§ 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.)