Section 47.65. County forest times standards grant program.

 

(1)   Purpose. The purpose of this section is to establish standards and procedures for implementation of a grant program to contribute funds towards accomplishing sustainable forestry practices which have been identified through the county forest time standards calculation for county forests, pursuant to the authority under s. 28.11 (5r) (b) , Stats.

(2)   Applicability. This section is applicable to those counties that have land entered under s. 28.11 (4) , Stats., as county forest and which apply for an adjustment from the calculated level of technical forestry assistance provided by the department's division of forestry as established under the county forest time standards calculation.

(3)   Definitions. As used in this section:

(a) "Comprehensive county forest land use plan" means the document governing management of the county forest which has been approved by the county board and the department, under s. 28.11 (5) , Stats.

(b) "County" means a county that has entered county-owned land under the county forest law, in ss. 28.10 and 28.11 , Stats.

(c) "County forest time standards" means to the agreement between the department and a county that quantifies the amount of technical forestry assistance the department provides to the county to fulfill s. 28.11 (5) and (6) , Stats., responsibilities.

(d) "Fiscal year" means the time period commencing on July 1 and ending on June 30.

(e) "Nonprofit organization" has the same meaning as non-profit corporation, as described in s. 181.0103 (17) , Stats.

(f) "Sustainable forestry" has the meaning given in s. 28.04 (1) (e) , Stats.

(g) "Technical forestry assistance" means department staff time provided to assist a county in accomplishing the activities described in the county forest time standards and consistent with a county's comprehensive county forest land use plan.

(4)   Eligible projects. To be eligible for a time standards grant, projects must meet all of the following requirements:

(a) Projects shall promote sustainable forestry on the county forest. Projects may include any of the activities identified through the county forest time standards which are not solely the responsibility of department.

(b) Projects shall be consistent with a county's comprehensive county forest land use plan under s. 28.11 (5) (a) , Stats.

(5)   Ineligible projects. Projects that are not eligible for a time standards grant include, but are not limited to:

(a) Purchase of equipment and supplies.

(b) Permanent staff salary or benefits.

(c) Upgrade or replacement of existing computer software and hardware.

(d) Land surveying.

(6)   Application procedure.

(a) Other than as provided in par. (c) , a county may apply for a time standards grant under this section for the project purposes described in sub. (4) . The application shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following:

1. Documentation of approval by county forestry committee as identified in s. 28.11 (3) (a) , Stats., specifying the county's decision to apply for a time standards grant.

2. The project description including an estimated cost breakdown and a short narrative describing the proposed work to be accomplished and how it directly relates to the calculated time standard activities, to be signed and approved by the county forest administrator.

3. The amount of grant funding requested to accomplish the proposed work and the corresponding reduction in technical forestry assistance as described in sub. (7) (e) .

4. Other information the department feels necessary and requests within 30 days following receipt of the application.

(b) Grant applications shall be for a minimum of $1,000.00 with a maximum not to exceed the equivalent of 25% of a county's calculated county forest time standard. Applications shall be filed by the county with the department's division of forestry.

(c) A county is ineligible to apply if any of the following occur:

1. Management or internal county policy is in opposition to the comprehensive county forest land use plan, under s. 28.11 (5) , Stats.

2. Previous unexpended funds from the grant program under this section are owed the department as described in sub. (8) (d) .

3. A county fails to comply within 3 years to department forestry audit recommendations.

(d) Applications shall be for a 4-year period, set in conjunction with the state biennial budget covering a period of 4 state fiscal years, 2 state budgets.

(e) Grant applications shall be accepted during the period from October 1 to December 31 in every other odd numbered year. Grant awards for those applications shall be made no later than July 31 of the subsequent odd-numbered year.

(f) Funding amounts requested in grant applications shall be considered final once submitted.

(g) Applications may be submitted and grants awarded at other times if resources are available and circumstances are warranted, as determined by the department.

(7)   Grant award procedure, funding rates and constraints.

(a) Payment of all grants shall be made by September 30 of the first year of the biennium. The grant covers a 4-year period, consequently the grant amount requested shall be split equally between the 2 state budget biennium. Funding in the second biennium is subject to inclusion of adequate funding in the state budget for that period.

(b) A grant under this section may be awarded to a county to contribute to the funding of a subcontractor for the purposes described in sub. (4) .

(c) The county shall submit information requested by and satisfactory to the department demonstrating project completion by January 31 st following each biennium.

(d) Funding rates shall be based on eligible applications received by the department and total available funding for each of the biennial budget periods. In determining funding, all of the following shall apply:

1. Total eligible funding shall be based upon an appropriation under s. 20.370 (5) (bw) , Stats., while reserving an amount of funds agreed to biannually by the department and a nonprofit organization that provides leadership and counsel to county forest administrators and that functions as an organizational liaison to the department as identified in s. 28.11 (5m) (am) , Stats., to address projected sustainable forestry grant project needs under s. NR 47.75 and funds to cover projected county forest administration grant needs under s. NR 47.70 , based on the previous year's eligible administration grant requests plus a projected five percent annual growth of administration grant requests.

2. If full funding is not available due to insufficient funds to provide grants applied for, the department shall offer the applicants the choice of receiving prorated funding for the project up to the amount of available funding described in subd. 1, or withdrawal of the application.

(e) The calculated rate for conversion of technical forestry assistance to time standards grant funding shall be calculated by adding the average department forester hourly cost, factored at 75% of the calculated average, and the average department forestry technician hourly cost, factored at 25% of the calculated average, based on actual salary, fringe, and supply rates for the fiscal year proceeding the application period.

(8)   Project completion accountability and audit procedures.

(a) Grant funds may be spent only on eligible activities as described in sub. (4) .

(b) All grant funds received from the department shall be deposited in the county state aid forestry account.

(c) All grant records shall be audited with the normal departmental audit of the county forest program.

(d) Any grant funds not spent on eligible costs by January 31 st of the year in which reporting is required under sub. (7) (c) shall be returned to the department. Failure to return the funds shall render a county ineligible for any future grants under this section.

(e) A county may maintain funds contrary to par. (d) upon written approval from the department.

(f) Project scope may be amended over grant period as requested by the county forest administrator and contingent upon approval by the department.

CR 14-036 : Cr. Register, May 2015, No. 713 , eff. 6-1-15; correction in (6) (d) and (7) (d) 2. made under s. 35.17 , Stats., Register May 2015 No. 713 .

Note

The mailing address is WI DNR, Division of Forestry, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921 Attn: County Forest Specialist. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 For example, applications shall be accepted from October 1 – December 31, 2013 for funding during state fiscal years 2016-2019. Grant awards shall be made no later than July 31, 2015. Application years: 2013, 2017, 2021, 2025, 2029, etc. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 For example, department vacancies. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 For example, project accomplishment reports for the fiscal year 2016 & 2017 biennium are due by January 31, 2018. Accomplishment reporting years: 2018, 2020, 2022, etc. The mailing address is WI DNR, Division of Forestry, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921 Attn: County Forest Specialist. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1