Forest Service: FY2017 Appropriations and FY2018 Budget Request

Forest Service: FY2017 Appropriations and FY2018 Budget Request

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June 13, 2017
Forest Service: FY2017 Appropriations and FY2018
Budget Request
The Forest Service (FS) is responsible for managing 193
($3.909 billion combined). Note that the FY2016 combined
million acres of land in the National Forest System (NFS);
WFM and FLAME appropriations were substantially higher
conducting forestry research; and providing assistance to
than the combined FY2015 appropriations ($2.636 billion)
state, local, private, and international forest owners. FS is
and included $700.0 million in emergency funding (and
an agency within the Department of Agriculture, yet it
designated outside of discretionary spending limits)
receives discretionary appropriations through the Interior,
provided to the WFM account and an increase of nearly
Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.
$0.500 billion to the FLAME appropriation.
For FY2017, total FS discretionary appropriations were
The next largest amount of FY2017 appropriations—27%
$5.596 billion (P.L. 115-31, Consolidated Appropriations
of the total ($1.513 billion)—went to the NFS account,
Act, 2017). This figure includes $342.0 million designated
which funds activities related to the management of the
as emergency funding and outside of discretionary spending
national forests and grasslands. The largest program within
limits. In total, FY2017 discretionary appropriations were
the NFS account, Forest Products (which funds timber sales
12% lower than the FY2016 appropriations of $6.364
planning and implementation), received $367.8 million in
billion. For FY2018, the Administration requested $4.732
FY2017.
billion, 15% less than FY2017 enacted level.
Figure 1. Share of Total FS FY2017 Appropriations
FY2017 Discretionary Appropriations
FS discretionary appropriations for FY2017 were almost
entirely in seven main accounts (see Table 1 and Figure 1).
The largest share—a combined 57% ($3.175 billion)—went
to two accounts: the Wildland Fire Management (WFM)
and FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund accounts.
The WFM account funds activities related to the
management of unplanned and unwanted fires, including
suppression of wildfires. The FLAME account funds
emergency wildfire suppression activities under certain
specified circumstances. The FY2017 WFM and FLAME

appropriations are $733.9 million below the FY2016 levels
Note: See Table 1 for account abbreviations.
Table 1. Forest Service (FS) Discretionary Appropriations by Account
Account
FY2016 Enacted
FY2017 Enacted % Change
FY2018 Request % Change
($ in millions)
($ in millions)
from
($ in millions)
from
FY2016
FY2017
Forest and Rangeland Research (FRR)
$291.0
$288.5
-1%
$259.0
-10%
State and Private Forestry (SPF)
237.0
216.9
-8%
118.0
-46%
National Forest System (NFS)
1,509.4
1,513.3
0%
1,747.4
15%
Capital Improvement & Maintenance (CIM)
348.2
348.0
0%
99.7
-71%
Land Acquisition (LA)
64.6
55.6
-14%
8.0
-86%
Wildland Fire Management (WFM)
2,386.3 [3,086.3]
2,833.4
-8%
2,495.0
-12%
FLAME
823.0
0.0 [342.0]
-58%
0
-100%
Othera
4.9
4.9
0%
4.3
-12%
Total
5,664.3 [6,364.3]
5,254.3 [5,596.3]
-12%
4,731.6
-15%
Source: P.L. 114-133 Division G; P.L. 115-31 Division G; FS FY2018 budget justification.
Notes: Figures in brackets represent total enacted appropriations, including funds provided outside of discretionary spending limits ($700.0
million in FY2016 and $342.0 million in FY2017). Percentage change is calculated using total figures, including funds subject to and outside of
discretionary spending limits.
a. In addition to the larger accounts listed, FS receives appropriations to several relatively small accounts, such as appropriations for the
Range Betterment Fund; gifts, donations, and bequests for research; and management of national forest lands for subsistence uses.
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Forest Service: FY2017 Appropriations and FY2018 Budget Request
The remaining accounts each received 6% or less of the
FY2017 enacted levels ($3,175.4 million, WFM and
total appropriations for FY2017:
FLAME combined). For more information, see CRS Report
R45005, Wildfire Management Funding: Background,
 The Capital Improvement and Maintenance (CIM)
Issues, and FY2018 Appropriations.
account received 6% of the total appropriations. It funds
FS efforts to provide and maintain facilities, roads,
National Forest System
trails, and other infrastructure needs, including
The request proposed $1,747.4 million for the NFS account
addressing the agency’s estimated $5.5 billion in
in FY2018, a $234.1 million (15%) increase over FY2017
deferred maintenance.
enacted levels ($1,513.3 million). The increase is due to a
proposed account restructuring that would shift $354.3
 The Forest and Rangeland Research (FRR) account
million from the Hazardous Fuels Reduction Program in the
received 5% of the total appropriations. It funds research
WFM account to the NFS account. Without the addition of
and development efforts to provide scientific
the proposed Hazardous Fuels Reduction funds, the NFS
information and new technologies to support sustainable
request is $120.2 million less than FY2017 enacted levels.
forest and rangeland management.
Within the NFS account, the Administration requested level
or increased funding for the Forest Products and Law
 The State and Private Forestry (SPF) account received
Enforcement Operations Programs. Among the cuts, the
4% of the total appropriations. It funds programs to
request proposed to eliminate funding for the Collaborative
provide assistance to nonfederal forest owners and to
Forest Landscape Restoration Program.
protect forests from insects, diseases, and invasive
plants. Included in this account is the Forest Legacy
Forest and Rangeland Research
Program, a cost-share grant program that receives
The request included $259.0 million for FRR, a decrease of
appropriations from the Land and Water Conservation
$29.5 million (10%) from FY2017 enacted levels ($288.5
Fund (LWCF; 54 U.S.C. §§200301 et seq.).
million). Funding for the Inventory and Monitoring
research focus area would remain relatively level under the
 The Land Acquisition (LA) account received 1% of the
proposal, but funding for the other research focus areas
total, which includes funds derived from the LWCF as
would be reduced.
well as from two smaller appropriations accounts. These
funds allow FS to acquire lands for conservation or
State and Private Forestry
ownership consolidation purposes.
The Trump Administration requested $118.0 million for
SPF for FY2018, a decrease of $98.9 million (46%) from
P.L. 115-31 specified that appropriations to most FS
FY2017 enacted levels ($216.9 million).The request would
accounts are to remain available through the end of
fund the Forest Stewardship program and the Forest Health
FY2020. Previous appropriations laws generally provided
Management Programs for both Federal and Cooperative
that FS appropriations could remain available until
Lands at reduced levels. The proposal would eliminate
expended.
funding for the Landscape Scale Restoration, Forest
Legacy, Community Forest and Open Space Conservation,
FY2018 Budget Request
and Urban and Community Forestry Programs.
The Trump Administration requested $4.732 billion in
discretionary appropriations for FS in FY2018. This request
Capital Improvement and Maintenance
is $1.026 billion below the FY2017 request and $0.865
The Administration’s request included $99.7 million for
billion below FY2017 enacted discretionary appropriations.
CIM, a decrease of $248.3 million (71%) from FY2017
The FY2018 request proposed cuts to all but one FS
enacted levels ($348.0 million). The request would fund the
account, compared to FY2017 enacted levels.
Facilities, Roads, and Trails Programs at reduced levels,
including a nearly $100 million reduction for the Roads
Wildland Fire Management and FLAME
Program. The proposal would eliminate funding for
The Administration’s request includes $2,495.0 million for
Deferred Maintenance and for the Legacy Roads and Trails
WFM for FY2018, a decrease of $338.4 million (12%)
Program, which funds infrastructure repair in areas where
from FY2017 enacted levels ($2,833.4 million). Part of this
degradation could impair water supplies or protected
decrease in WFM is due to a proposed move of the
species habitat.
Hazardous Fuels Reduction Program to the NFS account.
The budget would fund the Suppression Operations
Land Acquisition
Program at 100% of the rolling 10-year suppression-
The request included $8.0 million for LA, a decrease of
obligation average. The FS changed the methodology used
$47.5 million (86%) from FY2017 enacted levels ($55.6
to calculate the rolling average and shifted some funds to
million). The proposal would maintain existing staffing
the Preparedness Program. The request proposed to
levels but would not propose any new land acquisition.
eliminate funding for the FLAME reserve account instead
of splitting the funds for suppression activities between that
Katie Hoover, Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
account and the Suppression Operations Program. In total,
the FY2018 request of $2,495.0 million for all wildland fire
IF10670
management activities is $680.4 million (20%) below

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Forest Service: FY2017 Appropriations and FY2018 Budget Request

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