USDA Emergency Forest Restoration Program

​

Summary

Private landowners who have had wildfire damage to their property can receive 75% of the cost of work to restore the land reimbursed under this program. It is funded separately from FEMA, so the program is not affected by the decision that the Alexander Mountain Fire did not qualify as a Federal disaster.

Once all the appropriate government entities have met and put plans together, the first step for landowners will be to have an “environmental,” which is an inspection of the damaged area and the beginning of planning restoration. All recommendations made by the U.S. Forest Service to restore the land will be covered, up to a $500,000 maximum

Landowners must have suffered at least $1000 worth of damage. The land must be an area which was previously “forest” and which can be restored. It is absolutely critical for the area an owner wants to submit to the program be left untouched until the environmental is completed. That includes not driving a vehicle over the land. Any evidence of disturbance will disqualify the land from the program. Owners can choose to clear any section of land they don’t intend to submit to this program – for example clearing land immediately surrounding a home.

Once the U.S. Forest Service has laid out the plan, there will be “steps.” Each step must be complete and paid for before submitting to the USDA for reimbursement. (Example: Step 1 might be to cut down and remove burned trees. The trees need to be down, and out of the area completely. They can be cut into logs and stacked elsewhere for firewood – but completely off the affected land).

 

Step 1 reimbursement can be requested before beginning

 

Step 2, etc. to avoid being completely out of pocket for the entire project. The plan will indicate an expected timeline but can be adjusted seasonally if necessary.

 

Work can be done by either:
Hired contractors – get an invoice specifying exactly what work was completed. Invoice must be marked paid in full or have a cancelled check.

The Landowner – can declare his/her own hourly rate. Log hours and specify work completed.

Hand labor should be charged at a lower rate than when using equipment, which is considered “skilled” labor.

 

Renting equipment is a reimbursable expense. Purchasing equipment, maintenance and fuel are not reimbursable so the landowner should increase the hourly rate charged to cover the cost of fuel.

 

The program can also be used to clean up “blow down” or slash created as a result of fire-fighting efforts.

 

Each property should have one contact/owner named on the paperwork to avoid requiring multiple signatures on every form. To get on the list of interested landowners, email Rosanna.DeLutis@USDA.gov – reply may not be immediate but they are adding staff.