FS-1500-0049_Final_WPIA_Application_Form.pdf

WOOD PRODUCTS INFRASTRUCTURE

ASSISTANCE APPLICATION

(Reference Public Law 117-58)

FS-1500-0049 (REV. 07/2025)

OMB No: 0596-0254

Exp: 10/31/2026

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, a Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, an information collection request unless it displays a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection request is 0596-0254. Response to this information collection request is mandatory to obtain or retain benefits. The authority for this information collection request is Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act / Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Public Law 117-58, Section 40804(b3). The time required to complete this information collection request is estimated to average 5.25 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, collecting and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the information collection request. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this information collection request, including suggestions for reducing the burden, to USDA Forest Service Information Collections Officer, SM.FS.InfoCollect@usda.gov, with OMB control number 0596-0254 in the subject line.

NONDISCRIMINATION STATEMENT

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the State or local Agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form.

To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442;

or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT (5 U.S.C. § 552a) The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. § 552a) requires that when the Federal Government requests personally identifiable information from individuals, we tell them our legal right to ask for the information, why we are asking for it, whether providing it is mandatory or voluntary, any effects on individuals not providing it, and how it will be used. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (FS) established the Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance program to provide financial assistance to facilities that purchase and process byproducts from ecosystem restoration projects in areas at risk of unnaturally severe wildfire or insect or disease infestation through funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). FS has launched the Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance program to partner with private, non-profit, and government sectors including Tribes, local and state governments, businesses and for-profit entities, institutions of higher education, as well as public utility, fire, conservation, and school districts to assist in collecting information. The purpose of this information collection is to determine an applicant’s eligibility to receive funding under Funding Opportunity Announcement USDA-FS-WPIA to establish, reopen, retrofit, expand, or improve a sawmill or other wood-processing facility in close proximity to federal or Tribal lands that needs ecosystem restoration and will generate byproducts from the restoration activities. This program is authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act / Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Public Law 117-58, Section 40804(b3).

We are collecting information on facility type, North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code, project location, current and future facility feedstock amounts and sources, planned usage of project funds, and whether the project will benefit disadvantaged communities. Providing this information is voluntary but necessary to process your application for approval to receive program benefits. If you choose to apply for the Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance program, you must provide all requested information. Failure to provide complete information may delay or prevent processing or review of your application for benefits.

This information could be disclosed to the Department of Justice for the purpose of litigating any civil, administrative, or judicial proceeding or criminal prosecution (including the presentation of evidence, disclosures to opposing counsel or witnesses, in discovery or in settlement negotiations, or in response to a subpoena) where the United States, USDA, or its employees (in their official capacities or where the government has decided to represent them) are parties; and to provide information to congressional offices in response to inquiries made at the request of the individuals to whom the information pertains.

A System of Records Notice (SORN), which would describe the routine uses of the information, is not necessary for this collection. According to the Privacy Act of 1974, while records containing PII are maintained by the Agency, records related to this collection are not retrieved using a personal identifier. The system of records to be used for this collection is internal only and neither government-wide nor central. The records for this collection will be stored in a secure cloud-based content storage system. Files stored in this system are not accessible via indexing and cannot be retrieved by name or other personally unique identifier. The Privacy Impact Assessment for Pinyon, Section 6.1, states that a SORN is not required if records are stored using this system.

CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT

The Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552, govern the confidentiality to be provided for information received by the Forest Service. Materials submitted to the Forest Service, such as grant applications and progress reports, are subject to FOIA. Upon request, the Forest Service may be obligated to disclose such records. However, documents or portions of documents will be protected if they satisfy the requirements of one or more FOIA exemptions. FOIA Exemption 4 protects commercial and financial information that constitutes a trade secret, or whose release would cause competitive harm to the organization that provided the information. FOIA Exemption 6 protects information whose release “would reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.

In the event that the Forest Service receives a FOIA request seeking information provided by your organization, Executive Order 12600 requires the Forest Service to consult with you regarding the potential release of this information. When assembling your application, you may wish to highlight any information that constitutes a trade secret, whose release would cause you competitive harm, or whose release would impact personal privacy. For more information about the FOIA and its exemptions, please consult the Department of Justice Guide to the Freedom of Information Act.

File Code: 1580 For technial questions and Section 508 accommodation, please contact SM.FS.fseforms@usda.gov mailto:SM.FS.fseforms@usda.gov mailto:program.intake@usda.gov https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf mailto:SM.FS.InfoCollect@usda.gov

Cover Page for Part 1: Cooperator Contact Information

Required Actions - Ensure that your organization is registered with the System for Award Management (SAM), which is located at https://sam.gov.

1. Project Title:

2. Project Length (Typically 2-3 years up to a maximum of 5 years):

3. Legal Business Name of Applicant:

4. Project Facility Type (Check all that apply): Wood Processing Facility Wood-to-Energy Facility Sawmill

5. Physical Location of the Current or Propsed Project Facility (Provide physical address, weblink from an online mapping service, or geographic coordinates):

6. Project Cost & Cooperator Funding A. USDA Forest Service Funding Request:

B. Cooperator Funding1 (Amount of non-federal funds allocated to project):

C. Cooperator Funding as a Percentage of USDA Forest Service Funding Request (B / A x 100):

D. Total Project Cost (A + B):

7. Contact Information Financial Agreement Contact (Responsible official for the financial administration of the grant agreement)

Name: Title:

Organization/Company:

Street Address/P.O. Box:

City, State Zip:

Phone: E-mail Address:

Project Contact (Responsible for the management/coordination of the project) If listed above, check box Name: Title:

Organization/Company:

Street Address/P.O. Box:

City, State Zip:

Phone: E-mail Address:

1While a match is not required, cooperator funding is a project selection criterion. Applicants are more likely to be funded if at least 25% of the total project cost originates from non-federal dollars.

File Code: 1580 Page 2 of 19

FS-1500-0049 (REV. 07/2025)

https://sam.gov

Project Questionnaire, Description of Project and Financial Plan, Budget Table and Justification, and Appendices

Part 1: Project Questionnaire, Description of Project and Financial Plan, Budget Table and Justification, and Appendices A. Project Questionnaire - Answer each question as accurately as possible.

Q1 . Primary purpose of the financial assistance request. (Select all that apply).

Establish a processing/manufacturing facility where previously there had been no facility.

Reopen a facility that was shut down or idled.

Retrofit or convert an operation or idled facility.

Expand an operational or idled facility to increase wood or biomass utilization and or manufacturing capacity.

Improve a facility to increase operational efficiencies and or reduce operational costs.

Other purpose (Provide concise details in space below).

Q2 . Status of the facility that is the primary purpose of the financial request (Select all that apply).

Not operating but will be at more than 50% capacity in less than 6 months.

Currently under construction.

Development/engineering phase.

Operating at full production capacity.

Seeking non-federal financing to initiate construction.

Operating at less than 50% capacity or idled.

Permanently shut down. Other (Provide details below).

Q3 . What percentage of raw materials used at the project facility are currently or will be byproducts (logs, woody biomass, etc.) from ecosystem restoration projects on federal or Indian lands?

Check this box if the project facility utilizes wood waste from other facilities and enter below, the percentage estimate of raw materials from the wood waste facility that originate from ecosystem restoration projects on federal or Indian lands.

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Q4 . (a) At current operating status, list the volumes and types of raw materials, on an annual basis, that are procured for the project facility (e.g., 150,000 green tons of whole-tree chips per year).

(b) Of the above amounts, identify the volumes and types of materials that originate from federal or Indian lands.

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Q5 . How much additional byproducts from federal or Indian lands is projected to be utilized as a result of the financial assistance being requested? List the additional volume quantities (tons, board feet, or CCF) and types of byproducts that would be procurred for the project facility if the financial assistance is awarded. Please provide justification for the projected volumes.

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Q6 . (a) Identify any ecosystem restoration projects that the project facility is currently or planning to collaborate with. Identify if the ecosystem restoration project is primarily occuring on federal, Indian, state, private lands, or a combination.

(b) What is the furthest distance the byproducts travel to the project facility from the ecosystem restoration projects?

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Q7 . (a) Identify any federal or Tribal forestland or rangeland that the project facility currently has under contract with that allows for the removal and utilization of merchantable or unmerchantable wood products and/or woody biomass. Please provide copies of these contracts in the Appendix of Part 1 of this application.

(b) What is the furthest distance the byproducts travel to the project facility from the ecosystem restoration projects listed above?

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FS-1500-0049 (REV. 07/2025)

Q8. Identify if the raw material sourcing areas for the project facility are located within one of the Top 10 USDA Forest Service designated Firesheds - Critical Firesheds Interactive Map Weblink.

Yes No Could not be determined https://usfs.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=3e38347fd53444c994fe4407e9206cd9#visualize

Q9 . Using the Wildfire Risk to Communities Interactive Map, search by county and then select Wild ire Likelihood, for the county that will be the main source of raw material for the project facility (Stevens County, WA used as an example).

What is the Wildfire Likelihood percentile for the county or counties, that will serve as the main source of raw materials for the project facility, as compared to other counties in the United States?

Q10 . Using the National Insect & Disease Risk Map, identify Proportion of Treed Area at Risk for the area(s) that will be supplying raw material to the project facility. Click on the legend symbol in the upper right of the map to identify how the map colors correspond to the propoportion categories (Select all that apply).

0% of Treed Area at Risk

1 - 4%

5 - 14%

15 -24%

25% or greater

Could not be determined

I have provided additional forest health information as an Appendix item.

CONTINUE ON TO SECTION B OF THE APPLICATION

File Code: 1580 Page 8 of 19

FS-1500-0049 (REV. 07/2025)

https://wildfirerisk.org/explore/ https://usfs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=52cb2bcc3c2b4868ac87b66f622062ab

File Code: 1580 Page 9 of 19

B. Description of Project and Financial Plan (Address the following in spaces provided beginning on page 10)

Describe the intended project activities and financial need of the project facility. Describe the planned project activities that will (1) Utilize meaningful volumes of byproducts from ecosystem restoration activities on federal lands or Tribal lands and/or (2) Improve manufacturing efficiencies to ensure continued operations at the project facility. In addition, describe how the financial assistance will play a role in creating long-term wood utilization that will support continued ecosystem restoration work on federal or Tribal lands. Identify the following:

1. What are the project goals and objectives?

2. How will the financial assistance be used to increase wood utilization capacity or manufacturing efficiencies at the project facility?

3. What is the anticipated impact of the financial assistance on the ability of federal or Tribal land managers to reduce wildfire risk or insect and disease infestation?

4. Identify how the project will assist in reducing the cost of conducting ecological restoration projects that generate byproducts such as logs and woody biomass.

ADDRESS THE ABOVE ITEMS IN THE SPACE PROVIDED ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES

B. Description of Project and Financial Plan (Information to be provided is limited to the space on pages 10 and

11. Additional space is provided on the next page.)

File Code: 1580 Page 10 of 19

B. Description of Project and Financial Plan Continued (Information to be provided is limited to the space pages 10 and 11.)

File Code: 1580 Page 11 of 19

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C. Budget Tables and Justification The Project Budget Table and Justifications are required in Part 1 of the application. While no match is required, if applicant is using non-federal funds as match to the project, identify these contributions in Column ll of the Project Budget table and in the Cooperator Match Funding Table. The budget tables should support the Description of Financial Need and mirror data entered in the required financial form SF-424A (Budget Information for Non- Construction Programs).

Instructions for the Project Budget Table:

Lines 1-8: Enter the dollar amount for each item.

Line 4: Only stationary equipment is eligible for Forest Service grant funds. Indian Tribes seeking financial assistance will be allowed to use the Forest Service funding for the purchase of mobile equipment.

Line 9: Sum of Lines 1 through 8.

Line 10: Costs not directly attributable to accomplishing the project, such as overhead or indirect costs. Indirect costs are limited to 15% of modified total direct costs unless a federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA) has been established.

Line 11: Sum of Lines 9 and 10 Line 12: Use the total in Line 11, Column III to determine the percentage of each share in Line 12, Columns I and II.

Project Budget Table

Budget Categories I. Forest Service Funds II. Cooperator Funds (non-federal funds) III. Total

1. Personnel

2. Fringe Benefits

3. Travel

4. Equipment

5. Supplies/Materials

6. Contractual

7. Construction N/A N/A N/A

8. Other

9. Total Direct Charges

10. Indirect Charges

11. Total

12. Percentage of Total

Note: Applicants should be aware that the purchase of stationary equipment (>$10,000) with USDA Forest Service funds creates a federal interest in the equipment. Any proposed equipment purchase is subject to the regulations at 2 CFR § 200.310, 200.313, and 200.316. These and other 2 CFR § 200 regulations are available for viewing at the Code of Federal Regulations website https://www.ecfr.gov/ Cooperator Match Funding Table - Identify the value of the contributions your organization or partners will be bringing to the project. The totals in this table should equal Column II Cooperator Funds in the above Project Budget Table. Letters of financial support from partners should be included as an Appendix item.

Cooperator Cash Materials In-Kind Services Total

Totals

FS-1500-0049 (REV. 07/2025)

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR8feb98c2e3e5ad2/section-200.316 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR8feb98c2e3e5ad2/section-200.310 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR8feb98c2e3e5ad2/section-200.313 https://www.ecfr.gov/

File Code: 1580 Page 13 of 19

Budget Justification On the following pages, please provide specific details on how USDA Forest Service funding will be used for each of the budget categories identified in the previous two budget tables.

Budget Line 1. Personnel: This is the actual estimated salary cost paid and does not include fringe benefits. Show job titles or positions, estimated days or hours, and the estimated cost per day or hour. Clearly delineate if the personnel costs listed below are being used as in-kind match or if the personnel costs are part of the overall financial request. Cost must align with regulations listed in 2 CFR § 200.430. (This field is limited to 4,700 characters with spaces) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.430

Budget Line 2. Fringe Benefits: Fringe benefits are generally expressed as a percentage of salary cost. Provide the rate and total estimated cost or in-kind contribution. (This field is limited to 1,625 characters with spaces)

Budget Line 3. Travel: Show anticipated trips, number of travelers, locations, and an estimated cost per trip. Clearly delineate if the travel is being requested as part of the federal financial assistance or if travel is being used as in-kind match. (This field is limited to 1,625 characters with spaces)

File Code: 1580 Page 14 of 19

Budget Line 4. Equipment: Identify all equipment that is being funding with federal financial assistance and which equipment will be used as in-kind match. When possible provide documentation of equipment cost or quotes as an appendix item. (This field is limited to 5,000 characters with spaces)

File Code: 1580 Page 15 of 19

Budget Line 5. Supplies/Materials: Identify all materials and supplies that is being funding with federal financial assistance and which items will be used as in-kind match. When possible provide documentation of cost estimates or quotes as an appendix item. (This field is limited to 5,000 characters with spaces)

File Code: 1580 Page 16 of 19

Budget Line 6. Contractual: Identify contractual costs that is being funding with federal financial assistance and which items will be used as in-kind match. When possible provide documentation of cost estimates or quotes as an appendix item. (This field is limited to 5,000 characters with spaces)

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Budget Line 8. Other: Identify other project costs, that do not fit in the previous categories that are being funding with federal financial assistance and which items will be used as in-kind match. When possible provide documentation of cost estimates or quotes as an appendix item. Note: Federal funds cannot be used for construction activities and construction activities cannot be used as in-kind match. In addition, federal funds cannot be used for activities that improve land as defined in 26 CFR § 1.856-10 Definition of real property. (This field is limited to 4,000 characters with spaces) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-26/chapter-I/subchapter-A/part-1/subject-group-ECFR3228600ccd02e6e/section-1.856-10

D. Appendices The following items are required appendices of Part I and do not have page limitations or formatting requirements.

1. Resumes of project team members and highly relevant partners.

2. If applicable, a list of all funds (federal, state, private) received, that are closely related to this financial request within the last five years (include agency, program name, and dollar amount).

3. A screen shot from SAM.gov showing either an active registration or that the registration process has been initiated in SAM.gov. Click for instructions for capturing screen shots using Windows or Mac operating systems.

4. Letters of financial support specifying commitment of non-federal funding contributions (cash or in-kind) to the project.

Appendices should be well organized with an index so reviewers can readily find information of interest. Include only relevant information in the appendices that will help the review panel understand and evaluate your project.

The following are examples of optional appendices of Part I and do not have page limitation or formatting requirements.

1. Copies of current contracts for the removal, disposal, or purchase of wood products from federal, tribal, state, county, city, or private lands.

2. Cost quotes from equipment manufacturers or firms for items or services directly related to this financial request for assistance.

3. Feedstock supply studies related to the project facility.

4. Letters of support for the project from land management agencies, tribal governments, or private landowners.

ATTACH THE REQUIRED AND OPTIONAL APPENDIX DOCUMENTS TO THIS APPLICATION FORM

File Code: 1580 For technial questions and Section 508 accommodation, please contact SM.FS.fseforms@usda.gov

FS-1500-0049 (REV. 07/2025)

https://sam.gov/content/home https://sam.gov/content/home https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000147539/how-to-use-the-print-screen-key-in-microsoft-windows-operating-systems#:~:text=Using%20the%20Print%20Screen%20Key,the%20volume%20down%20button%20together https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201361