§ 2721. Vermont Forestry and Forest Products Viability Program
(a) The Vermont Forestry and Forest Products Viability Program is a voluntary program
established at the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation to provide assistance
to Vermont timber harvesters, foresters, and forest products manufacturers to enhance
the financial success and long-term viability of the Vermont forest products industry.
In administering the Program, the Commissioner shall:
(1) Collaborate with the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, the members of the Vermont
Wood Products Marketing Council, the Vermont Woodlands Association, the Vermont Loggers
Association, State agencies, federal agencies, private entities, and service groups
to develop, coordinate, and provide technical and financial assistance to Vermont
timber harvesters, foresters, and forest products manufacturers.
(2) Include teams of experts to assist timber harvesters, foresters, and forest products
manufacturers in areas such as assessing business resources and potential; researching,
developing, and adopting new technologies; improving product quality; developing value-added
products; finding and reaching new markets; improving and refining existing markets;
and lowering costs of production for Vermont’s forest products sector.
(3) Encourage economic development through investing in improvements to essential infrastructure
and the promotion of timber harvesters, foresters, and forest products manufacturers
in Vermont.
(4) Enter into agreements with private organizations or individuals or with any agency
or instrumentality of the United States or of this State and employ technical experts
to carry out the purposes of this section.
(5) In consultation with the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, other State agencies,
foresters, harvesters, and forest products manufacturers, establish:
(A) enrollment criteria for the Forestry and Forest Products Viability Program created
by this section;
(B) criteria for awarding grants from the Forestry and Forest Products Viability Program
Special Fund created by subsection (b) of this section. The grant criteria shall include
at least the following requirements:
(i) the grant recipients shall be enrolled in and committed to participating in the Forestry
and Forest Products Viability Program;
(ii) the grant application is developed in consultation with timber harvesters, foresters,
or forest products manufacturers;
(iii) the use of the funds will improve the economic viability of a timber harvester, forester,
or forest products manufacturer;
(C) performance goals, performance measures that demonstrate Program results, and other
criteria to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of the Forestry and Forest Products
Viability Program.
(b)(1) The Forestry and Forest Products Viability Program Special Fund is established in
the State Treasury and shall be administered by the Commissioner of Forests, Parks
and Recreation in accordance with the provisions of 32 V.S.A. chapter 7, subchapter
5, except that interest earned on the Fund shall be retained in the Fund. The Fund
shall be used only for the purpose of implementing and effectuating the Forestry and
Forest Products Viability Program established by this section. Any monies appropriated
by the General Assembly or received by the Commissioner of Forests, Parks and Recreation
for this Program from any other source, public or private, shall be deposited in the
Fund. The Fund shall be used only for the purposes of:
(A) providing funds for the Forestry and Forest Products Viability Program as established
in this section;
(B) providing funds to enrolled timber harvesters, foresters, or forest products manufacturers;
(C) providing funds to service providers for administrative expenses of the program; and
(D) leveraging other competitive public and private funds, grants, and contributions for
the Forestry and Forest Products Viability Program.
(2) The Commissioner of Forests, Parks and Recreation may solicit federal funds, grants,
and private contributions for the Forestry and Forest Products Viability Program.
(c) The Commissioner of Forests, Parks and Recreation shall report in writing to the Senate
Committees on Agriculture and on Natural Resources and Energy and the House Committees
on Agriculture and Forestry, on Energy and Technology, and on Natural Resources, Fish,
and Wildlife on or before January 31 of each year on the activities and performance
of the Forestry and Forest Products Viability Program. The provisions of 2 V.S.A. § 20(d) (expiration of required reports) shall not apply to the report to be made under this
subsection. At a minimum, the report shall include:
(1) an evaluation of the Program utilizing the performance goals and performance measures
established pursuant to subdivision (a)(5)(C) of this section;
(2) a summary of the money received in the Fund and expended from the Fund;
(3) an estimate of the financial impact of the Vermont Forestry and Forest Products Viability
Program on the forestry and forest products industries;
(4) an assessment of the potential demand for the Program over the succeeding three years;
and
(5) a listing of individuals, trade associations, and other persons or entities consulted
in preparation of the report. (Added 2007, No. 207 (Adj. Sess.), § 8, eff. June 11, 2008; amended 2013, No. 142 (Adj. Sess.), § 21; 2015, No. 11, § 12; 2017, No. 113 (Adj. Sess.), § 44e.)