Forest Service Assistance Programs
Updated January 6, 2022
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
R45219

Forest Service Assistance Programs

Summary
Congress has established several forestry assistance programs within the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) to support the management of state and private forests. These programs are
under the jurisdiction of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees, which often examine
them in the periodic legislation to reauthorize agricultural programs, commonly known as farm
bills. For example, in the 2018 farm bill (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018; P.L. 115-334),
Congress reauthorized and modified existing programs and established some new forestry
assistance programs.
Forestry assistance programs (in contrast to agriculture conservation programs that include
forestry activities) are primarily administered by the USDA Forest Service (FS). These FS
assistance programs generally provide technical and educational assistance such as information,
advice, and aid on specific projects. Other programs provide financial assistance, usually through
grants (with or without matching contributions from recipients) or cost-sharing (typically through
state agencies, with varying levels of contributions from recipients). Many programs provide both
technical and financial assistance.
FS assistance programs have various objectives. Some of the assistance programs provide support
for planning and implementing forestry and related land management practices (e.g., Forest
Stewardship, Urban and Community Forestry). Other programs provide assistance for forest
restoration projects that involve more than one jurisdiction and address regional or national
priorities (e.g., Landscape Scale Restoration). Other programs provide support for protecting
forestlands from wildfires, insects, and diseases, and from converting forestland to nonforest uses
(e.g., Community Forest and Open Space Conservation, Forest Legacy). Other programs provide
support for addressing concerns related to forest health, such as insect and disease infestation
(e.g., Forest Health). Programs also exist to enhance state and rural wildfire management
capabilities (e.g., State Fire Assistance and Volunteer Fire Assistance) and to promote the use of
forest products (e.g., Wood Innovation). International Forestry is often included as a FS assistance
program, because it provides technical forestry help and because it is funded through the FS
appropriations account for forestry assistance programs (State and Private Forestry). Some
programs have been combined for administrative purposes.
By law, most of the programs provide assistance to state partner agencies. The state agencies can
use the aid on state forestlands or to assist local governments or private landowners. How the
states use the resources is largely at the discretion of the states, though it must be consistent with
the authorization of each program and with the national priorities for state assistance established
by Congress in the 2008 farm bill.
Most—but not all—FS assistance programs are available nationally and are permanently
authorized to receive discretionary funding. However, one program receives mandatory funding.
Overall funding for the FS assistance programs in FY2021 was $286.2 million, a decrease relative
to FY2020. Much of the difference between FY2021 and FY2020 funding can be attributed to
changes to the FS’s budgetary structure. The Administration requested $335.0 million for
FY2022. Full-year appropriations for FY2022 have not been enacted, but Congress has provided
$355.4 million in supplemental appropriations for FY2022 through two laws, including the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58).
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act also authorized and appropriated funding for new FS
assistance programs and activities and provided additional congressional direction for existing
programs.
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Forest Service Assistance Programs

Introduction
There are approximately 765 million acres of forestlands in the United States, most of which are
privately owned (443 million acres, or 58%) by individuals, families, Native American tribes,
corporations, nongovernmental organizations, and other groups (see Figure 1).1 The federal
government has numerous programs to support forest management on those private forests and on
nonfederal public forests (such as those owned by state, county, and local governments). These
programs support a variety of forest management and protection goals, including activities related
to planning for and responding to wildfires, as well as supporting the development of new uses
and markets for wood products. These programs are primarily administered by the Forest Service
(FS) in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and often with the assistance of state partner
agencies.
Figure 1. Forest Landownership in the Conterminous United States Circa 2014

Source: CRS analysis of data from Jaketon H. Hewes, Brett J. Butler, and Greg C. Liknes, Forest Ownership in the
Conterminous United States circa 2014 - geospatial data set, Forest Service Research Data Archive, 2017, at
https://doi.og/10.2737/RDS-2017-0007.
Notes: Data are not available for Alaska, Hawaii, or the U.S. territories.
This report provides information on FS forestry assistance programs, including those authorized
by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA; P.L. 117-58; see the “The Infrastructure

1 The figure of 765 million acres reflects forestland in the conterminous United States, Alaska, and Hawaii, but do not
reflect forest resources in U.S. territories. Sonja N. Oswalt et al., Forest Resources of the United States: A Technical
Document Supporting the Forest Service 2020 Update of the RPA Assessment, USDA, FS, 2019, at
https://www.fia.fs.fed.us/program-features/rpa/docs/2017RPAFIATABLESFINAL_050918.pdf. For more discussion
on forest ownership, see CRS Report R46976, U.S. Forest Ownership and Management: Background and Issues for
Congress, by Katie Hoover and Anne A. Riddle.
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Investment and Jobs Act”). Following a brief background and overview, this report describes the
applicable programs, types of activities funded, eligibility requirements, authorized program
duration and funding level, and requested and enacted program appropriations. Other agencies,
inside and outside of USDA, also administer programs that may have forest conservation or
protection benefits. Such agencies include the USDA Farm Service Agency, USDA Natural
Resources Conservation Service, and agencies within the Department of the Interior.2 These
programs are outside the scope of this report.
Background
Providing federal assistance for nonfederal forest management has been a component of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s (USDA’s) programs for more than a century. Initial forestry assistance efforts began with the
creation of the USDA Division of Forestry in 1881 (to complement forestry research, which began in 1876).
Forestry assistance and research programs grew slowly, and, in 1901, the division was upgraded to the USDA
Bureau of Forestry. In 1905, the USDA Forest Service (FS) was established when the USDA Bureau of Forestry
merged with the Interior Department’s Division of Forestry (which at the time administered the forest reserves;
these were later renamed national forests). In addition to providing forestry assistance and conducting forestry
research, the FS administers the National Forest System, a system of federal lands consisting of 193 mil ion acres
of national forests, national grasslands, and other land designations.
The Senate and House Agriculture Committees have jurisdiction over forestry in general, forestry assistance, and
forestry research programs. Congress authorized specific forestry assistance programs in the Clarke-McNary Act
of 1924 (P.L. 68-270; 43 Stat. 653). This law guided those programs for more than half a century, until it was
revised in the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (CFAA; 16 U.S.C. §§2101 et seq.).
Congressional Action
The House and Senate Agriculture Committees often examine these programs in the periodic
omnibus legislation to reauthorize agriculture and food policy programs, commonly known as the
farm bill.3 The previous three farm bills each contained a stand-alone forestry title.4 Most
recently, the 2018 farm bill reauthorized, modified, and repealed existing FS assistance programs
and reauthorized requirements for statewide forest assessments.5 In addition, the 2018 farm bill
provided statutory authorization and congressional direction for two current programs that were
operating under existing, but broad, authorizations (the Landscape Scale Restoration program and
Wood Innovation program). The program authority and funding for many of the agricultural
programs—including three forestry programs—authorized through previous farm bills are

2 For more information on other U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs, see CRS Report R40763,
Agricultural Conservation: A Guide to Programs, by Megan Stubbs; CRS Report R40763, Agricultural Conservation:
A Guide to Programs, CRS Report R42854, Emergency Assistance for Agricultural Land Rehabilitation, by Megan
Stubbs; and CRS In Focus IF10288, Overview of the 2018 Farm Bill Energy Title Programs, by Kelsi Bracmort.
3 For more information on the farm bill generally, see CRS In Focus IF10187, Farm Bill Primer: What Is the Farm
Bill?, by Renée Johnson and Jim Monke.
4 The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 farm bill; P.L. 110-246), the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014
farm bill; P.L. 113-79), and the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 farm bill; P.L. 115-334) each included
stand-alone forestry titles. For more information on the 2014 farm bill, see CRS Report R43076, The 2014 Farm Bill
(P.L. 113-79): Summary and Side-by-Side, coordinated by Ralph M. Chite. For more information on the forestry
provisions in the 2014 farm bill, see CRS Report R43431, Forestry Provisions in the 2014 Farm Bill (P.L. 113-79), by
Katie Hoover. For more information on the 2018 farm bill, see CRS Report R45525, The 2018 Farm Bill (P.L. 115-
334): Summary and Side-by-Side Comparison, coordinated by Mark A. McMinimy.
5 The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 farm bill; P.L. 115-334). For more information on the 2018 farm
bill, see CRS Report R45525, The 2018 Farm Bill (P.L. 115-334): Summary and Side-by-Side Comparison,
coordinated by Mark A. McMinimy. For more information on the forestry provisions in the 2018 farm bill, see CRS
Report R45696, Forest Management Provisions Enacted in the 115th Congress, by Katie Hoover et al.
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scheduled to expire at the end of FY2023 unless Congress provides for an extension or
reauthorizes them.
In addition, the IIIJA contained several provisions pertaining to FS assistance programs.6 These
included establishing new assistance programs, providing statutory authorization and direction for
existing programs, and appropriating funding. Little information on IIJA program implementation
is available, particularly for the new programs. As such, they are not included in the “Forest
Service Assistance Programs” section of this report. However, the IIJA authorizations and
appropriations are discussed in the “The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act” section at the
end of this report.
Overview
The FS assistance programs may provide technical assistance, financial assistance, or both.
Technical assistance includes providing guidance documents, skills training, or data or otherwise
sharing information, expertise, and advice, either broadly or on specific projects. Technical
assistance also may include the development and transfer of technological innovations. Financial
assistance is typically delivered through formula or competitive grants (with or without
contributions from recipients) or through cost sharing (with varying levels of matching
contributions from recipients). For example, the Forest Health Protection program provides both
types of assistance: financial assistance in the form of funding for FS to perform surveys and to
control insects or diseases on state or private lands (with the landowner’s consent and
cooperation) and technical assistance in the form of data, expertise, and guidance for addressing
specific insect and disease infestations.
Several FS assistance programs are implemented through state partners (e.g., state forestry or
natural resource agencies). In these cases, FS provides technical and financial aid to the states,
which then provide information and assistance to private landowners or specified eligible
entities.7 Previous farm bills expanded some agricultural conservation programs to include
forestry practices; thus, direct federal financial assistance to private forest landowners may be
feasible through those conservation programs.8 See Table 1 for a brief summary of the FS
programs addressed in this report. More information on each program is available in the “Forest
Service Assistance Programs” section of this report.
Table 1. Forest Service Assistance Programs
Authorization
Eligible
Primary
Program
Citation
Funding
Type
Recipients
Activities
Col aborative Forest
P.L. 106-393a
Discretionary;
Financial
Col aborative
Forest
Restoration
$5 mil ion
groups in New
restoration
Mexico

6 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA), P.L. 117-58.
7 States may request to receive one consolidated payment for all the authorized cooperative forestry assistance
programs (16 U.S.C. §2108).
8 For information on USDA conservation programs, see CRS Report R40763, Agricultural Conservation: A Guide to
Programs.
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Authorization
Eligible
Primary
Program
Citation
Funding
Type
Recipients
Activities
Community Forest
16 U.S.C. §2103d
Discretionary;
Financial
Local
Purchase
and Open Space
such sums as
governments,
forestlands
Conservation
necessary
tribes, nonprofit threatened with
organizations
conversion to
other uses
Cooperative Fire Protection
 State Fire Assistance 16 U.S.C. §2106
Discretionary;
Technical
States
Wildfire

such sums as
and
preparedness,
Volunteer Fire
Assistance
necessary
financial
prevention,
control and use;
fire equipment
and training, etc.
Forest Health Protection
 Federal Lands
16 U.S.C. §2104
Discretionary;
Technical
States
Survey, prevent,

such sums as
and
suppress, or
Cooperative Lands
necessary
financial
control forest
pests, insects,
and diseases
Forest Legacy
16 U.S.C. §2103c
Discretionary
Financial
States
Purchase
and
forestlands
mandatory;
threatened with
such sums as
conversion to
necessaryb
other uses
Forest Stewardship

 Assistance to States
16 U.S.C. §2103a, Discretionary;
Technical
States
Planning, forest

16 U.S.C. §2107,
such sums as
and
and watershed
Rural Forestry
16 U.S.C. §2102
necessary
financial
restoration,
reforestation,
wildlife habitat
improvement,
and others
International Forestry
16 U.S.C. §4501
Discretionary;
Technical
Other countries Planning and

such sums as
and
management; fire,
necessary
financial
insect, and
disease
prevention and
control;
rehabilitation
Landscape Scale
16 U.S.C. §2109a
Discretionary;
Financial
State
Forest
Restoration
$20 mil ion
restoration
through
projects
FY2023
Urban & Community
16 U.S.C. §2105
Discretionary;
Technical
State, tribal,
Planning,
Forestry
such sums as
and
local
education, tree
necessary
financial
governments;
planting and
private
maintenance
organizations
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Authorization
Eligible
Primary
Program
Citation
Funding
Type
Recipients
Activities
Wood Technology and Innovation
 Community Wood 7 U.S.C. §8113
Discretionary;
Technical
State, tribal, and
Education;
Energy / Innovation
$25 mil ion
and
local
technology

through
financial
governments;
development and
FY2023
other
transfer, market

organizations
development,
applied research
 Hardwood
16 U.S.C. §1650
Discretionary;
Technology

such sums as
Transfer and
necessary
Applied Research

 Rural Revitalization 7 U.S.C. §6601
Discretionary;
Technologies
$5 mil ion

through
FY2023

 Wood Innovation
7 U.S.C. §7655d
No specific
Grant
funding
authorization
Source: CRS.
Notes:
a. The Col aborative Forest Restoration Program (P.L. 106-393) has not been classified to the U.S. Code.
b. The Forest Legacy Program (FLP) is permanently authorized to receive such sums as necessary through
discretionary appropriations. Starting in FY2021, however, the Great American Outdoors Act (P.L. 116-
152) provided for mandatory appropriations from the Land and Water Conservation Fund for FLP, among
other programs.
To be eligible to receive funds for most programs—particularly programs authorized by the
Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (CFAA) or added as amendments to the CFAA9—
each state must prepare a State Forest Action Plan, consisting of
 a statewide assessment of forest resource conditions, including the conditions and
trends of forest resources in the state; threats to forestlands and resources,
consistent with national priorities; any areas or regions of the state that are a
priority; and any multistate areas that are a regional priority; and
 a long-term statewide forest resource strategy, including strategies for addressing
the threats to forest resources identified in the assessment; and a description of
the resources necessary for the state forester to address the statewide strategy.10
The State Forest Action Plans are to be reviewed every 5 years and revised every 10 years.11 All
50 states, the District of Columbia, and 8 territories are covered by a State Forest Action Plan.

9 Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (CFAA; 16 U.S.C. §§2101 et seq.).
10 These requirements were added by the 2008 farm bill (16 U.S.C. §2101a). To see each state’s Forest Action Plan, see
National Association of State Foresters (NASF), at https://www.stateforesters.org/forest-action-plans/. For all of the
programs in this report, the term state forester may also include any other equivalent state official.
11 For more information, see NASF, “Forest Action Plans,” at https://www.stateforesters.org/forest-action-plans/
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Each state must also publish an annual funding report and have a State Forest Stewardship
Coordination (FSC) Committee.12 Chaired by the state forester and composed of federal, state,
and local representatives (including representatives from conservation, industry, recreation, and
other organizations), the FSC Committee makes recommendations on statewide priorities on
specific programs as well as on the development and maintenance of the State Forest Action Plan.
National Funding Priorities and Objectives
In 2007, the Forest Service (FS) initiated an effort to “redesign” its State and Private Forestry (SPF) programs to
improve program delivery and effectiveness. As a result of this process, FSin conjunction with state
partnersidentified three nationwide themes and objectives to provide a framework for prioritizing and allocating
funds and resources. Congress codified these national priorities in the 2008 farm bil (16 U.S.C. §2101(c)). The
three priorities are as fol ows:
Conserve and manage working forest landscapes for multiple values and uses. Objectives include
identifying and conserving high-priority forest ecosystems and landscapes and promoting active and sustainable
forest management strategies.
Protect forests from threats. Objectives include identifying, managing, and reducing forest and ecosystem
threats (e.g., uncharacteristic wildfire, insects and disease, and invasive species) and conducting post-disturbance
forest restoration activities.
Enhance public benefits from trees and forests. Objectives include promoting the ecological, economic, and
community benefits derived from trees and forests, including protecting water quality and quantity; conserving
wildlife and fish habitat; providing open space; and providing outdoor recreation opportunities.
Funding
Most—but not all—FS assistance programs are available nationally and are permanently
authorized to receive discretionary funding. With one exception, all FS assistance programs
require funding through the annual discretionary appropriations process and typically are funded
in annual Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations acts. Most of the assistance
programs are funded through the FS’s State and Private Forestry (SPF) account, although some
programs are funded or allocated from other accounts or programs. The exception is the Forest
Legacy Program (FLP). In FY2020 and previous years, the FLP received discretionary
appropriations from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).13 The Great American
Outdoors Act (GAOA) made the LWCF mandatory spending starting in FY2021.14 In FY2021,
mandatory funding for FLP was $94.3 million. The Biden Administration requested $94.3 million
in mandatory FLP funding for FY2022.15
Until FY2021, funding for FS assistance programs had remained relatively stable over the past 15
years in terms of nominal dollars but had declined in terms of inflation-adjusted constant dollars
(see Figure 2). The FY2021 funding of $286.2 million reflects a decrease in funding relative to
earlier years. This decrease is primarily due to several changes in FS’s budgetary structure. In

keeping-the-plans-current/.
12 As authorized in the 1990 farm bill (§1222 of P.L. 101-624), 16 U.S.C. §2113(b).
13 54 U.S.C. §200301. For more information, see CRS Report R44121, Land and Water Conservation Fund:
Appropriations for “Other Purposes”, by Carol Hardy Vincent and CRS Report R46563, Land and Water
Conservation Fund: Processes and Criteria for Allocating Funds, coordinated by Carol Hardy Vincent.
14 The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA, P.L. 116-152). For more information, see CRS In Focus IF11636, The
Great American Outdoors Act (P.L. 116-152), by Carol Hardy Vincent, Laura B. Comay, and Bill Heniff Jr.
15 The GAOA requires the President to submit annually to Congress “detailed account, program, and project
allocations” for the full amount available for specified programs, including for the Forest Legacy Program, and
provided for Congress to make alternative funding allocations to those programs.
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addition to FLP being funded through mandatory appropriations, other budgetary changes were
enacted in the FY2021 appropriations law.16 These changes included the establishment of an
Operations account to fund certain fixed costs related to overhead and administrative expenses;
previously, funds for these activities were allocated from other accounts through FS’s practice of
using cost pools. This change resulted in decreases to account-level appropriations. In addition,
the FY2021 appropriations law established a salaries and expenses line item within the SPF
account (and several other accounts); this change resulted in decreases to program-level
appropriations within the SPF account. The nature of these budgetary changes makes
comparisons to earlier years challenging.
Figure 2. Funding for FS Assistance Programs, FY2007-FY2021

Source: CRS analysis using data compiled from the tables prepared by the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations and annual agency budget documents.
Notes: Figures reflect total annual discretionary appropriations, including rescissions and supplemental funding,
for FS assistance programs, including appropriations provided through the FS’s State and Private Forestry (SPF),
Wildland Fire Management, and National Forest System accounts. FY2021 figures also reflect funding
appropriated to the SPF account for salaries and expenses. Figures adjusted to FY2021 constant dol ars using the
annual GDP Chained Price Index from the White House Office of Management and Budget, Table 10.1, “Gross
Domestic Product and Deflators Used in the Historical Tables—1940-2026” in Historical Tables, at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Historicals.
The Administration requested $333.5 million in FY2022 (see Table 2 for FY2017-FY2021
appropriations and the FY2022 budget request; more information on each program is available in
the “Forest Service Assistance Programs” section of this report). Regular FY2022 appropriations
were not enacted by the start of the fiscal year, but two continuing resolutions (CRs) provided
funding at FY2021 levels through February 18, 2022.17

16 P.L. 116-260. For more information on the budgetary changes, see U.S. Congress, House Committee on
Appropriations, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, committee print, prepared by U.S. Government Publishing
Office, 117th Cong., 1st sess., March 2021, Legislative Text and Explanatory Statement, Book 2 of 2 (Washington:
GPO, 2021), p. 1406.
17 The first continuing resolution enacted for FY2022 provided funding at FY2021 levels through December 3, 2022
(P.L. 117-43, Division A); the second continuing resolution provided funding through February 18, 2022 (P.L. 117-70).
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FY2022 Supplemental Appropriations
Congress has appropriated $355.4 mil ion in supplemental appropriations for FY2022 to date. Division B of P.L.
117-43 (the first enacted continuing resolution for FY2022) provided $50.0 mil ion in supplemental appropriations
for FY2022 for FS’s SPF account for necessary expenses related to wildfires, hurricanes, and other natural
disasters from calendar years 2019, 2020, and 2021. Congress did not allocate the $50.0 mil ion in FY2022
supplemental funding to specific SPF programs or activities. In addition, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
(IIJA; P.L. 117-58) provided $305.4 mil ion in supplemental appropriations for FY2022 (and funding in future years)
for existing FS assistance programs and for funding some of the activities authorized by IIJA.
Table 2. FS Assistance Programs Appropriations, FY2017-FY2021 Enacted and
FY2022 Requested
(nominal dollars, in millions)
FY2022
Program
FY2017
FY2018
FY2019
FY2020
FY2021
Request
Col aborative Forest Restoration
4.0
3.0
—
—
—
—
Programa
Community Forest & Open Space
2.0
4.0
4.8
4.0
4.0
4.0
Conservation
Cooperative Fire Protectionb
93.0
96.0
107.3
100.0
92.4
92.4
State Fire Assistance
78.0
80.0
81.0
82.0
73.4
81.1
Volunteer Fire Assistance
15.0
16.0
17.0
18.0
19.0
17.0
Supplemental
—
—
9.3
—
—
—
Forest Health Protectionc
94.5
98.0
98.4
100.0
46.2
59.2
Federal Lands
55.5
55.5
56.0
56.0
15.5
22.5
Cooperative Landsd
39.0
42.5
42.4
44.0
30.7
36.7
Forest Legacye
50.3
61.1
62.5
64.0
-5.8
—
Forest Stewardshipf
20.0
26.5
22.0
21.0
11.9
17.9
International Forestry
8.0
9.0
9.0
12.0
15.4
15.4
Landscape Scale Restoration
14.0
14.0
14.0
14.0
14.0
21.0
Urban and Community Forestry
28.0
28.5
29.5
32.0
31.9
31.9
Wood Technology and Innovationg
27.7
22.1
20.2
21.7
24.8
36.2
Salaries and Expensesh
—
—
—
—
51.3
62.7
Total
341.6
362.2
367.7
368.7
286.2
335.0
Percentage of Total FS
6%
6%
5%
5%
4%
4%
Discretionary Appropriationsi
Source: CRS analysis using data compiled from the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations,
communications with the Forest Service (FS) Legislative Affairs staff, and FS annual budget documents, including
the FY2022 Budget Justification, available from at https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/budget-performance.
Notes: Table reflects rescissions and supplemental funding as noted. The programs are funded through the FS’s
State and Private Forestry (SPF) account, unless otherwise specified. This table does not reflect $355.4 mil ion in
supplemental appropriations for FY2022 enacted to date. Columns may not add due to rounding.
a. According to FS Legislative Affairs staff, as of November 2021, the charter for the advisory committee
required for the Col aborative Forest Restoration Program (CFRP) is expired, and activities under this
program—such as soliciting new project proposals—wil not resume until the advisory committee has been
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re-chartered. The FY2022 budget request does not include a specific request for funding the CFRP, which
was previously funded through allocations from the Wildland Fire Management (WFM) account.
b. The Cooperative Fire Protection program is sometimes referred to as Cooperative Fire Assistance (CFA) for
appropriations purposes. FY2019 figures reflect $9.3 mil ion in emergency supplemental funding for disaster
recovery purposes. Those funds were not further allocated between the State Fire Assistance and
Volunteer Fire Assistance programs. CFA was funded through the WFM account in FY2017, and in the SPF
account starting in FY2018. The Administration’s FY2022 budget request proposed changing the names of
those programs to National Fire Capacity and Rural Fire Capacity, respectively.
c. The Forest Health Protection program is sometimes referred to as Forest Health Management (FHM) for
appropriations purposes. The total FHM figures reflect emergency supplemental appropriations provided to
the Cooperative Lands program: $1.5 mil ion in FY2018 and $0.4 mil ion in FY2019.
d. The Cooperative Lands figures reflect emergency supplemental appropriations of $1.5 mil ion in FY2018 and
$0.4 mil ion in FY2019.
e. The Forest Legacy Program (FLP) figures reflect rescissions of $12.0 mil ion in FY2017, $5.9 mil ion in
FY2018, $1.5 mil ion in FY2019, $5.8 mil ion in FY2021. Starting in FY2021, FLP is funded through
mandatory appropriations and no discretionary funds were requested or provided.
f.
These Forest Stewardship figures reflect emergency supplemental appropriations of $6.0 mil ion in FY2018
and $1.5 mil ion in FY2019.
g. Wood Technology and Innovations includes funding for several programs, including grants for wood
innovation, biomass and wood energy market development, and related research programs. The funds are
allocated from several FS appropriations accounts, including SPF, WFM, and Forest and Rangeland Research.
h. The FY2021 appropriations law (P.L. 116-260) established a new budgetary structure for FS’s discretionary
appropriations accounts, including the establishment of a salaries and expenses budget line item in the SPF
account, among other changes.
i.
For information on FS discretionary appropriations, see CRS In Focus IF11974, Forest Service: FY2022
Appropriations; CRS In Focus IF11638, Forest Service: FY2021 Appropriations; and CRS Report R46557, Forest
Service Appropriations: Ten-Year Data and Trends (FY2011-FY2020).
Forest Service Assistance Programs
The following section provides basic information on each of the FS assistance programs,
including
 brief program description;
 program activities;
 eligibility requirements;
 the FS appropriations account budget line item (BLI) that provides funding for
the program;
 authorized funding levels and any funding restrictions;
 FY2021 funding level in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (P.L. 116-
260);
 FY2022 funding level requested by the Administration;
 FY2022 supplemental appropriations provided through IIJA, if known;
 statutory authority, recent amendments, and U.S. Code reference;
 expiration date of program authority unless permanently authorized; and
 program’s website link.
Information for the following tables is drawn largely from agency budget documents and
presentations, explanatory notes, and websites. Further information about these programs may be
found on the FS SPF website at http://www.fs.fed.us/spf and on the “cooperative forestry” page.
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Collaborative Forest Restoration Program (CFRP)
Program purpose
CFRP (also known as the Community Forest Restoration Program) was established to
and description
encourage col aborative partnerships among community groups in New Mexico to
improve forest ecosystem functioning and watershed conditions and reduce the threats of
catastrophic wildfires or insect and disease outbreaks.
Activities
Provides cost-share grants of up to $360,000 for forest restoration projects to reduce the
threat of catastrophic wildfires, reestablish fire regimes, preserve old and large trees,
replant deforested areas, and increase small-diameter tree utilization on public and tribal
lands in New Mexico.
Eligibility
Col aborative groups consisting of a diverse and balanced group of stakeholders,
requirements
government, and tribal representatives are eligible to apply for funding. Projects must be
on public (federal, state, county, or municipal) or tribal lands in New Mexico.
FS Appropriations Funds are allocated from National Forest System (NFS) Hazardous Fuels account.
account
Funding authority
Up to $5 mil ion annually.
FY2021 funding
$0; According to Forest Service Legislative Affairs staff, as of November 2021, the charter
for the advisory committee required for the program is expired, and activities under this
program—such as soliciting new project proposals—wil not resume unless the advisory
committee has been re-chartered.
FY2022
The FY2022 budget request does not include a specific request for CFRP.
Administration
request
Statutory
Authorized in Title VI of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act
authority
of 2000 (P.L. 106-393).
Authorization
The program is permanently authorized, but the charter for the advisory committee is
expires
expired.
Program website
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r3/workingtogether/grants/

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Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (CFP)
Program purpose
CFP provides financial assistance to establish community forests for community benefits by
and description
acquiring and protecting private forestlands.
Activities
Provides up to 50% cost-share grants to purchase the fee simple title of eligible private
forestlands. Funding may not be used to purchase conservation easements. The lands to be
purchased must be privately owned, at least five acres, 75% forested, and threatened by
conversion to nonforest uses, such as residential development, mineral extraction,
industrial use, or commercial uses other than timber production. The purchased lands
must be managed for public economic, recreational, environmental, or education benefits
to communities and provide public access.
Eligibility
Local governments, Indian tribes, or qualified nongovernment organizations are eligible to
requirements
apply for funding. Proposals are submitted to state foresters (or equivalent tribal officials)
and then forwarded to FS. Proposal ranking and project selection criteria are outlined in
36 C.F.R. 230.5.
FS appropriations
SPF Cooperative Forestry.
account

Funding authority
No specified authorization level, and FS may allocate 10% of the appropriated funds to
state foresters for program administration.
FY2021 funding
$4.0 mil ion.
FY2022
$4.0 mil ion.
Administration
request
Statutory
Authorized in the 2008 farm bil (§8003), 16 U.S.C. §2103d.
authority

Authorization
Permanent authority.
expires
Program website
https://www.fs.fed.us/managing-land/private-land/community-forest/program

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Cooperative Fire Protection: State Fire Assistance (SFA)
Program purpose
The Cooperative Fire Protection (FP) program consists of two components, State Fire
and description
Assistance (SFA) and Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA, described in the fol owing section).
The program’s overall purpose is to provide assistance to encourage effective,
coordinated, and uniform responses to wildfire, with an emphasis on improving
preparedness (such as fire planning and initial attack capabilities) for state and local
government fire agencies to respond to wildfires on nonfederal lands, and mitigation (such
as hazardous fuels reduction and wildfire prevention activities) for state and local
government agencies to reduce the risk of or damage from catastrophic wildfires.
The SFA component provides assistance for preparedness activities to promote firefighter
safety, capability, and capacity, and community mitigation activities to reduce wildfire risk
to communities and promote community fire planning.
Activities
Provides financial assistance, technical training, and equipment to state foresters to
promote fire protection on nonfederal lands. States may use funds for preparedness
activities (e.g., development of fire readiness plans, facility maintenance); firefighting
activities, training, and support (e.g., dispatch centers); to purchase, maintain, or
rehabilitate equipment; and for program administration. Assistance is also provided for
community mitigation programs, including conducting hazardous fuels reduction projects
on nonfederal lands and supporting the development of Community Wildfire Protection
Plans and/or Firewise certification. Manages and provides financial assistance to states to
acquire fire-related equipment through the Federal Excess Personal Property Program
(FEPP) and educational programs (e.g., the Smokey Bear public service campaign).
Eligibility
Funding is provided to state foresters or equivalent state officials. A minimum level of
requirements
funding is allocated annually to each state to ensure a base fire management capacity (at
least $100,000), and additional funds are allocated based on acres of nonfederal land,
population, and required level of fire protection.
FS appropriations
SPF Cooperative Fire Assistance.
account
Funding authority
No specified authorization level for most activities, and up to $35 mil ion annually is
reserved for SFA cost-share assistance.
FY2021 funding
$73.4 mil ion ($92.4 mil ion total provided for FP).
FY2022
$73.4 mil ion; the request continued a proposal to rename the program National Fire
Administration
Capacity [$92.4 mil ion total requested for FP]. The IIJA provided $17.6 mil ion in
request
supplemental appropriations for FY2022 for SFA ($88.0 mil ion total from FY2022 to
FY2026).
Statutory
Authorized in CFAA and amended by 1990 farm bil (Food, Agriculture, Conservation and
authority
Trade Act of 1990; P.L. 101-624, §§1215, 1220), 16 U.S.C. §2106.
Authorization
Permanent authority.
expires
Program website
CRS was unable to locate a website specific to the FP program. For information on FS
wildfire programs, see https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/fire.

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Cooperative Fire Protection: Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA)
Program purpose
The Cooperative Fire Protection (FP) program consists of two components, State Fire
and description
Assistance (SFA, described in the preceding section) and Volunteer Fire Assistance
(VFA).The program’s overall purpose is to provide assistance to encourage effective,
coordinated, and uniform responses to wildfire, with an emphasis on improving
preparedness (such as fire planning and initial attack capabilities) for state and local
government fire agencies to respond to wildfires on nonfederal lands, and mitigation (such
as hazardous fuels reduction and wildfire prevention activities) for state and local
government agencies to reduce the risk of or damage from catastrophic wildfires.
The VFA component supports state efforts to provide organization, training, and
equipment for rural fire departments to protect and respond to wildfires on nonfederal
lands in rural areas.
Activities
Provides up to 50% cost-share grants and technical assistance to states to provide
education, planning, training, and equipment for rural fire departments to improve fire
protection capabilities and effectiveness.
Eligibility
Funding is provided to state foresters or equivalent state officials. States may use the funds
requirements
to support any organized, not-for-profit, fire protection organization that provides services
to a community with a population under 10,000 or whose firefighting personnel is at least
80% volunteer.
FS appropriations
SPF Cooperative Fire Assistance.
account
Funding authority
No specified authorization level for most activities, and up to $35 mil ion annually is
reserved for VFA cost-share assistance.
FY2020 funding
$19.0 mil ion ($92.4 mil ion total provided for FP).
FY2022
$19.0 mil ion; the request continued a proposal to rename the program Rural Fire Capacity
Administration
($92.4 mil ion total requested for FP). The IIJA provided $4.0 mil ion in supplemental
request
appropriations for FY2022 for VFA ($20.0 mil ion total from FY2022 to FY2026).

Statutory
Specific authorization for VFA was initially provided as the Rural Community Fire
authority
Protection program in the 1973 farm bil (Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of
1973; P.L. 93-86 §27) but was eliminated and replaced by an unrelated program in the
1996 farm bil (Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act; P.L. 104-127 §§741(a)(4)
and (5)). Since then, Congress has continued to provide appropriations to the program
under the broader FP program, as authorized in CFAA and amended by the 1990 farm bil
(§§1215, 1220), 16 U.S.C. §2106.
Authorization
Permanent authority.
expires
Program website
CRS was unable to locate a website specific to the FP program. For information on FS
wildfire programs, see https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/fire.

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Forest Health Protection (FHP): Federal Lands and
Cooperative Lands
Program purpose
FHP was created to protect trees, forests, and wood products from negative impacts due
and description
to natural and man-made causes nationwide. The program is implemented through two
subprograms: Federal Lands and Cooperative Lands.
Activities
The Federal Lands subprogram surveys and monitors forest health conditions on federal
lands, performs pest suppression efforts on federal and tribal trust lands (including lands
managed by other federal agencies and tribal governments), and coordinates an integrated
pest management program and specific prevention and suppression programs for major
insects, diseases, and invasive species across all landownership types.
The Cooperative Lands subprogram provides technical and financial assistance to states to
conduct forest surveys to detect, monitor, and assess forest conditions across nonfederal
lands. Financial assistance may also be provided through 50% cost-share grants for projects
or programs to treat specific forest health problems.
Eligibility
FS can act on its own lands and other lands with consent, cooperation, and participation
requirements
(including financial contributions). Other federal land management agencies submit
suppression-related project requests to the FS for approval. Financial assistance is
provided to states to support a base level of forest health expertise at the appropriate
state partner agencies; these funds are allocated based on nonfederal forest acreage,
among other factors.
FS appropriations
SPF Forest Health Management.
account/BLI
Funding authority
No specified authorization level.
FY2021 funding
$46.2 mil ion ($15.5 mil ion for Federal Lands; $30.7 mil ion for Cooperative Lands).
FY2022
$59.2 mil ion ($22.5 mil ion for Federal Lands; $36.7 mil ion for Cooperative Lands).
Administration
request
Statutory
Authorized in the CFAA and amended by the 1990 farm bil (§1218), 16 U.S.C. §2104.
authority
Authorization
Permanent authority.
expires
Program website
https://www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/

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Forest Legacy Program (FLP)
Program purpose
FLP provides financial assistance to protect environmentally important forest areas that
and description
are threatened by conversion to nonforest uses.
Activities
Provides up to 75% cost-share grants to states to acquire eligible private forestlands,
either through fee-simple purchases or conservations easements. Landowners with FLP
conservation easements on their property must manage the land consistent with the
purposes for which the land was enrol ed in the program, and may include timber
production, hiking, hunting, and fishing. Financial assistance may also be provided to the
states to administer the program.
Eligibility
Funding typically goes to state forestry agencies or equivalent to purchase and hold the
requirements
title or easement. Nonprofit organizations may hold the title or conservation easement for
donated tracts. A federally or state-recognized tribe may participate in partnership with
the state.
States must have and maintain State Forest Action Plans, which must include a Forest
Legacy Assessment and recommendations for Forest Legacy Areas. The assessment
evaluates current and future forest uses statewide and defines the criteria the state wil
use to identify, recommend, and prioritize threatened environmentally important forest
areas as Forest Legacy Areas. The FS designates Forest Legacy Areas within the state upon
approval of the state’s Forest Action Plan. The acquired lands must be within a designated
Forest Legacy Area, at least 75% forestland, and be acquired from a willing seller.
Project selection is a three-step competitive process. First, the State FSC Committee
evaluates proposals and makes recommendations to the state; second, the state then
submits recommendations to the FS; and third, the FS makes the final selection.
FS appropriations
SPF Cooperative Forestry.
account/BLI
Funding authority
No specified authorization level. Since FY2004, funding has been provided through
discretionary appropriations from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).
Starting in FY2021, funding from the LWCF is mandatory. For more information, see CRS
In Focus IF11636, The Great American Outdoors Act (P.L. 116-152) and CRS Report R46563,
Land and Water Conservation Fund: Processes and Criteria for Allocating Funds.
FY2021 funding
$94.3 mil ion (mandatory appropriations).
FY2022
$94.3 mil ion (mandatory appropriations).
Administration
request
Statutory
Authorized in the 1990 farm bil (§1217), 16 U.S.C. §2103c.
authority
Authorization
Permanent authority.
expires
Program website
https://www.fs.fed.us/managing-land/private-land/forest-legacy/program

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Forest Stewardship Program (FSP)
Program purpose
FSP was established to encourage long-term stewardship on nonindustrial private
and description
forestlands (NIPFs). NIPFs are defined as “lands with existing tree cover, or suitable for
growing trees, and owned by any private individual, group, association, corporation, tribe,
or other private legal entity” (16 U.S.C. §2103a(c)). Forest stewardship is not defined
directly or indirectly by reference in the statute.
Since FY1993, two other programs have been funded and administered as part of FSP:

Rural Forestry Assistance (RFA), which supports reforestation and genetic resources
activities, such as nursery management and seed development and storage; and

Financial, Technical, and Related Assistance to States (Assistance to States), which
fosters coordination between federal and state organizations and technological
development and implementation for forest data col ection and use.
Activities
Provides technical and financial assistance to states, which provide information and
assistance to private landowners. Technical assistance includes activities such as landowner
outreach and education, development of forest stewardship management plans, and
fostering stewardship planning across multiple owners for a landscape-level approach.
Eligibility
State forestry agencies or equivalent. States must have and maintain State Forest Action
requirements
Plans. States may use funds to provide financial assistance to private landowners.
FS appropriations
SPF Cooperative Forestry.
account/BLI
Funding authority
No specified authorization level.
FY2021 funding
$11.9 mil ion.
FY2022
$17.9 mil ion; the request continued a proposal to rename the program as Working Forest
Administration
Lands.
request
Statutory
FSP was authorized in the CFAA and amended by the 1990 farm bil (§1215), 16 U.S.C.
authority
§2103a.

RFA was authorized in the CFAA and amended in the 1990 farm bil (§1213), 16
U.S.C. §2102.

Assistance to States was authorized in the CFAA and amended in the 1990 farm bil
(§1215), 16 U.S.C. §2107.
Authorization
Permanent authority.
expires
Program website
https://www.fs.fed.us/managing-land/forest-stewardship/program

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International Forestry Programs
Program purpose
International forestry programs support forestry and natural resource activities outside of
and description
the United States to promote conservation and sustainable forest management and global
environmental stability.
Activities
Provides financial and technical assistance to countries to promote development and
transfer of technical, research, managerial, education, and administrative skil s to forest
managers. Includes research and assistance through the Institute of Tropical Forestry and
Institute for Pacific Islands Forestry.
Eligibility
Assistance is available only to countries that receive USAID support.
requirements

FS appropriations
SPF International Forestry.
account/BLI
Funding authority
No specified authorization level.
FY2021 funding
$15.4 mil ion.
FY2022
$15.4 mil ion.
Administration
request
Statutory
International forestry activities are authorized in two places:
authority

November 5, 1990: the International Forestry Cooperation Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-513
Title VI), as amended by the Hawaii Tropical Forest Recovery Act of 1992 (P.L. 102-
574, passed on October 29, 1992), 16 U.S.C. §4501 et seq.

November 28, 1990: the 1990 farm bil (§2405) authorized the Office of International
Forestry and the Institute of Tropical Forestry and specified that the FS should
request funding for International Forestry through a specific budget line item, 7 U.S.C.
§§6701 et seq.
Authorization
The authorization for the Office of International Forestry (7 U.S.C. §6704) to receive
expires
funding expired at the end of FY2018. Other International Forestry programs are
permanently authorized.
Program website
https://www.fs.fed.us/about-agency/international-programs

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Landscape Scale Restoration Program (LSR)
Program purpose
LSR was originally established to support innovative regional or national forest restoration
and description
projects that cross multiple landownership boundaries. The 2018 farm bil statutorily
codified the program to encourage col aborative, science-based restoration of priority
forest landscapes. The 2018 farm bil also provided congressional direction on program
eligibility, criteria, and establishment. Projects with multiple ownerships are prioritized, but
projects must include nonindustrial private forestland as well as state- or locally owned
forestland.
Projects may include activities authorized by other programs, including FSP, FHP-
Cooperative Lands, UCF, and SFA; but not VFA, FLP, or FHP-Federal Lands.
Activities
Provides 50% cost-share grants for cross-boundary projects that address regionally or
nationally significant issues or landscapes as identified in State Forest Action Plans. Funding
is provided through a two-step competitive process: proposals are first evaluated at a
regional level and then at the national level. Each region (Northeast, South, and West)
develops regionally specific evaluation criteria that must be consistent with national
standards.
Eligibility
Prior to the 2018 farm bil , state forestry agencies and the District of Columbia were
requirements
eligible to receive funding and authorized to pass the funding to partners. Tribes, nonprofit
organizations, local governments, and land grant col eges or universities were eligible to
sponsor or participate as a partner in a project. The 2018 farm bil specifies that proposals
must be submitted through state foresters or other appropriate state agencies.
FS appropriations
SPF Landscape Scale Restoration.
account/BLI
Funding authority
Up to $20 mil ion annually, through FY2023.
FY2021 funding
$14.0 mil ion.
FY2022
$21.0 mil ion.
Administration
request
Statutory
Authorized in the 2018 farm bil (§8102(a)), 16 U.S.C. §2109a. Prior to the 2018 farm bil ,
authority
the program operated under a broad authority provided in the 2008 farm bil (§8007).
Authorization
Permanent authority.
expires
Program website
https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/private-land/landscape-scale-restoration

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Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program (UCF)
Program purpose
UCF was created to establish, manage, and protect trees, forests, green spaces, and
and description
related natural resources in and adjacent to cities and towns.
Activities
Provides financial, technical, and related assistance to conduct tree inventories; prepare
management plans; plant and care for trees; carry out disaster planning, mitigation,
response, and recovery; support workforce development; and host community activities,
such as youth summer camps.
Also provides 50% cost-share grants to address strategic issues and opportunities
identified by the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council (NUCFAC).
The NUCFAC consists of 15 members as appointed by the Secretary.
Eligibility
No eligibility requirements specified in law. Therefore, states and territories, tribes,
Requirements
nongovernmental organizations, private nonprofit organizations, or individuals are eligible
to apply for funding.
FS appropriations
SPF Cooperative Forestry.
account/BLI
Funding authority
No specified authorization level.
FY2021 funding
$31.9 mil ion.
FY2022
$31.9 mil ion.
Administration
request
Statutory
Authorized in CFAA and amended by 1990 farm bil (§§1215, 1219), 16 U.S.C. §2105.
authority
Authorization
Permanent authorization.
expires
Program website
https://www.fs.fed.us/managing-land/urban-forests/ucf

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Wood Technology and Innovation Programs
Program purpose
This includes several FS authorities and programs to provide financial and technical
and description
assistance to develop, promote, and market innovative uses of wood products in an effort
to remove hazardous fuels and other wood residues (e.g., biomass) from National Forest
System (NFS) lands, reduce the costs of forest management on public and private
forestlands, and promote economic and environmental health of forest-dependent
communities, among other purposes.
Activities
The Wood Innovation Grant Program, a part of the broader Rural Revitalization
Technologies (RRT) program, provides cost-share grants to stimulate or expand wood
energy and wood products markets through projects that use wood, expand wood energy
markets, and promote wood as a construction material in commercial buildings.
The Hardwood Technology Transfer and Applied Research (HTTAR) program conducts
technology transfer and development, training, and applied research in the management,
processing, and utilization of hardwoods, including through grants, contracts, or
cooperative agreements. The program operates through the Wood Education and
Resource Center (WERC), the Institute of Hardwood Technology Transfer and Applied
Research (IHTTAR), and Forest Products Laboratory.
The Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation (CWE/WI) program provides
competitive cost-share grants to install community wood energy systems or build
innovative wood product facilities.
Eligibility
State, local, and tribal governments, communities, nongovernmental organizations,
requirements
institutes of higher education, school districts, communities, and special purpose districts.
FS appropriations
Funds are allocated from other FS accounts and programs, including NFS Hazardous Fuels.
account/BLI
Funding authority
Funding is authorized through different programs.

The Rural Revitalization Technologies (RRT) program is authorized to receive up to
$5 mil ion annually, through FY2023.

HTTAR has no specified authorization level. HTTAR is authorized to generate
revenue; this revenue may be deposited into the Hardwood Technology Transfer and
Applied Research Fund and is available until expended.

The CWE/WI is authorized to receive up to $25 mil ion annually, through FY2023.
Not more than 25% of funds may be used for grants for innovative wood product
facilities, unless the Secretary receives insufficient proposals for community wood
energy systems.
FY2021 funding
$24.8 mil ion.
FY2022
$36.2 mil ion.
Administration
request
Statutory
This group of programs relies on several different authorities.
authority

RRT was established in the 1990 farm bil (§2371), 7 U.S.C. §6601.

The Wood Innovation Grant Program was established in the 2018 farm bil (§8643), 7
U.S.C. § 7655d, and authorizes FS to annually make grants in accordance with a
funding opportunity offered under the broad authority of RRT.

The HTTAR program was authorized and WERC was established in P.L. 105-277
(§343) and P.L. 106-113 (§332), 16 U.S.C. §1650.

The CWE/WI Program was established in the 2008 farm bil (§9013) and the 2018
farm bil (§8644), 7 U.S.C. §8113.
Authorization
RRT and the Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation program expire in FY2023.
expires
HTTAR is permanently authorized.
Program website
https://www.fs.fed.us/science-technology/energy-forest-products/wood-innovations-grants
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The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) authorized and appropriated funding
for a variety of FS forestry assistance, research, and federal land management activities and
programs.18
 IIJA authorized $3.97 billion for FS across the five-year period from FY2022 to
FY2026, at least $1.39 billion of which was authorized specifically for forestry
assistance activities.19 These provisions are summarized in the following section.
 IIJA appropriated $5.44 billion for FS across the five-year period from FY2022
through FY2026, at least $1.53 billion of which was appropriated specifically for
FS’s State and Private Forestry account for implementing forestry assistance
activities.20 These appropriations are summarized in the “IIJA Appropriations”
section, below, with additional detail on specific FY2022 appropriations provided
in the “Funding” section.
IIJA Authorizations
This section summarizes the program and funding authorizations in IIJA related to FS forestry
assistance activities.
 Section 40803—Wildfire Risk Reduction authorized $2.31 billion over five
years (FY2022 through FY2026) for the Secretary of Agriculture—acting
through the Chief of the FS—and directed the allocation of those funds across
several activities, including improving wildfire response readiness, improving
technological capacities, preparing wildfire risk maps, funding research, reducing
fuels, and conducting post-fire recovery and restoration.21 At least three of the
specified activities included an assistance component.22
 Section 40804—Ecosystem Restoration authorized $1.23 billion over five years
(FY2022 through FY2026) for the Secretary of Agriculture—acting through the
Chief of the FS—and directed the allocation of those funds across several
activities related to conducting forest restoration activities on federal and
nonfederal land.23 At least five of the specified activities included an assistance
component.24

18 P.L. 117-58. The law also established forestry assistance programs in the Department of the Interior. Although
outside of the scope of this report, these provisions are identified in footnotes for informational purposes.
19 Additional funds may be identified as authorized for forestry assistance-related activities as more information
becomes available and the FS begins to implement the provisions.
20 Additional funds may be identified as appropriated for forestry assistance-related activities as more information
becomes available and the FS begins to implement the provisions.
21 P.L. 117-58 §40803(a). This section also authorized funding for the Department of the Interior for establishing a pilot
program to provide financial assistance to local governments for the acquisition of equipment to modify vehicles into
fire engines.
22 Additional assistance programs may be identified as more information becomes available and the FS begins to
implement the provisions.
23 P.L. 117-58 §40804(a). This section also authorized funding for the Department of the Interior for establishing a
grant program for implementing cross-boundary ecosystem restoration programs.
24 Additional assistance programs may be identified as more information becomes available and the FS begins to
implement the provisions.
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 Section 40808—Joint Chiefs Landscape Scale Restoration Partnership
(JCLRP) Program authorized $180 million over two years (FY2022 and
FY2023) for the Secretary of Agriculture—acting through the Chief of the FS
and the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)—for
conducting landscape restoration activities to mitigate wildfire risk, protect water
quality and quantity, and improve wildlife habitat on eligible private, tribal, state,
and federal lands. The law allocated at least 40% of the authorized funds to FS, at
least 40% to NRCS, and 20% may be allocated for program administration or
other related purposes.
In some cases, Congress authorized funding for specific activities that do not directly correspond
to existing programs. In addition, the law provided varying levels of additional congressional
direction or details on implementation across provisions. In some cases, the law directed the FS to
provide assistance, with no additional direction. In other cases, the law provided additional
direction pertaining to either the type of assistance (e.g., financial), instrument (e.g., grants,
loans), or other implementation requirements (e.g., eligible recipients, matching requirements). In
still other cases, the law directed FS to perform certain activities on federal and nonfederal land,
but did not specify that the activity on nonfederal land was an assistance program per se. Such
programs are included herein as assistance programs, until and unless program implementation
details become available and suggest otherwise. Due to these reasons, it remains unclear how the
IIJA’s provisions will be implemented by FS, including whether they will be implemented as new
programs or as part of existing programs. As such, they are included in this section but not as
stand-alone programs in the “Forest Service Assistance Programs” section of this report.
Table 3 describes the provisions of relevant sections of the IIJA.
Table 3. Forest Service Assistance Authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and
Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58)
Authorized
Funding
Assistance
Assistance
Eligible
Additional Congressional
Section
(millions)a
Type
Purpose
Recipients
Direction
Section 40803: Wildfire Risk Reduction
(c)(4)
$30
Unspecified
Establish and
States, Indian
None
financial
operate
tribes,
assistance
reverse-911
localities
operations
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Authorized
Funding
Assistance
Assistance
Eligible
Additional Congressional
Section
(millions)a
Type
Purpose
Recipients
Direction
(c)(12)
$500
Grants
Establish
At-risk
Specifies the fol owing criteria to the
and (f)
Community
communities
CWDG awards:
Wildfire
(defined at

Grants to develop or revise
Defense
16 U.S.C.
CWPPs may be up to $250,000
Grants
6511),
and require at least a 10%
(CWDGs) to
including
nonfederal cost-share.
develop or
Indian tribes
revise

Grants to implement CWPP
community
projects may be up to $10 mil ion
wildfire
and require at least a 25%
protection
nonfederal cost-share.
plans
Directs the FS to prioritize projects in
(CWPPs) or
communities that are at high or very
implement
high wildfire hazard potential or low-
CWPP
income, or have experienced a severe
projects
disaster. Authorizes cost-share
waivers for underserved communities
and specifies that funding is not
available to communities without
specified wildfire-related building
ordinances and located within the
continental United States.b
(c)(17)
$8
Unspecified
Provide
Firewood
None
financial
feedstock and
banks
assistance
fund
operations of
firewood
banks
40804: Ecosystem Restoration
(b)(3)
$400
Financial
Establish,
Wood
Specifies that financial assistance is
and
assistance,
expand,
processing
available for entities with wood
(d)(3)
including
retrofit, or
facilities
processing facilities established or
loans or
otherwise
planning to be established in close
loan
improve
proximity to units of federal land and
guarantees
facilities that
Indian forest and rangeland classified
use
as in very high or high need of
byproducts
vegetation removal for forest health
from specified
purposes, and which the presence of
ecosystem
the facility would or does substantially
restoration
decrease the cost of restoration
projects
projects on federal land.
(b)(5)
$50
Grants
Establish
States, Indian
None
rental
tribes
programs for
temporary
water
crossing
structures
used in timber
harvesting
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Authorized
Funding
Assistance
Assistance
Eligible
Additional Congressional
Section
(millions)a
Type
Purpose
Recipients
Direction
(b)(6)
$100
Grants
Eradication of
None
In addition to the grants, specifies that
invasive
specified
the funding authorized in this section
species on
is available for activities related to the
nonfederal
detection, prevention, and eradication
and federal
of invasive species, including research
land
and detection at points of entry.c
(b)(9)
$130
Unspecified
Establish a
None
Also directs the FS to implement the
assistance
national
specified
National Seed Strategy for
revegetation
Rehabilitation and Restoration.d
effort on
federal and
nonfederal
land
(b)(10)
$80
Unspecified
Establish an
None
Directs FS, in coordination with the
and (f)
assistance
aquatic
specified
Department of the Interior, to solicit
landscape
col aboratively developed proposals
scale
for funding of up to $5 mil ion for 5-
restoration
year projects to restore fish passage
program on
or water quality on federal and
federal and
nonfederal land and to prioritize for
nonfederal
selection proposals that would result
lands
in the most miles of stream
restoration for the lowest amount of
federal funding.
40808: Joint Chiefs Landscape Restoration Partnership Program (JCLRP)
a-h
$180 (for
Unspecified
Assist
Landowners
Formalizes the JCLRP, a joint program
FY2022 and
assistance
landowners to (for activities
administered by the FS and Natural
FY2023 only)e
implement
on state,
Resource Conservation Service
eligible
tribal, and
(NRCS) and authorizes FS to conduct
activities to
private land)
eligible activities on NFS land and
reduce
NRCS to conduct eligible activities on
wildfire risk,
private and tribal land.
protect water
quality or
supply, or
improve
habitat for at-
risk species
Source: CRS.
Notes: This table includes provisions of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA, P.L. 117-58) that
authorize assistance to nonfederal entities (e.g. states, individuals, nonprofit organizations) that is to be
administered by the Forest Service (FS). The authorities listed also may apply to other agencies, as noted.
a. Unless otherwise noted, funding is authorized from FY2022 through FY2026.
b. This section of the IIJA does not include a definition of low-income or underserved.
c. The IIJA also makes $100 mil ion available to the Department of the Interior for these purposes.
d. For more information, see USDA Supporting the National Native Seed Strategy, Press Release, August 4,
2021, available at https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2017/03/13/usda-supporting-national-native-seed-
strategy. See also the Bureau of Land Management’s National Seed Strategy website available at
https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/native-plant-communities/national-seed-strategy.
e. The IIJA authorized $180 mil ion combined for FY2022 and FY2023 for FS and the Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS). IIJA specified that not less than 40% of the funds shall be allocated to the FS,
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not less than 40% shall be allocated to NRCS, and the remaining 20% is to be available for program
administration and other purposes, as determined by the Chiefs of the FS and NRCS.
IIJA Appropriations
The IIJA appropriated $1.53 billion total for the five-year period from FY2022 through FY2026
to the FS’s State and Private Forestry (SPF) account, the primary account through which FS
receives funding for assistance programs. This figure likely represents a minimum amount of
funding provided for assistance purposes, since it is possible that IIJA appropriations provided to
other FS accounts also will be used for assistance purposes. Congress directed the SPF funding to
be provided in equal amounts of $305.4 million annually across those five years and further
allocated some of the funding toward new and existing assistance programs:
 $718.0 million total ($143.6 million annually) for implementing IIJA Sections
40803 and 40804.
 $500.0 million total ($100.0 million annually) for implementing the Community
Wildfire Defense Grant program established in IIJA Section 40803(c)(12) and (f).
 $88.0 million total ($17.6 million annually) for the State Fire Assistance program
(see “Cooperative Fire Protection: State Fire Assistance (SFA)” for more
information).
 $20.0 million total ($4.0 million annually) for the Volunteer Fire Assistance
program (see “Cooperative Fire Protection: Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA)” for
more information).
 Up to 3% ($45.8 million in total, $9.2 million annually) for salaries, expenses,
and administration.
 Up to 0.5% ($7.6 million in total, $1.5 million annually) for oversight purposes.

Author Information

Anne A. Riddle
Katie Hoover
Analyst in Natural Resources Policy
Specialist in Natural Resources Policy

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Forest Service Assistance Programs

Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and
under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not
subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in
its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or
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copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.

Congressional Research Service
R45219 · VERSION 6 · UPDATED
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