Stewardship Contracting Direction

The USDA Forest Service and the Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received new authority to implement stewardship contracting and agreements in Section 347 Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of FY 1999, as amended by Sec. 323 of P.L. 108-7, 2003 (PDF, 19 KB). The agencies have issued interim guidance regarding how to develop and implement stewardship contracts and agreements.

Forest Service

• FSH 2409.19 Renewable Resources Handbook, Chapter 60 Stewardship Contracting (Microsoft Word document, 542 kb)
  This chapter of the Forest Service Handbook provides the agency direction to implement stewardship contracting authority. The guidance and procedures in this direction include appropriate use of the authority, stewardship contracting project development and implementation, and monitoring the use of the stewardship contracting authority. Effective Date: December 12, 2005.
  • FSH 2409.19 Renewable Resources Handbook, Chapter 60 Stewardship Contracting, Interim Directive No. 2409.19-2007-2 (Microsoft Word document, 86 kb)
    Revises direction regarding Examples of Inappropriate Stewardship Contracting Activities and the Use of Retained Receipts. Effective Date: July 10, 2007.
• Forest Service Manual FSM 2400 - Timber Management (Microsoft Word document, 388 kb)
  Amendment to the Forest Service Timber Management Manual including updates for Stewardship Contracting.
• Forest Service Stewardship Contracting Questions & Answers (PDF, 25 kb)
  Questions and answers about Stewardship Contracting as it affects the Forest Service.
• Forest Service Stewardship Contracting Fact Sheet (PDF, 13 kb)
  Fact sheet about Stewardship Contracting as it affects the Forest Service, including goal, authority, and definitions.

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

• BLM Stewardship Contracting
  A link to the Bureau of Land Management's Stewardship Contracting web page with information and links to their guidance.

Legislation

• P.L. 108-7 (16 USC 2104 Note) - became law on February 20, 2003. The legislation authorizes the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to enter into stewardship end result contracting projects until September 30, 2013.
• Western Governors Association Letter (PDF, 1.1 mb) - a letter from the Secretaries of the Department of Agriculture and Interior informing the Western Governor's Association of the authorization of Public Law 108-7 to undertake, for a period of 10 years, "stewardship end results contracting projects."
• News Release - a link to a news release entitled "Federal Agencies Announce Guidelines for Stewardship Contracts and Agreements" on the Department of Interior's website.
• Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004 (PDF) - authorizes the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to give special consideration to tribally-proposed stewardship contracting projects on agency lands bordering or adjacent to trust land.

Federal Register

• Federal Register Notice - Notice of issuance of agency interim directive (PDF, 36 kb) - published January 28, 2004, the Forest Service notified the public that an interim directive was issued providing guidance for Stewardship Contracting.
• Federal Register Notice - Notice of request for comments (PDF) - published June 27, 2003, the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) notified the public that the two agencies would like public input regarding the interim guidelines for Stewardship Contracting.

  • Public Response to the Request for Comment to the Stewardship Contracting Interim Guidelines (PDF, 14.6 mb) - letters received from the public concerning the interim stewardship contracting guidelines.

Last modified: Thursday, 05-Nov-2009 12:55:38 EST