HB0078

Creates a forest health grant program administered by the state forester to fund eligible forest health projects on state, federal, local government, or private land.

• Establishes the forest health grant program to be administered by the state forester, who shall determine the application process and other program requirements. (W.S. 36-1-601(a))
• Specifies that grants pay for up to 75 percent of eligible forest health project costs on state, local government, or private land, with matching funds covering the remainder. (W.S. 36-1-601(b))
• Limits grants for forest health projects on federal land to 50 percent of project costs, and allows receipts from good neighbor authority projects to serve as matching funds. (W.S. 36-1-601(c))
• Identifies five categories of eligible forest health projects: enhancement of water yield or quality, reduction of catastrophic wildfire risk, increased forest product production, improvement of wildlife and livestock habitat, and other projects beneficial to forest health with public purpose. (W.S. 36-1-601(b)(i)-(v))
• Requires the attorney general to provide written certification of the legality of each grant and all related documents before a grant can be made. (W.S. 36-1-601(d))
• Creates the forest health grant program account to receive designated funds and donations; funds do not lapse at fiscal year end and remain available for grant purposes. (W.S. 36-1-601(e))
• Requires the state forester to submit an annual report by September 1 to the joint agriculture, state and public lands and water resources interim committee detailing all grants awarded, amounts, and funded projects. (W.S. 36-1-601(f))
• Establishes a sunset date of July 1, 2030, after which no new grants may be approved; unobligated funds remaining in the account on that date shall be returned to donors or revert to the general fund based on fund source. (W.S. 36-1-601(g))
• Appropriates three million dollars from the general fund to the forest health grant program account; funds do not lapse or revert except by further legislative action.