On
March 8, 2004, the IRS released a Revenue Ruling for FLEP
funds. This ruling
is retroactive to any funds received in 2003 as well as any
future funds.
To start FLEP, $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2003 was allocated
to each Forest Service Regional/Area/Institute Office. These
funds were distributed to the States after concurrence with
the State Priority Plan by the appropriate Forest Service
unit. States are spending their funds. To help fight the extensive
wildfires in the 2003 season, $40 million of out-year funds
was taken from FLEP. No funds were released for FLEP in fiscal
year 2004. The FY 2005 federal budget took away $20 million
dollars from the FLEP budget. Of the remaining approximately
$20 million, $5 million was released to the field in November
of 2004 and about $10 was released to the field in April of
2005. There is currently $5 million left in CCC funds for
FLEP for fiscal year 2006.
Program Purpose
The Forest Land Enhancement Program
(FLEP) was part of Title VIII of the 2002 Farm Bill.
FLEP replaces the Stewardship Incentives Program (SIP)
and the Forestry Incentives Program (FIP).
FLEP is optional in each State and is a voluntary program
for non-industrial private forest (NIPF) landowners.
It provides for technical, educational, and cost-share
assistance to promote sustainability of the NIPF forests.
The Interim Rule for FLEP was
published June 9, 2003 and had a 60 day comment period. The
Interim Rule, Interim Directive and a copy of the law are
available below.
Program
Activities
State Forestry Agencies in coordination with
their State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committees will
develop a State Priority Plan for FLEP.
This Plan will provide the details for how the FLEP
funds will be utilized, including minimum acres, maximum acres,
aggregate payment, use for technical, educational and cost-share
assistance, and all other factors for the program.
Landowners will have to have a forest management
plan to be eligible for cost-share.
The practices to be cost-shared and the cost-share
rate will be described in the State Priority Plan.
Eligibility
FLEP is available for all NIPF
land owners.
The cost-share practices are limited to the treatment
of 1,000 acres per year with an aggregate payment not to exceed
$100,000 for the life of this Farm Bill.
A waiver for the treatment of up to 5,000 acres is
available if significant public benefit is shown.
The waiver is granted through the State Forester and
approved by the Regional Forester.
There is no limit to the amount of forest land owned
by an individual as long as the person qualifies as and NIPF
owner.
For information about how FLEP will operate
in your state, please contact your State Forestry agency.
Your State Forester can be found on the National Association
of State Foresters web site: http://www.stateforesters.org
and go to the Directory of State Foresters.
- FLEP Briefing
paper
- Title
VIII FLEP Law
- Civil
Rights Impact Analysis
- FLEP
Interim Rule June 9, 2003
- FLEP
Interim Directive
- Landowner
Comments
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