Forest Service Assistance Programs

June 7, 2018 – June 30, 2023 R45219

Forest Service Assistance Programs
Updated June 30, 2023
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). Some FS
assistance programs 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, including projects
that involve more than one ownership (i.e., state, local, and/or private ownership) and address
regional or national priorities (e.g., Landscape Scale Restoration, Forest Stewardship). Other
programs provide support for protecting forestlands from wildfires, insects, and diseases (e.g.,
Forest Health Protection, Cooperative Fire Protection). Others provide resources to prevent
forestland conversion (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).
Most—but not all—FS assistance programs are available nationally and are permanently
authorized to receive discretionary funding. Overall funding for the FS assistance programs was
$673.9 million in FY2022 and $797.0 million in FY2023, a substantial increase relative to
previous fiscal years. Much of the difference can be attributed to supplemental appropriations for
FY2022 and FY2023 provided through multiple laws, including the Infrastructure Investment and
Jobs Act (IIJA; P.L. 117-58) and the budget reconciliation measure commonly known as the
Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA;). IIJA and IRA are to continue to provide additional
funding for FS assistance programs for future fiscal years. IIJA and IRA also authorized and
appropriated funding for new FS assistance programs and activities, such as Community Wildfire
Defense Grants, and provided additional congressional direction for existing programs.
Congress often considers whether to authorize, reauthorize, amend, or repeal forestry assistance
programs, usually (but not exclusively) in a farm bill, periodic omnibus legislation to reauthorize
agriculture and food policy programs. The 118th Congress may do so through a FY2023 farm bill
cycle. The 118th Congress also may begin to consider the impacts, implementation, and
reauthorization, repeal, and/or expiration of IIJA and IRA. Other issues facing Congress include
oversight of forestry assistance programs, and funding levels of the forestry assistance portfolio.

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Contacts
Author Information ........................................................................................................................ 36

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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 igure 1).1 The federal
government has numerous programs to support forest management on those private forests and on
the 84 million acres (11%) of nonfederal public forests 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 “FS Assistance in the 117th
Congress: The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act”) and the budget reconciliation measure

1 The figure of 765 million acres reflects forestland in the conterminous United States, Alaska, and Hawaii, but does
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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known as the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA; P.L. 117-169; see “The Inflation Reduction
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.
Origin of Forest Service Assistance
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 on Forest Service Assistance
The House and Senate Agriculture Committees often examine forestry assistance programs in the
periodic omnibus legislation to reauthorize agriculture and food policy programs, commonly
known as the farm bill.3 The 2018 farm bill reauthorized, modified, and repealed existing FS
assistance programs and reauthorized requirements for statewide forest assessments.4 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—provided through
previous farm bills are scheduled to expire at the end of FY2023 unless Congress provides for an
extension or reauthorizes them.
In addition, the IIJA and IRA contained multiple provisions pertaining to FS assistance programs.
These included establishing new assistance programs, providing statutory authorization and
direction for existing programs, and appropriating funding. Some information on IIJA and IRA
program implementation is available as of the date of this report. Overall IIJA and IRA

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 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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authorizations and appropriations are discussed in the “FS Assistance in the 117th Congress: The
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and “Inflation Reduction Act” sections 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.
Eligibility to participate in FS assistance programs varies. Some programs are available to a
variety of recipients (i.e., nonfederal governments, nonprofit organizations, universities, or
others). Others are available exclusively to 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.5 Individual private
forest landowners are not generally eligible recipients for FS assistance, although they may be
under some programs authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act, depending on how such
programs are implemented (see “The Inflation Reduction Act”). 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.6 See Table 1 for a brief summary of the FS programs addressed in the “Forest Service
Assistance Programs” section of this report. Programs authorized by the IIJA and IRA are
addressed in the respective sections below.

5 States may request to receive one consolidated payment for all the authorized cooperative forestry assistance
programs (16 U.S.C. §2108).
6 For information on USDA conservation programs, see CRS Report R40763, Agricultural Conservation: A Guide to
Programs.
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Table 1. Forest Service Assistance Programs
(excluding Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act programs)
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
States, local
Forest
Restoration
$20 mil ion
governments
restoration
through
Indian Tribes,
projects
FY2023
nonprofit
organizations,
universities, and
Alaska Native
Corporations
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Authorization
Eligible
Primary
Program
Citation
Funding
Type
Recipients
Activities
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
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: Information on FS assistance provisions in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA, P.L. 117-58)
and budget reconciliation measure known as the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA, P.L. 117-169) is not
included here due to incomplete information about each law’s implementation.
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 CFAA7—
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

7 Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (CFAA; 16 U.S.C. §§2101 et seq.).
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• 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.8
The State Forest Action Plans are to be reviewed every 5 years and revised every 10 years.9 All
50 states, the District of Columbia, and 8 territories are covered by a State Forest Action Plan.
Each state must also publish an annual funding report and have a State Forest Stewardship
Coordination (FSC) Committee.10 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 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.
Forest Service Assistance Program Administration
FS assistance programs are implemented using three broad program structures:
• Programs directly implemented by the FS. In these programs, prospective
awardees apply directly to the FS, and the FS makes the funding decision and
award. Examples include the wood technology and innovation programs, the
Urban and Community Forestry program, and the Community Wildfire Defense
Grant program authorized in P.L. 117-58 (see “The Infrastructure Investment and
Jobs Act”).
• Two-tiered programs involving state governments and the FS. In these
programs, states select, rank, or otherwise choose if and how projects from their
state are considered by the FS, and the FS makes the final award decision. For
example, for the Forest Legacy Program (FLP), states are responsible for creating
a priority ranking of state projects, which the state forwards to the FS to compete
in a nationwide competitive process.

8 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.
9 For more information, see NASF, “Forest Action Plans,” at https://www.stateforesters.org/forest-action-plans/
keeping-the-plans-current/.
10 As authorized in the 1990 farm bill (§1222 of P.L. 101-624), 16 U.S.C. §2113(b).
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• State-administered programs. In these programs, states are the only eligible
recipients of funding. Funding may be competitive, or the FS may distribute
funding via formula grants. Examples include the Cooperative Fire, Forest Health
and Forest Stewardship programs.
The program structure of FS assistance programs may impact administration decisions. For
example, FS is directly involved in funding and project selection decisions for the programs they
administer, allowing the agency to choose projects that most closely reflect national priorities. FS,
however, may play a lesser role, or even no role, in project selection and/or uses of funding for
two-tiered or state-administered programs. State-administered programs may reflect more local
priorities and needs (subject to the federal authorizing statute). Two-tiered programs occupy a
hybrid space, where federal influence over project selection is moderated by state participation.
Therefore, administration of programs with this structure may reflect both federal and local
priorities.
In state-administered programs, states have numerous options for using the federal funding. These
options may include passing on funding or related resources to other groups, such as nonprofit
organizations, cities and counties, or landowners, through a variety of processes—for example,
through subgrants or through services provided free of charge to interested forest landowners.
States also may use the funding internally, such as for capacity building or program development.
In some cases, states may use funding to administer substantially similar programs, even though
the underlying federal statute does not require it. For example, many states use Volunteer Fire
Assistance (VFA) funding to issue subgrants to volunteer fire departments. In general, the
significance of FS assistance funding to state governments’ forestry budgets compared to other
sources is unclear.
Unlike other USDA programs related to land management, funding for FS assistance programs
has not generally been disbursed directly to landowners for land management purposes. Instead,
funding is available to other eligible recipients who determine the funding’s ultimate use.
Therefore, the impact of FS assistance programs on individual forest landowners—if any—is
generally indirect. Congress has recently authorized funding for FS assistance programs that are
explicitly intended for forest landowners to manage their property (see “The Inflation Reduction
Act”). It is unclear how administration of these authorities may differ from other FS assistance
programs, or how they may affect on-the-ground forest management.
Funding
Excluding programs in the IIJA and IRA, many FS assistance programs are available nationally
and are permanently authorized to receive discretionary funding. IIJA authorized discretionary
appropriations for a specified time period, primarily for new programs, and IRA provided
mandatory funding for existing programs, though the funding is available for many years.
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).11 The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) made the LWCF

11 54 U.S.C. §200301. For more information, see CRS Report R44121, Land and Water Conservation Fund:
(continued...)
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mandatory spending starting in FY2021.12 Mandatory funding for FLP was $83.8 million in
FY2022 and estimated to be $77.9 million in FY2023.13 The IRA provided additional mandatory
funding for FLP.
FY2022 and FY2023 funding reflects a substantial increase compared to historical funding trends
for FS assistance programs relative to historical funding. Until FY2021, funding for FS assistance
programs had remained relatively stable over the prior 10 years in terms of nominal dollars but
had declined in terms of inflation-adjusted constant dollars. FY2021 funding of $277.8 million
reflected a decrease in funding relative to earlier years, primarily due to changes in FS’s
budgetary structure (see Figure 2).14 These fluctuations are minor compared to FY2022 and
FY2023. In FY2022, Congress provided a total of $673.9 million in funding for FS assistance
programs, comprising $285.2 million of funding through regular FY2022 appropriations and
$355.4 million in supplemental funding, (see “Supplemental Appropriations for FY2022,
FY2023, and Beyond” text box).15 For FY2023, Congress provided a total of $797.0 million in
funding, including $307.6 million in regular discretionary appropriations and $453.4 million in
emergency-designated supplemental appropriations for FS assistance programs. Compared to
FY2021, funding more than doubled in FY2022 and increased by an additional 18% in FY2023.

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.
12 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.
13 Forest Service, FY2024 budget justification, p.55. 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.
14 In addition to GAOA shifting funding for the Forest Legacy Program to mandatory appropriations, the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, FY2020 (P.L. 116-260) established budgetary changes that separated out operations and salaries
costs, which resulted in decreases to account-level appropriations. 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.
15 Regular FY appropriations were not enacted by the start of the fiscal year, but two continuing resolutions (CRs)
provided funding at FY2021 levels through February 18, 2022.15 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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Figure 2. Funding for FS Assistance Programs, FY2014-FY2023

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. Figures in and after FY2021 also reflect funding
appropriated to the SPF account for salaries and expenses. Figures adjusted to FY2022 constant dol ars using the
Bureau of Labor Statistics annual consumer price index for all urban consumers (CPI-U), not seasonally adjusted,
converted to a fiscal year basis, series ID CUUR0000SA0.

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Supplemental Appropriations for FY2022, FY2023, and Beyond
The 117th Congress passed four bil s that appropriated supplemental funding for FY2022, FY2023 and, in some
cases, future fiscal years. These were
•
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.
•
The Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (P.L. 117-328, Division N) provided $510.0 mil ion to
several FS accounts for expenses related to wildfires, hurricanes, and other natural disasters in calendar year
2022. Of this, $148.0 mil ion was allocated to the FS SPF account for FY2023.
•
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA; P.L. 117-58) provided $1.53 bil ion total for the five-year
period from FY2022 through FY2026, allocated between preexisting FS assistance programs and for new
activities authorized by IIJA. Congress directed that the SPF funding be provided in equal amounts of $305.4
mil ion annually across those five years.
•
The budget reconciliation measure known as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA; P.L. 117-169) provided $2.75
bil ion in supplemental appropriations, to remain available from FY2022 to FY2031, allocated between
preexisting FS assistance programs and new activities authorized by the IRA.
Table 2. FS Assistance Discretionary Appropriations, FY2020-FY2023 Enacted and
FY2024 Requested or Available
(nominal dollars, in millions)
FY2024
FY2020
FY2021
FY2022
FY2023
Requested or
Program
Available
Community Forest & Open Space
Conservation
4.0
4.0
5.5
6.0
7.0
Cooperative Fire Protectiona
100.0
92.4
116.6
118.6
97.0
State Fire Assistance
82.0
73.4
75.0
76.0
76.0
Volunteer Fire Assistance
18.0
19.0
20.0
21.0
21.0
Supplemental
0.0
0.0
21.6
21.6
—
Forest Health Protectionb
100.0
46.2
48.0
150.0
55.0
Federal Lands
56.0
15.5
16.0
17.0
20.0
Cooperative Landsb
44.0
30.7
32.0
33.0
35.0
Supplemental
—
—
—
100.0
—
Forest Legacyc
64.0
-5.8
—
—
—
Forest Stewardship
21.0
11.9
12.0
12.5
14.0
Supplemental
—
—
—
—
—
International Forestry
12.0
15.4
17.0
20.0
22.0
Landscape Scale Restoration
14.0
14.0
14.0
17.0
14.0
Supplemental
—
—
—
—
—
Urban and Community Forestry
32.0
31.9
36.0
40.0
42.0
Supplemental
—
—
-—
—
16.6
Wood Technology and Innovationd
13.5
16.5
33.3
36.0
36.0
Salaries and Expensese
—
51.3
57.7
65.1
76.7
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FY2024
FY2020
FY2021
FY2022
FY2023
Requested or
Program
Available
Supplemental
—
—
-—
-—
17.6
Total
360.5
277.8
340.1
465.2
363.7
Other Supplemental Appropriationsf
—
—
333.8
331.8
—
Grand Total
360.5
277.8
673.9
797.0
363.7
Percentage of Total FS
Discretionary Appropriations
5%
4%
6%
8%
—
g
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 FY2024 Budget Justification, available from at https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/budget-performance.
Notes: Table reflects rescissions and supplemental funding as noted. The 117th Congress provided discretionary
supplemental appropriations for FS state and private forestry through three bil s: P.L. 117-43, the Extending
Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act; P.L. 117-328, the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2023; and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA, P.L. 117-58). These bil s provided discretionary
supplemental appropriations for a variety of purposes, including preexisting FS assistance programs and new
programs. The budget reconciliation measure commonly known as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA, P.L. 117-
169) funded forest assistance activities through mandatory appropriations, which are not included here. For
more information on IRA appropriations and authorities, see “The Inflation Reduction Act.” The programs in the
table are funded through the FS’s State and Private Forestry (SPF) account, unless otherwise specified. Columns
may not add due to rounding. For FY2024, the table includes requested funding from the FY2024 Forest Service
budget justification. This table does not include programs that have not received appropriations or requested
funding between FY2019-FY2024.
a. The Cooperative Fire Protection program is sometimes referred to as Cooperative Fire Assistance (CFA) for
appropriations purposes. FY2022 and FY2023 figures reflect $21.6 mil ion in supplemental funding through
the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58), allocated between SFA ($17.6 mil ion) and VFA
($4 mil ion). CFA was funded through the WFM account in FY2017, and in the SPF account starting in
FY2018.
b. 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: $100 mil ion in FY2023.
c. The Forest Legacy Program (FLP) figures reflect rescissions of $5.8 mil ion in FY2021. Starting in FY2021,
FLP is funded through mandatory appropriations and no discretionary funds were requested or provided.
d. 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.
See Forest Service FY2024 budget justification special exhibit on biomass and wood innovation, p. 30a-214.
e. 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.
f.
This entry reflects unallocated supplemental funding or supplemental funding for programs established in
IIJA not otherwise reflected in the table. Supplemental appropriations provided for preexisting FS assistance
programs are included under the relevant program. For more information on IIJA, see “The Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act.”
g. For information on FS discretionary appropriations, see CRS In Focus IF12141, Forest Service: FY2023
Appropriations; CRS In Focus CRS In Focus IF11974, Forest Service: FY2022 Appropriations; and CRS Report
R46557, Forest Service Appropriations: Ten-Year Data and Trends (FY2011-FY2020).
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Forest Service Assistance Programs
The following section provides basic information on each of the FS assistance programs
authorized prior to the 117th Congress, 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;
• statutory authority, recent amendments, and U.S. Code reference;
• expiration date of program authority unless permanently authorized; and
• program’s website link, if known.
Information for the following tables is drawn largely from agency budget documents and
presentations, explanatory notes, and websites.

Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program
(Community Forest Program)
Program purpose
The Community Forest program provides financial assistance to establish community
and description
forests for community benefits by 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.
FY2023 funding
$6.0 mil ion.
FY2024 Request
$7.0 mil ion.
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Statutory
Authorized in the 2008 farm bil (§8003), 16 U.S.C. §2103d.
authority

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

Cooperative Fire Protection: State Fire Assistance
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 as formula grants. A
requirements
minimum level of 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.
FY2023 funding
$83.6 mil ion ($76.0 mil ion through regular appropriations and $17.6 mil ion through IIJA;
$118.6 mil ion total provided for FP).
FY2024 Request
$76.0 through regular appropriations; FS is set to receive $31.6 mil ion in advance
appropriations for FY2024 through IIJA.
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
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 as formula grants. States
requirements
may use the funds 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.
FY2023 funding
$25.0 mil ion ($21.0 mil ion through regular appropriations and $4.0 mil ion through IIJA;
$118.6 mil ion total provided for FP).
FY2024 Request
$21.0 mil ion through regular appropriations; FS is set to receive $8.4 mil ion in advance
appropriations for FY2024 through IIJA.
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: 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 as formula grants based on nonfederal
forest acreage, among other factors.
FS appropriations
SPF Forest Health Management.
account/BLI
Funding authority
No specified authorization level.
FY2023 funding
$150.0 mil ion ($17.0 mil ion for Federal Lands; $33.0 mil ion for Cooperative Lands
through regular appropriations and $100.0 mil ion through supplemental emergency
appropriations).
FY2024 Request
$55 mil ion through regular appropriations ($20.0 mil ion for Federal Lands, $35.0 mil ion
for Cooperative Lands). FS is set to receive $12.9 mil ion in advance appropriations for
FY2024 through IIJA.
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.usda.gov/foresthealth/index

Forest Legacy Program
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.
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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.
FY2023 funding
$77.9 mil ion (mandatory appropriations).
FY2024 Request
$94.0 mil ion (mandatory appropriations).
Statutory
Authorized in the 1990 farm bil (§1217), 16 U.S.C. §2103c.
authority
Authorization
Permanent authority.
expires
Program website
https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/private-land/forest-legacy

Forest Stewardship Program
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.
FY2023 funding
$12.5 mil ion
FY2024 Request
$14.0 mil ion. $19.3 mil ion is available through IIJA.
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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.usda.gov/managing-land/forest-stewardship/program

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.
FY2023 funding
$20.0 mil ion
FY2024 Request
$22.0 mil ion
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), 16 U.S.C. §4501 et seq.
•
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.usda.gov/about-agency/international-programs

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Landscape Scale Restoration Program
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
States, tribes, nonprofit organizations, local governments, and land grant col eges or
requirements
universities are 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.
FY2023 funding
$17.0 mil ion
FY2024 Request
$14.0 mil ion. $100,000 is available through IIJA.
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

Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program
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 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.
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FY2023 funding
$40.0 mil ion
FY2024 Request
$42.0 mil ion. $16.6 mil ion is available through IIJA.
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.usda.gov/managing-land/urban-forests/ucf

Wood Technology and Innovation Programs
Program purpose
Several FS authorities and programs provide financial and technical assistance to develop,
and description
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 (Wood Innovations), a part of the broader Rural
Revitalization Technologies (RRT) program, provides cost-share grants to stimulate or
expand wood energy and wood products markets.
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 (Community Wood) 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 Community Wood program 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.
FY2023 funding
$36.0 mil ion
FY2024 Request
$36.0 mil ion
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.
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•
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 Community Wood 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 program expire in FY2023. HTTAR is permanently
expires
authorized.
Program website
https://www.fs.usda.gov/science-technology/energy-forest-products/wood-innovation
FS Assistance in the 117th Congress: The
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation
Reduction Act
The 117th Congress’ passage of IIJA and IRA significantly expanded the scope and scale of the FS
assistance portfolio. These laws authorized new FS assistance programs covering both new and
preexisting forestry issues, and appropriated substantial funding for FS assistance. The following
sections discuss the authorizations and appropriations in the laws.
Taken together, IIJA and IRA substantially expanded the FS assistance program portfolio through
FY2031—and particularly through FY2026, when IIJA’s provisions expire—including by
significantly increasing funding and authorizing multiple new programs. Particularly, IIJA and
IRA expanded the FS assistance portfolio by
• Addressing new issues that were not the main purpose of preexisting FS
assistance programs. IIJA added and funded programs that addressed seven new
issue areas: reverse-911 communications, firewood banks, community wildfire
defense, support for wood processing facilities, temporary water crossing rental
programs, invasive species, and aquatic landscape scale restoration—none of
which were the central subjects of preexisting FS assistance programs. The IRA
included six provisions expanding the purposes or providing additional direction
for existing FS assistance programs, including three provisions addressing a new
issue, forest carbon.
• Providing opportunities for the FS to design programs in uncharacteristic
ways, should the agency choose. For example, the IRA authorized funding for
the purpose of supporting individual forest landowners, which is atypical for FS
assistance programs—though it did not specify that funding necessarily be
disbursed directly to them, meaning the FS could organize the funding to be
state-administered. Other provisions did not specify the eligible recipients of
authorized funding; did not specify how funding should be awarded (i.e., which
recipients were eligible, processes for awarding funding) or otherwise left
implementation decisions open for agency interpretation.
• Providing substantial funding increases for FS assistance. Because the
funding authorized by IRA may by obligated by the FS at any point through
FY2031, the total annual funding available through IRA and IIJA together cannot
be predicted. However, IIJA alone—without considering the effects of IRA—
more than doubled the total FS assistance budget for FY2022 and FY2023.
Impacts on individual programs may be even greater. For illustration, IRA
provided $1.5 billion in funding for the Urban and Community Forestry program
from FY2022 and FY2031. If this was allocated evenly over those 10 years
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link to page 32 Forest Service Assistance Programs

($150.0 million a year), the annual funding would be nearly quadruple the
program’s annual FY2023 funding (approximately $40.0 million). This increased
funding increase is to allow FS to substantially expand the number and/or size of
projects initiated under FS assistance programs and expand funding transfers to
state governments.
IIJA and IRA also are a departure from typical legislative action on FS assistance in that Congress
acted on the FS assistance portfolio outside of the regular farm bill cycle. This may introduce
timing considerations if Congress were to act on IIJA and IRA forest assistance provisions other
than allowing them to expire (see text box “Forest Service Assistance Legislative Action: IIJA,
IRA and Farm Bill Cycle Timing”).
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
IIJA authorized and appropriated funding for a variety of FS forestry assistance, research, and
federal land management activities and programs.16
• IIJA authorized $4.29 billion for FS across the five-year period from FY2022 to
FY2026, of which $1.39 billion was authorized specifically for forestry
assistance activities. These provisions are summarized in the following section.
• IIJA appropriated $5.44 billion for FS across the five-year period from FY2022
through FY2026, of which $1.53 billion was appropriated specifically for FS’s
State and Private Forestry account for implementing forestry assistance activities.
These appropriations are summarized in the “IIJA Appropriations” section,
below.
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.17 At least three of the
specified activities included an assistance component.18
• 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

16 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.
17 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.
18 Additional assistance programs may be identified as more information becomes available and the FS begins to
implement the provisions.
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nonfederal land.19 At least five of the specified activities included an assistance
component.20
• 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 some IIJA provisions will be implemented by FS,
including whether they will be implemented as new programs or as part of existing programs.
Until sufficient detail is available on all IIJA provisions, and to ensure information on IIJA is
organized together for easy reference, 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.

19 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.
20 Additional assistance programs may be identified as more information becomes available and the FS begins to
implement the provisions.
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Table 3. Forest Service Assistance Authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58)
Authorized
FY2024
Section
Funding
Assistance
Assistance
Eligible
Additional Congressional
Implementationb
Funding
(millions)
Type
Purpose
Recipients
Direction
a
(Millions)
Section 40803: Wildfire Risk Reduction

(c)(4)
$30
Unspecified
Establish and States, Indian
None
CRS was unable to identify
$8.3c
financial
operate
tribes,
specific implementation
assistance
reverse-911
localities
information.
operations
(c)(12)
$500
Grants
Establish
At-risk
Specifies the fol owing criteria to
The FS has awarded funds to 100
$242.0
and (f)
Community
communities
the CWDG awards:
projects in 22 states and on the
Wildfire
(defined at 16
•
lands of 7 tribes. The next

Grants to develop or revise
Defense
U.S.C. 6511),
CWPPs may be up to
application period is expected to
Grants
including Indian
$250,000 and require at
be announced in 2023.e
(CWDGs)
tribes
least a 10% nonfederal cost-
to develop
share.
or revise
community
•
Grants to implement CWPP
wildfire
projects may be up to $10
protection
mil ion and require at least a
plans
25% nonfederal cost-share.
(CWPPs) or
Directs the FS to prioritize
implement
projects in communities that are
CWPP
at high or very high wildfire
projects
hazard potential or low-income,
or have experienced a severe
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.d
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Authorized
Assistance
Assistance
Eligible
Additional Congressional
FY2024
Section
Funding
Type
Purpose
Recipients
Direction
Implementationb
Funding
(millions)a
(Millions)
(b)(6)
$100
Grants
Eradication
None specified
In addition to the grants, specifies The first FS application period for $17.9g
of invasive
that the funding authorized in this a state capacity grant program
species on
section is available for activities
established under this section
nonfederal
related to the detection,
closed for applications on
and federal
prevention, and eradication of
December 16, 2022 and the
land
invasive species, including
application period for high-
research and detection at points
priority regional invasive species
of entry.f
projects closed on February 3,
2023.
(b)(9)
$130
Unspecified
Establish a
None specified
Also directs the FS to implement
FS has awarded some FY2022
$24.5
assistance
national
the National Seed Strategy for
funds through noncompetitive
revegetation
Rehabilitation and Restoration.h
grant awards to states and tribes
effort on
and is planning on offering
federal and
another round of noncompetitive
nonfederal
grant awards in FY2023.
land
(b)(10)
$80
Unspecified
Establish an
None specified
Directs FS, in coordination with
The FS has allocated $25.5
$0.1i
and (f)
assistance
aquatic
the Department of the Interior,
mil ion to 11 projects in 9 states
landscape
to solicit col aboratively
and Puerto Rico. Funded projects
scale
developed proposals for funding
were primarily on federal land,
restoration
of up to $5 mil ion for five-year
though some projects appear to
program on
projects to restore fish passage
include adjacent nonfederal land.
federal and
or water quality on federal and
In FY2023, the FS expects to
nonfederal
nonfederal land and to prioritize
solicit additional proposals for
lands
for selection proposals that
funding.
would result in the most miles of
stream restoration for the lowest
amount of federal funding.
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Authorized
Assistance
Assistance
Eligible
Additional Congressional
FY2024
Section
Funding
Type
Purpose
Recipients
Direction
Implementationb
Funding
(millions)a
(Millions)
40808: Joint Chiefs Landscape Restoration Partnership Program (JCLRP)

a-h
$180 (for
Unspecified
Assist
Landowners
Formalizes the JCLRP, a joint
Of the 39 JCLRP projects that
Not specified
FY2022 and
assistance
landowners
(for activities
program administered by the FS
received funding for FY2023, 3
FY2023 only)j
to
on state, tribal, and Natural Resource
received IIJA funds.
implement
and private
Conservation Service (NRCS)
eligible
land)
and authorizes FS to conduct
activities to
eligible activities on NFS land and
reduce
NRCS to conduct eligible
wildfire risk,
activities on private and tribal
protect
land.
water
quality or
supply, or
improve
habitat for
at-risk
species
Source: CRS, using the legislative text of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA, P.L. 117-58). Implementation information was obtained through a variety of
sources, including communication with the Forest Service’s (FS’s) legislative affairs office, annual budget justifications, infrastructure websites, program websites, and
resources published by the Biden Administration at https://www.whitehouse.gov/build/, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Maps Dashboard at https://d2d.gsa.gov/
report/bipartisan-infrastructure-law-bil-maps-dashboard. Funding information derives from the Forest Service FY2024 budget justification, Table FS-90.
Notes: This table includes IIJA provisions that authorize the FS to provide assistance to nonfederal entities (e.g., states, individuals, nonprofit organizations). The
authorities listed also may apply to other agencies, such as other U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agencies and the Department of the Interior (DOI) as noted.
This column provides information on funding for the respective IIJA provision, as specified in Table FS-90 of the FY2024 Forest Service budget justification. Funding
includes FY2024 appropriations, transfers, and carryover from FY2023. Funding is through the SPF account unless otherwise noted.
a. Unless otherwise noted, funding is authorized from FY2022 through FY2026.
b. Implementation information as of June 29, 2023.
c. The reverse-911 program is funded through the wildland fire management (WFM) account.
d. This section of the IIJA does not include a definition of low-income or underserved. For more information, see https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/fire/grants.
e. For more information, see https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/fire/grants and https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2023/03/20/biden-harris-administration-
invests-nearly-200m-bipartisan.
f.
IIJA also authorized $100 mil ion for DOI under this section.
CRS-26

g. The FY2024 FS budget justification specifies that $8.1 mil ion wil be available for federal lands and $9.7 mil ion wil be available for cooperative lands through the
preexisting Forest Health Protection program.
h. 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.
i.
The FS FY2024 budget justification lists this amount as being available for “Landscape Scale Restoration.” It is somewhat unclear if this funding refers to both the
aquatic landscape scale restoration program established in this section or the preexisting Landscape Scale Restoration program. For more information, see
https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/natural-resources/col aborative-aquatic-landscape-restoration.
j.
The IIJA authorized $180 mil ion combined for FY2022 and FY2023 for FS and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). IIJA specified that not
less than 40% of the funds shall be allocated to the FS, 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. For more information, see https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/
joint-chiefs-landscape-restoration-partnership.

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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. 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.
• In addition to amounts provided above, another $500.0 million for implementing
the Community Wildfire Defense Grant program established in IIJA Section
40803(c)(12) and (f). In total, the CWDG program received $1.0 billion in
funding ($200 million annually).
• $88.0 million total ($17.6 million annually) for the State Fire Assistance program
(see “Cooperative Fire Protection: State Fire Assistance” for more information).
• $20.0 million total ($4.0 million annually) for the Volunteer Fire Assistance
program (see “Cooperative Fire Protection: Volunteer Fire Assistance” 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.
See Table 2 for FY2024 appropriations information and Table 3 for specified IIJA programs and
authorities.
The Inflation Reduction Act
The budget reconciliation measure known as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funded several FS
forestry assistance, research, and federal land management activities through mandatory
appropriations.21 The IRA provided $5.00 billion in FY2022 mandatory appropriations for the FS,
to remain available for 10 years (through FY2031), of which $2.75 billion is for FS forestry
assistance activities:
• Section 23002—Competitive Grants for Nonfederal Forest Landowners
provided $550.00 million in FY2022 mandatory appropriations to remain
available for 10 years (through FY2031) allocated across five competitive grant
programs. Four of these programs are to be implemented under the authority of
16 U.S.C. 2109 (see “Landscape Scale Restoration Program”), and are focused
on supporting forest landowners in climate mitigation, carbon sequestration, or
forest resilience-related activities. The fifth program was an expansion of the
authority at 7 U.S.C. 7655d (the Wood Innovations grant program; see “Wood
Technology and Innovation Programs”).
• Section 23003—State and Private Forestry Conservation Programs provided
$2.20 billion in mandatory FY2022 appropriations to remain available for 10
years FY2031) allocated between the Forest Legacy Program (see “Forest

21 P.L. 117-169. The law included other provisions pertaining to the Department of the Interior. Although outside of the
scope of this report, some of these provisions are identified in footnotes for informational purposes.
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Legacy Program”) and specific activities under the Urban and Community
Forestry program (see “Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program”).
Congress generally provided funding for activities under existing programs. In most cases, the
law provided specific, additional direction for the purposes or uses of the funding beyond that
provided by the underlying authority. These are included below as separate assistance programs
for clarity’s sake (see Table 4). However, it remains unclear how the IRA’s provisions will be
implemented by FS, including whether they will be implemented as part of the existing programs
or separately (i.e., under separate requests for proposals under the existing program, or as
separate, named 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.22
Some questions remain regarding the specific meaning of some IRA provisions. For example,
many provisions under Section 23002 of the IRA are to be implemented under the authority of the
Landscape Scale Restoration program, which has broad eligibility criteria. However, several of
the IRA provisions refer to underserved landowners or landowners of parcels of a certain size. It
is unclear whether these terms authorize these groups as eligible recipients, refer to them as the
targets of the program’s benefits, both, or something else.

22 For additional information on IRA implementation, see the White House Inflation Reduction Act Guidebook, at
https://www.whitehouse.gov/cleanenergy/inflation-reduction-act-guidebook/.
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Table 4. Forest Service Assistance Funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (P.L. 117-169)
Appropriated
Implementationb
Funding
Assistance
Assistance
Underlying
Additional Congressional
Section
(millions)a
Type
Purpose
Programa
Direction
Section 23002: Competitive Grants for Nonfederal Forest Landowners
(a)(1)
$150
Competitive
Climate mitigation
Landscape
Requires 20% cost-share match,
CRS was unable to identify specific
grants
and forest resilience
Scale
which may be waived at the
implementation information.
practices in the case
Restoration
Secretary’s discretion; waives 50%
of underserved
(16 U.S.C.
matching requirement at 16 U.S.C.
forest landownersc
2109)
2109(h).
(a)(2)
$150
Competitive
Support participation Landscape
Requires 20% cost-share match,
CRS was unable to identify specific
grants
of underserved
Scale
which may be waived at the
implementation information.
forest landowners in
Restoration
Secretary’s discretion; waives 50%
markets for climate
(16 U.S.C.
matching requirement at 16 U.S.C.
mitigation or forest
2109)
2109(h).
resilienceb
(a)(3)
$100
Competitive
Support participation Landscape
Requires 20% cost-share match,
CRS was unable to identify specific
grants
of owners of forests
Scale
which may be waived at the
implementation information.
less than 2,500 acres
Restoration
Secretary’s discretion; waives 50%
in size in markets for
(16 U.S.C.
matching requirement at 16 U.S.C.
climate mitigation or
2109)
2109(h).
forest resilience
(a)(4)
$50
Competitive
Provide payments to
Landscape
Requires 20% cost-share match,
CRS was unable to identify specific
grants
owners of private
Scale
which may be waived at the
implementation information.
forest land to
Restoration
Secretary’s discretion; waives 50%
implement practices
(16 U.S.C.
matching requirement at 16 U.S.C.
to increase carbon
2109)
2109(h). Payments shall not
sequestration
preclude landowners from
participating in other “public and
private sector financial incentive
programs.” States and “other
eligible entities” are eligible.
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Appropriated
Implementationb
Funding
Assistance
Assistance
Underlying
Additional Congressional
Section
(millions)a
Type
Purpose
Programa
Direction
(a)(5)
$100
Competitive
In addition to other
Wood
Grant amounts limited to $5 mil ion; CRS was unable to identify specific
grants
purposes of Wood
Innovations
recipients must provide at least 50%
implementation information. It is unclear
Innovations grant
grant
cost-share match using nonfederal
if this provision wil be implemented
program, construct
program (7
funding.
separately from the broader Wood
facilities to further
U.S.C. 7655d)
Innovations grant program (see “Wood
the program’s
Technology and Innovation Programs”).
purposes and haul
hazardous fuels for
utilization
23003: State and Private Forestry Conservation Programs
(a)(1)
$700
Competitive
Projects for the
Forest Legacy None
CRS was unable to identify specific
grants
acquisition of land
Program (16
implementation information. It is unclear
and interests in land
U.S.C.
if this provision wil be implemented
2103(c))
separately from the broader Forest
Legacy Program (see “Forest Legacy
Program”).
(a)(2)
$1,500
Competitive
In addition to other
Urban and
Nonfederal cost-share may be
For FY2023, FS allocated $250 mil ion to
grants
purposes of Urban
Community
waived at the Secretary’s discretion.
state and territorial governments to
and Community
Forestry (16
States, local governments, the
provide urban forestry subgrants. The FS
Forestry grant
U.S.C.
District of Columbia, governments
also issued a Notice of Funding
program, provide
2105(c))
of insular areas (as defined in
Opportunity for grants under this section
multiyear,
section 1404 of the National
on April 12, 2023, which closed on June
programmatic grants
Agricultural Research, Extension,
1, 2023.
for tree planting and
and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7
related activities
U.S.C. 3103), Indian tribes, and
nonprofit organizations are eligible
for funding.
Source: CRS.
Notes: This table includes provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA, P.L. 117-169) that fund assistance to nonfederal entities (e.g., states, individuals, nonprofit organizations)
that is to be administered by the Forest Service (FS). Al provisions referred to an existing Forest Service assistance program under which the grants were to be made. For more
information on those programs’ provisions, see the respective report section. Each authority listed above complies with the underlying program’s provisions unless otherwise
noted. The FY2022 funding is to remain available through FY2031.
a. Eligible recipients are based on the underlying program, unless otherwise noted in the “Additional Congressional Direction” column.
b. Implementation information as of June 29, 2023.
c. This section of the IRA does not include a definition of underserved.
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Issues and Options for Congress
Oversight
The amount of information available about the uses and impacts of FS assistance program
funding is varied. For some programs, detailed information on program expenditures and project
results is available.23 In other cases, little information is available on uses of program funding,
particularly for formula grants to states, where most expenditures occur at the state level. In the
past, the FS and state governments have faced allegations of impropriety regarding award and use
of FS assistance funds.24 One option for Congress may be to conduct oversight of various aspects
of the FS's administration of assistance programs, such as:
• What specific activities have been funded, such as the nature of funded
activities, the geographic location of activities, and the types of partners who
have received funding.
• How funds are awarded, such as whether processes are competitive and
transparent, both at the federal and state levels;
• The impacts of funded activities, using whatever metrics Congress determines,
including measures specific to individual programs’ intended purposes. For
example, Congress may seek to determine if wildfire incidence or severity was
reduced in areas that received funding from the Cooperative Fire programs. This
could include seeking information on FS assistance funding’s significance to
states, such as its share of state forestry budgets.
Options for conducting oversight include directing the FS to inventory or report on the desired
aspects of IIJA and IRA implementation, seeking outside programmatic analysis (e.g., from the
Government Accountability Office, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and
Medicine, or similar groups equipped to provide in-depth program analysis) or, in the case of
concerns about impropriety, seeking assistance from the USDA Office of the Inspector General.
Unless Congress also addressed assistance programs legislatively (see “A Next Farm Bill,”
below), an oversight approach could allow the FS and the states to maintain their current
administration of the laws.
A Next Farm Bill
The forestry title of the farm bill generally reauthorizes, amends, repeals, and creates new FS
assistance programs to address a wide variety of forestry issues. Although the FS assistance
portfolio has fluctuated over time, with changes to the number of programs and the issues they
address, the basic approach to FS assistance has remained the same: provide financial and
technical assistance to institutions and groups (i.e., states, local governments, nonprofits,
businesses, and others) to implement forest-related projects and build capacity in forestry.

23 For example, see the information on funded projects and project accomplishments under the wood technology and
innovations programs at https://www.fs.usda.gov/science-technology/energy-forest-products/wood-innovation, or
under the Community Forest program at https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/private-land/community-forest.
24 For example, the FS and the State of Alaska were alleged to have improperly awarded and used FS assistance
funding for participating on a rulemaking process regarding federal forests. For more information, see CRS Report
R46505, The Alaska Roadless Rule: Eliminating Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRAs) in the Tongass National Forest, by
Anne A. Riddle.
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An issue for the potential 2023 farm bill includes whether (and how) to address the FS assistance
provisions that expire in FY2023: the funding authorization for the Landscape Scale Restoration
program, and the authorities for the RRT and Community Wood programs. Congress may
particularly consider the entire portfolio of wood technology and innovation programs in deciding
whether to reauthorize and/or amend RRT and Community Wood, or allow them to expire. For
example, Congress may determine that some programs could be allowed to expire without
substantial losses of wood technology assistance programming, or that programs with similar
missions could be combined. Congress also may consider the FS assistance programs authorized
in IIJA and IRA, although the timing of those bills’ expirations may complicate their
consideration in the farm bill (see “IIJA and IRA” and the “Forest Service Assistance Legislative
Action: IIJA and IRA and Farm Bill Cycle Timing” text box).
IIJA and IRA
IIJA and IRA substantially expanded the FS assistance portfolio for the near term. The amount of
information available about the uses and impacts of forest assistance provisions of the bills is
varied. For some provisions, detailed information on expenditures is available.25 In other cases,
little information is available on allocations and uses of program funding, for a variety of reasons,
including the relatively short time since the bills’ passage (particularly IRA), distribution and
administration through state partners, and others. As with all FS assistance programs, an option
for Congress may be to conduct oversight of various aspects of the FS’s administration of the
bills, such as how IIJA and IRA forest assistance funding is being used and the impacts of that
funding (see “Oversight” for further discussion). Congress also may be interested in how IIJA and
IRA programs are being administered, particularly for authorizations that did not specify certain
implementation details, including how funding is awarded (e.g., through competitive processes or
formula processes), what recipients are eligible, and similar issues. Congress also may be
interested in how funding is being obligated over time, particularly IRA funding. Options for
conducting oversight of IIJA and IRA are similar to those discussed in the “Oversight” section,
including directing the FS to inventory or report on the desired aspects of IIJA and IRA
implementation, or seeking outside programmatic analysis (e.g., from GAO, the National
Academies, or similar groups equipped to provide in-depth program analysis).
Unless Congress were to address IIJA and IRA legislatively, the bills will expire in FY2026 (for
IIJA) and FY2031 (for IRA). Should Congress seek to act legislatively on the forestry assistance
provisions of IIJA and IRA prior to their expiration Congress’ options include acting on the bills’
legislative provisions directly, or acting to incorporate aspects of those provisions into other
legislation—using IIJA and IRA as examples for further legislative activity. Some options include
• Legislation that Reauthorizes, Repeals, or Amends the FS Assistance
Provisions of IIJA and IRA. Congress may consider repealing, reauthorizing, or
amending some or all of the forestry provisions in IIJA and IRA. Reauthorizing
all of the provisions would maintain the increased size and topical breadth of the
FS assistance portfolio, and would allow the FS to maintain its implementation of
IIJA and IRA provisions, including determining program design in applicable
situations. Conversely, repealing all of the programs could result in forgone
projects and the loss of dedicated programs for some issue areas from the FS
assistance portfolio, while potentially reducing federal budget outlays and/or

25 For example, see the information on funded projects and project accomplishments under the wood technology and
innovations programs at https://www.fs.usda.gov/science-technology/energy-forest-products/wood-innovation, or
under the Community Forest program at https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/private-land/community-forest.
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Forest Service Assistance Programs

eliminating programs that aren’t functioning as Congress intended. Congress also
could take a program-by-program approach to repealing, reauthorizing, and/or
amending individual provisions, particularly if program impacts are mixed.
Repeal of IIJA and IRA forest assistance provisions would likely also need to
address funds appropriated for the provisions (see below). Reauthorization may
have special timing considerations (see the “Forest Service Assistance
Legislative Action: IIJA, IRA and Farm Bill Cycle Timing” text box).
• Legislation that Creates New FS Assistance Programs. Under such an
approach, Congress could create new FS assistance programs incorporating
whatever features of IIJA and IRA forestry assistance programs Congress
desires—such as the programs’ purposes, eligibility and/or selection criteria,
authorizations for funding, or others. This approach could allow Congress the
freedom to design new programs informed by IIJA and IRA, without directly
relying on IIJA and IRA’s existing legislative provisions. This approach could
“overlap” in time with IIJA and IRA, in which case, direction to the agency to
integrate the programs could be needed to avoid risking duplication of IIJA and
IRA programming. Or, this approach could be used after IIJA and IRA’
expiration, at the potential cost of lost institutional capacity or forgone projects in
the interim.
• Legislation that amends preexisting FS assistance programs to incorporate
issues addressed by IIJA or IRA. Congress could amend preexisting FS
assistance programs to include new issue areas or new authorized project types
that are the subject of IIJA or IRA programs. In some cases, the FS already
appears to administer some IIJA and IRA programs alongside preexisting
programs, which may indicate programs that can be combined or eliminated to
avoid duplication of effort.26
• Legislation that incorporates program design elements from IIJA and IRA
into preexisting FS programs. Congress could enact legislation amending
preexisting FS assistance programs to incorporate program design elements from
IIJA and IRA, either by amending the authorizing statute or by directing the FS
to adopt regulations or guidance.
• Legislation that Adjusts the Funding Levels Available through IIJA or IRA.
Both IIJA and IRA provided for funding in years after enactment: IIJA provided
advance appropriations for the years FY2022 to FY2026, and IRA provided
mandatory appropriations for the years FY2022 to FY2031. Congress could
reduce or increase the funding appropriated for future years. Congress could only
reduce funding if it was still available for obligation.27 The impacts of such an
approach would depend on the action Congress took and the provisions it
affected. Changing funding would likely affect the number of projects that could
be conducted under the relevant program(s); in the case of programs
administered as formula grants to states, it could also affect state capacity in
relevant issue areas or impact state forestry budgets.

26 For example, the FS appears to administer two grant programs authorized in IIJA alongside the wood technology and
innovation programs. See https://www.fs.usda.gov/science-technology/energy-forest-products/wood-innovation.
27 For more information see, CRS Report R43482, Advance Appropriations, Forward Funding, and Advance Funding:
Concepts, Practice, and Budget Process Considerations, by Jessica Tollestrup and Megan S. Lynch.
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link to page 37 link to page 13 Forest Service Assistance Programs

Forest Service Assistance Legislative Action: IIJA, IRA and Farm Bill Cycle Timing
Negotiations over the expected FY2023 farm bil may be shaped by the temporary expansion of the Forest Service
assistance portfolio through IIJA and IRA. However, the timing of those bil s’ passage and expiration (FY2021-
FY2026 for IIJA and FY2022-FY2031 for IRA) may complicate those negotiations. Since the Food, Agriculture,
Conservation and Trade Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-624), congressional action on FS assistance has been generally
focused within the forestry title of the farm bil , creating a predictable “forum” for Congress to address FS
forestry assistance. Few years would have elapsed since the passage of IIJA and IRA and the potential 2023 farm
bil cycle. This means, should Congress choose to act on IIJA and IRA in the future (see “IIJA and IRA”), timing
options include
•
Acting on IIJA and IRA through the potential FY2023 farm bil . In this case, relatively limited information on
IIJA and IRA’s implementation may influence Congress to act—or not—in ways it otherwise wouldn’t;
•
Waiting until IIJA and IRA’s expiration to act on the FS assistance provisions in the bil s. Doing so may require
Congress to depart from political norms on congressional action on FS assistance, and could face an
uncertain congressional environment for such actions, such as changes in control of Congress or competing
issues on the congressional agenda;
•
Allowing IIJA and IRA to expire, and addressing the provisions in the subsequent farm bil s. Doing so may
cause lapses in FS administration of the associated programs, creating inefficiencies if aspects of the laws are
continued, and may result in forgone projects; allowing IIJA and IRA to expire may also be desirable should
their implementation not meet congressional intent;
•
A hybrid approach, where Congress chooses to act on individual provisions when information availability and
political conditions make such action practicable.
If Congress were to reauthorize the IIJA and IRA provisions, modify them, or both, there would
be a range of potential fiscal impacts. If the legislative option were to include any new or adjusted
mandatory spending (i.e., by using IRA’s existing mandatory funding structure), then it could be
subject to congressional pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) or other budgetary rules. If the new mandatory
spending were to result in an increase in the deficit (in excess of the baseline), these rules would
require budgetary offsets through increasing revenue or decreasing other spending, unless
Congress were to waive or set aside these rules.28 If these provisions were included in a farm bill
(or similar legislation with many provisions), it is possible that offsets could come from unrelated
programs. Alternatively, Congress could fund the programs through the regular annual
discretionary appropriations process, like most preexisting FS assistance programs. This would
provide less certainty of funding from year to year, as funding for the programs would compete
with other congressional priorities within overall budget constraints. This option would also allow
Congress to exert more control of the programs through the discretionary appropriations process
and to annually evaluate the costs and benefits of the programs against other federal priorities.
Funding
Most FS assistance programs have permanent authorities and receive appropriations annually
through the discretionary appropriations process. Congress generally considers the appropriate
level of funding for FS assistance programs through the annual discretionary appropriations
process and, somewhat more rarely, through the enactment, amendment, reauthorization, or
expiration of statutes providing for mandatory spending for relevant programs (i.e., the Forest
Legacy Program, and the IRA). As described in the “Funding” section, funding for FS assistance
programs has remained relatively steady since FY2010, and is a very small fraction of the overall
FS budget (see Figure 2).

28 For an overview of federal budget procedures, see CRS Report 98-721, Introduction to the Federal Budget Process ,
or CRS Report R45789, Long-Term Budgeting within the Congressional Budget Process: In Brief.
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35

Forest Service Assistance Programs

An issue for Congress may be whether the size of the FS assistance budget reflects congressional
priorities. Federal funding for the Forest Service has generally focused on wildland fire
management (typically, but not entirely, on federal lands), and management of the National Forest
System. However, Congress is generally interested in cross-boundary forestry issues, such as
reducing wildfire risk, which require an “all-lands” approach for effective management. Congress
may consider whether the FS assistance budget is appropriate to address such cross-boundary
issues, given that it is the primary mechanism by which the federal government supports
nonfederal forest management. In light of the large funding increases provided by IIJA and IRA,
Congress also may consider the appropriate funding levels for FS assistance after the laws’
expiration (or before), possibly by considering oversight information about whether
implementation of those programs under current funding levels meets congressional expectations.

Author Information

Anne A. Riddle

Analyst in Natural Resources Policy

Acknowledgments
This report was originally written by Katie Hoover, former specialist in natural resources policy at CRS.

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.

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R45219 · VERSION 8 · UPDATED
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Agricultural Policy

Energy Policy

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