Biomass Crop Assistance Program Implementation
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240
http://www.blm.gov
September 23, 2014
In Reply Refer To:
1212, 5000, 5200 (220) P
EMS TRANSMISSION 10/28/2014
Instruction Memorandum No. 2014-153
Expires: 09/30/2015
To: All Field Office Officials
From: Assistant Director, Resources and Planning
Subject: Biomass Crop Assistance Program Implementation
Program Areas: Forest and Woodland Management and Fuels Management
Purpose: This Instruction Memorandum (IM) authorizes the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) field offices to implement provisions in Section 9010, titled Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), of the Farm Bill (Pub. L. 113-79) as described in this IM. The BLM signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Services Agency (FSA) that allows the BLM offices to be reimbursed for providing technical services required to certify that biomass from the BLM projects meet certain requirements.
Policy/Action: Contractors or purchasers of the BLM Stewardship contracts, service contracts, or timber sales where biomass removal is part of the contract may be eligible to receive a matching payment for biomass delivered to an approved bioenergy facility. Contractors/purchasers will apply for the payment through FSA. The FSA will contact the BLM state office forestry program lead, who will forward the request to the field office responsible for the contract, to obtain an evaluation (Attachment 1). The evaluation is to certify that the biomass is a byproduct of a prevention treatment with at least one of the following objectives:
- Insect infestation containment or reduction;
- Disease containment or reduction; or
- Fire fuel load management or reduction.
Additionally, the evaluation certifies that the biomass harvest is in accordance with a Forest Stewardship or an equivalent plan which is fulfilled by a NEPA analysis that includes consideration of the forest and woodland resource and is conducted in accordance with the established the BLM policies and procedures. The field office manager is authorized to sign the evaluation form certifying the above stipulations in consultation with a forester. The BLM has committed to completing the evaluation within 30 days of receiving the request from a local FSA office. The evaluation is prerequisite to a contractor/purchaser receiving credit for biomass delivery. The BLM foresters and other personnel involved should document the time spent on collection of information and completion of each evaluation and submit it to the forestry program lead in each state office to coordinate reimbursement.
Time Frame: Effective upon issuance. The legislation authorizes funding for BCAP from fiscal year 2014 to 2018.
Budget Impact: BLM will be reimbursed for time spent implementing the MOA. Further development of biomass market from BCAP has the potential of reducing the cost of hazardous fuels reduction and forest health and resilience treatments.
Background: BLM engages in a number of activities that produce woody biomass such as silviculture treatments to restore fire resilient stand structure, hazardous fuels reduction, and thinning to mitigate forest mortality from stressors including insect and disease. The BLM policy has long supported the utilization of biomass from these types of treatments when economically viable and ecologically prudent. This program provides funds for the harvest and transportation of woody biomass from federal land to a bioenergy facility on a per ton basis. The funds are paid to the contractor or purchaser that has rights to the material such as in a Stewardship contract or a forest product sales contract.
Manual/Handbooks Sections Affected: None.
Coordination: This IM was coordinated with Forest, Rangeland, Riparian, and Plant Conservation (WO-220).
Contact: Additional information is available by contacting Wade Salverson, Stewardship/Biomass Forester (WO-220), at 202-912-7247, or Kathy Radigan, Public Domain Forester (WO-220) at 202-912-7433.
Signed by: Authenticated by:
Edwin L. Roberson Robert M. Williams
Assistant Director Division of IRM Governance,WO-860
Resources and Planning
3 Attachments