Title III Funds

On October 3, 2008, the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 was reauthorized as part of Public Law 110-343.  The new Secure Rural Schools Act has some significant changes.  To implement the new law, the Forest Service requested states and counties to elect either to receive a share of the 25-percent rolling average payment or to receive a share of the Secure Rural Schools State (formula) payment.  A county electing to receive a share of the State payment that is greater than $100,000 annually is required to allocate 15 to 20-percent of its share for one or more of the following purposes: projects under Title II of the Act; projects under Title III; or return the funds to the Treasury of the United States.  Title III funds are authorized as follows: 

• Title III funds may be used to carry out activities under the Firewise Communities program, to reimburse the county for search and rescue and other emergency services, and to develop community wildfire protection plans.
• Counties allocating funds for Title III projects must annually submit a certification that the funds were used in  accordance with Title III.
• The authority to initiate Title III projects terminates on September 30 2011.  Funds not obligated by September 30, 2012 must be returned to the Treasury.

According to Firewise Communities/USA, Title III projects shall use the county funds as follows:

1.    to carry out activities under the Firewise Communities program to provide homeowners in fire-sensitive ecosystems education on, and assistance with implementing, techniques in home siting, home construction, and home landscaping that can increase the protection of people and property from wildfires;

2.    to reimburse the participating county for search and rescue and other emergency services, including firefighting, that are-

a.    Performed on Federal land after the date on which the use was approved under subsection (b);

b.    Paid for by the participating county; and

3.    to develop community wildfire protection plans in coordination with the appropriate Secretary concerned.

Under section 302(a)(1), wildfire mitigation activities are limited to education and action on private land in neighborhoods, subdivisions, small towns and similar communities as described by the Firewise Communities program.