1533.3 Page 1 of 5 FOREST SERVICE MANUAL WASHINGTON TITLE 1500 - EXTERNAL RELATIONS Amendment No. 1500-91-9 Effective June 13, 1991 POSTING NOTICE. Amendments are numbered consecutively by title and calendar year. Post by document name. Remove entire document and replace with this amendment. Retain this transmittal as the first page of this document. The last amendment to this Title was Amendment 1500-91-8 to FSM 1500 (1530.6). Superseded New Document Name (Number of Pages) 1533.3 - 5 Digest: 1533.31 - Adds Memorandum of Agreement between the Forest Service and the Department of Defense for the conduct of forest insect and disease suppression on lands administered by the Department of Defense. F. DALE ROBERTSON Chief FSM 1500 - EXTERNAL RELATIONS WO AMENDMENT 1500-91-9 EFFECTIVE 6/13/91 1533.3 - Protection. 1533.31 - Forest Insect and Disease Suppression Agreement. 91-51A-011 MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT between the UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE and the UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE for the CONDUCT OF FOREST INSECT AND DISEASE SUPPRESSION ON LANDS ADMINISTERED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Suppression of damaging forest insect and disease outbreaks is essential for maintaining the health and productivity of the nation's forests. Annually, insects and diseases kill more trees and reduce forest growth more than all other destructive agents combined. This is a matter of great concern to the administrators responsible for managing and protecting forests on public and private lands. Section 5 of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2101) authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to protect trees and forests, wood products, stored wood and wood in use from insects and diseases. This is done directly by the USDA on National Forest System lands and in cooperation with other Federal land managing agencies, the States, and private land owners on other forest lands. The Secretary of Agriculture has delegated the responsibility for carrying out the provisions of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act to the Forest Service. Annual appropriations, based on estimated suppression costs developed by the Forest Service, the Department of Defense, other Federal agencies, States, and other cooperating entities, are necessary to implement this responsibility. It is Agreed: 1. That the two Departments will, under the legal, fiscal, and other limitations governing each, cooperate fully in the planning, coordination, and execution of field operations to prevent and suppress damaging forest insect and disease outbreaks whenever it is determined to be necessary. 2. That the guiding principles of this cooperation shall be those established by authorizing legislation, agency policy, and other direction specified in the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act as amended. 3. That the Secretaries of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Defense shall authorize their respective agencies concerned with the suppression of forest insects and diseases to develop and execute coordinated work programs and projects. 4. That, for coordinating and funding forest insect and disease suppression programs and projects, the Departments will: A. Responsibilities of the Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: (1) Designate an office which will be responsible for coordinating activities conducted under this MOA. (2) Provide overall leadership and coordination for insect and disease suppression activities on forest lands when the activities are financed wholly or in part with Federal funds appropriated under Section 5 of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 USC 2101). (3) To the extent possible, provide technical and financial assistance to agencies of the Department of Defense for forest insect and disease suppression programs and gypsy moth eradication projects on forest lands administered by the Department of Defense. (4) Conduct detection surveys and biological evaluations of insect and disease outbreaks on forest lands administered by the Department of Defense. (5) Subject to budgetary limitations, annually transfer from the USDA Forest Service, Forest Pest Management to Department of Defense agencies such finances as are mutually determined as necessary for forest insect and disease suppression on forest lands administered by the Department of Defense. To the extent possible, jointly determine annual suppression funding needs by November 30. (6) Assist agencies of the Department of Defense in organizing and performing general forest insect and disease field surveillance on forest lands administered by the Department of Defense. (7) Inform local and national Department of Defense personnel of forest insect and disease conditions on other lands that may affect Department of Defense administered land. (8) Suppress forest insect and disease outbreaks on National Forest System lands and cooperate with other agencies to suppress forest insect and disease outbreaks which threaten forest lands administered by the Department of Defense. (9) Provide training opportunities for Department of Defense personnel in techniques for the prevention, detection, and suppression of destructive forest insects and diseases in order to promote forest health. B. Responsibilities of agencies of the Department of Defense: (1) Designate an office which will be responsible for coordinating activities conducted under this MOA. (2) Notify DoD Agencies that technical assistance is available from the Forest Service and that a biological evaluation or equivalent documentation is required before funds for a forest pest suppression project can be transferred from the Forest Service. (3) Facilitate conduct of detection surveys and forest insect and disease evaluations by Forest Service personnel on Department of Defense administered lands. (4) Base decisions on whether to implement suppression programs and projects on: (a) An appraisal of current pest infestation significance and projected significance with and without suppression activities. This information, as well as a discussion of alternative pest management tactics, is provided by the Forest Service in a biological evaluation. (b) An evaluation of the resources threatened within the context of management objectives. (c) An analysis of possible adverse environmental effects of suppression alternatives. (d) An economic analysis of the proposed action. (5) Perform field surveillance and specialized detection surveys as necessary to supplement Forest Service activities. (6) Conduct suppression activities on Department of Defense administered land. (7) Cooperate with other agencies on adjacent or intermingled lands on forest insect and disease surveillance, prevention, and suppression activities. (8) Report suppression project accomplishments to the Forest Service by November 1 each year covering all forest insect and disease management expenditures for the previous fiscal year. (9) Participate in an annual coordination meeting with the Forest Service to set priorities for funding proposed forest pest suppression projects. (10) Submit a formal request for forest insect and disease suppression funding to the Forest Service by November 15 of each year. This agreement is effective upon the date of signature by both parties. It defines, in general terms, the basis on which the parties will cooperate and is not a financial obligating document. This agreement shall continue indefinitely, but may be modified or discontinued at the request of either party. Requests for termination or any change shall be submitted to the other party for consideration not less than 30 days in advance of the effective date desired. /s/ Allan J. West /s/ Thomas E. Baca for F. Dale Robertson Thomas E. Baca Chief Deputy Assistant Secretary Forest Service of Defense for Environment Date: November 15, 1990 Date: December 11, 1990