1. A. The commissioner shall determine the state's annual level of involvement in the Program. The determination shall be made upon recommendation from the commission. The commission shall base its recommendation on available program funding and landowner requests for program participation.
2. B. Financial assistance by the state to any one landowner participating in this program shall be limited to a total value not to exceed $15,000 during a fiscal year.

3. C. The state's participation under any cooperative agreement shall be limited to either or both of the following types of assistance:

   1. 1. a direct grant, for the purpose of assisting the landowner in implementing an approved forestry practice authorized by a cooperative agreement through the use of the landowner's resources or through the landowner's contacts with private firms; or
   2. 2. utilization of the state's personnel, equipment, or materials to implement an approved forestry practice authorized by a cooperative agreement, if private sector services are unavailable.
4. D. A direct grant shall not exceed the approved rate(s), as established in Subsection A, of the cost of implementing the cooperative agreement. In the event that state personnel, equipment, or materials are utilized to implement an approved forestry practice, the landowner shall be invoiced by the department for the cost of implementing the forestry practice. The landowner shall promptly pay such invoice and may subsequently submit the paid invoice for reimbursement under this program and these rules and regulations.
5. E. The current cost share rate(s) shall be posted on the Department website.
6. F. The state shall not provide reimbursement under this program for any forestry practice implemented by a landowner unless a cooperative agreement is on file with the department prior to implementation.

Authority Note

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 3:4412 and R.S. 3:4413.

Historical Note

HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Office of the Commissioner, LR 24:1679 (September 1998), amended by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Office of Forestry, LR 28:267 (February 2002), LR 34:2338 (November 2008), LR 41:2102 (October 2015), LR 42:733 (May 2016), LR 42:1868 (November 2016), LR 47:564 (May 2021).