011. More information on the proposal is available as a CRS congressional distribution memorandum upon request.
18.
            
        
           For more information, see CRS Report R44082, Wildfire Spending: Background, Issues, and Legislation in the 114th Congress, by [author name scrubbed] et al. 