| Economic Stimulus and Recovery: Opportunity for Oregon's Forests |
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Federal stimulus grants are putting Oregonians to work reducing excess forest fuels. These treatments improve forest health and lessen the risk of damaging wildfires. |
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Oregon has a tremendous opportunity to enhance our forests and create jobs through two new economic stimulus packages: the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) - "The Oregon Way"; and state economic recovery dollars signed into law by Governor Kulongoski to fund critical maintenance and capital construction projects at public facilities throughout Oregon - "Go Oregon!".
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| The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - The Oregon Way |
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“The Oregon Way” is Oregon’s approach to invest the federal dollars authorized under ARRA to boost the state’s economy, sustain and create jobs, and conserve our natural resources.
This federal economic stimulus package targets communities especially hard-hit by the current recession. In Oregon, that includes many towns whose residents have traditionally depended on jobs in the forest for their livelihood.
In February 2009, the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) submitted a list of proposed projects totaling $250 million to the U.S. Forest Service. Several projects passed regional review and were forwarded to Washington D.C. for further consideration. Then in July, grant awards began to roll in.
Forestry projects to provide jobs for Oregonians and benefit Oregon's forests are starting up across the state. They aim to:
- Reduce hazardous forest fuels – Thin tree stands and remove brush to lower the risk of damaging wildfire.
- Assist volunteer fire departments – Purchase crucial firefighting and communication equipment for these rural departments, which are often the first responders to wildfires.
- Improve forest health – Maintain efforts to halt the spread of insects and disease such as Sudden Oak Death, which threatens a variety of important tree and shrub species, and also perform noxious weed abatement.
- Convert woody biomass to energy – Thin overgrown forest stands and convert the resulting woody waste into fuel.
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ARRA grants total more than $13 million
To date, the Oregon Department of Forestry has received more than $13 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act dollars to enhance Oregon's forests. These federal grants are for projects on private as well as state-owned forestlands.
The department's hazardous fuel reduction and biomass projects on private lands include:
- $1.70 million – Douglas county
- $1.60 million – central Oregon
- $1.40 million – Jackson and Josephine counties
- $1.00 million – Deschutes county
- $0.99 million – Linn and Lane counties
Noxious weed abatement projects on private lands:
- $270,000 – Linn and Lane counties (industrial and non-industrial private forestlands)
Fuel reduction projects on private lands:
- $1.4 million – Jackson, Josephine, Lane, and Linn counties
Fuel reduction/biomass projects on State Forests:
- $2.5 million – Douglas, Josephine, Klamath, Linn, Marion, and Tillamook counties
Forest health projects on State Forests:
- $2.24 million – Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Coos, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Polk, Tillamook, and Washington counties
- $2.62 million – Sudden Oak Death eradication and host removal in Curry county
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Sudden Oak Death
in tanoak trees
[Photo courtesy of the
U.S. Forest Service]
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Projects were selected through a competitive process conducted by the Forest Service and based on economic and unemployment factors, as well as wildfire risk and forest health need. The Oregon Department of Forestry applied for the grant dollars on behalf of its community partners.
Partnering with the U.S. Forest Service
In addition to the ARRA grants awarded directly to the Oregon Department of Forestry, the department is also partnering with the U.S. Forest Service on fuel-reduction projects on the Rogue River-Siskiyou and Umpqua National Forests totaling $12.7 million.
This work, in addition to reducing the potential for damaging wildfires on federal lands, will also lessen the risk of fire spreading to adjacent private lands.
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| Frequently Asked Questions |
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How much has the Oregon Department of Forestry received in federal stimulus grants?
The Oregon Department of Forestry has received about $11.2 million for fuel-reduction work to improve forest health and lessen wildfire hazards on private and state-owned forestlands. In addition, the department is partnering with the U.S. Forest Service to perform similar work on federal lands through $1.5 million in stimulus grants to the Rogue River-Siskiyou and Umpqua National Forests.
Where is the money coming from?
The grants are being provided by the U.S. Forest Service through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the federal economic stimulus program. ARRA is intended to:
- Create and save jobs
- Boost the economy
- Promote economic recovery and growth
How is the money being spent?
The grant dollars are being used to create jobs to thin overly dense tree stands, remove brush, and process the resulting woody material. A key objective is to reduce hazardous fuels loading, lowering the risk of damaging wildfires. Another important aim of this fuels-reduction work is to lessen the impacts of insect and disease infestations that often occur in overcrowded forests.
I'm a private landowner with a project proposal. Are stimulus funds available for me?
The Oregon Department of Forestry has received funding for various types of forest projects. Individual projects are being administered at the local district level. Work on private lands is at the discretion of the landowner, who may do the work himself or hire a contractor. To discuss your proposal with ODF staff, contact the district office nearest you. Go to the ODF web page, www.oregon.gov/ODF/, and click on “Field Offices” on the right side of the page to find local ODF offices' webpages with contact information.
I'm a contractor who would like to provide services on a specific project. What is the process?
Projects on state-owned forestlands will likely offer opportunities for contract work. The State Forests projects vary from location to location, so we recommend that you contact the local Oregon Department of Forestry districts that will be putting projects out to bid. You may also ask the district offices to provide your contact information to private landowners that receive stimulus funds. To find the Oregon Department of Forestry district office nearest you, click on “Field Offices” on the right side of the ODF webpage, www.oregon.gov/ODF/.
How do I apply for contracts on the state-owned forestlands?
As the Oregon Department of Forestry receives the grant dollars for state-owned lands, it will prepare Requests For Proposals (RFPs) and post them to the Oregon Procurement Information Network (ORPIN) Internet site, http://orpin.oregon.gov/open.dll/welcome. The Governor’s Office has directed state agencies to post all contract and supplier solicitations funded in whole or in part with ARRA funds to the ORPIN site. This is to provide a transparent and central source of information to potential vendors to locate and apply for opportunities. Agencies posting to ORPIN are including the acronym “ARRA” in the document title to enable suppliers to search ORPIN by keyword to find federal stimulus opportunities.
While we recognize that not everyone has Internet access at home or work, access is available at public libraries, internet cafes, and other locations. (See “How to use the Oregon Procurement Information Network (ORPIN)”, below.)
NOTE: Only contract work for projects on state-owned lands will be posted to ORPIN. Contract work for projects on private lands will NOT appear on ORPIN.
Where will the stimulus funds be spent in Oregon?
The ARRA grant funds will be applied to forested areas in 16 counties including Baker, Crook, Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Linn, Morrow, Tillamook, Union, and Wallowa.
Which projects are the Oregon Department of Forestry putting out to bid?
Contracting opportunities directly with the Oregon Department of Forestry will occur only for projects earmarked for the state-owned forests. Projects on private lands will not be put out to bid by the department, since landowners that receive grant dollars will have the option of either doing the work themselves or hiring a contractor. Interested forest operators should contact the local Oregon Department of Forestry districts to offer their information and ask to be added to a list of local operators. The Oregon Department of Forestry will provide the list to landowners on request.
What about opportunities to partner with the Indian tribes?
The links below provide information on tribal projects using ARRA funds:
What are the benefits of the stimulus grants to Oregon's communities?
The forest fuel-reduction dollars will be spent chiefly in and near small communities, providing jobs for local contractors and other businesses. A key performance measure of the ARRA grants is the number of jobs created. At this time, the Oregon Department of Forestry cannot provide an accurate estimate. But once the RFPs are awarded and contract work begins, it will be possible to calculate the number of jobs created by the ARRA grants. In addition to the jobs created directly by the stimulus funds, there will be a boost to other businesses that provide goods and services needed for the forestry work. Other benefits of fuel reduction include improved forest health and increased community safety.
The ARRA grants administered by the Oregon Department of Forestry are but one portion of the federal stimulus funds received by Oregon. (See “Are there stimulus grant opportunities in addition to those for forestry?” below for more information.)
Where can I go for more information?
Landowners, contractors, and others interested in the ARRA grants are encouraged to visit the department's website, www.oregon.gov/odf/recovery/. This is where you can check for updates. New information will be added to the site as available.
How to use the Oregon Procurement Information Network (ORPIN)
If you wish to bid on a State Forests project, you’ll want to sign up in ORPIN, the on-line procurement system used by the State, http://oregon.gov/DAS/SSD/SPO/index.shtml. Once you have logged in to ORPIN, find “Subscription Levels” on the green bar at left. You can choose Basic Level (to do manual searches), or Premium Level (for automatic notification of projects you can bid on). Most state projects requiring contractor services funded through the ARRA initiatives will be posted on the ORPIN system as soon as they are ready to receive bids.
If you need assistance, please contact Patricia Morgan, ODF Procurement Specialist, at 503-945-7308 or: patricia.a.morgan@state.or.us. Each solicitation has a single point of contact (SPC) listed on page 1. Questions regarding specific solicitations should be directed to the SPC.
What is www.oregon.gov/recovery?
The Oregon Recovery website, www.oregon.gov/recovery, is where you can go to learn about the many aspects of the state’s economy that are being affected by the federal stimulus program, not only forestry. The Oregon Recovery website is updated weekly and provides information about ARRA funding that includes an array of grant opportunities available through various state government agencies. A direct link to the State recovery site’s Frequently Asked Questions page is: www.oregon.gov/recovery/docs/043009_fed_eco_stimulus_qa.pdf.
Are there stimulus grant opportunities in addition to those for forestry?
Yes. A number of Oregon State Government agencies have applied for and received ARRA funding, and many of these grants include contract work that is being offered for bid. The Oregon Recovery website has links to the various agencies where you can read descriptions of the grants. The ORPIN site lists projects that are open for bidding.
Overall, the federal stimulus dollars received by Oregon are being used to:
- Upgrade the state’s aging infrastructure
- Enhance energy independence
- Expand educational opportunities
- Increase access to health care
- Assist those most affected by the economic recession
How can my organization apply for recovery funds?
ARRA distributes funds through established channels wherever possible. When the federal government invited the states to apply for stimulus funds in spring 2009, the Oregon Recovery office coordinated the grant proposals that were submitted by various state agencies. The dollars that are now coming to the state flow through the state agency that typically handles that type of funding. For example, funding for water quality projects goes through the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Each agency posts information to its website about the ARRA projects it is administering. A link to the various agencies is: www.oregon.gov/recovery/agency_links.shtml.
Where did the funds for stimulus projects in Oregon that federal agencies received come from?
In addition to the funds distributed to the states, other ARRA dollars are being distributed directly by federal agencies through grants. In Oregon, for example, the U.S. Forest Service has initiated fuel-reduction projects on the national forests through this source. The U.S. Forest Service has information about its federal stimulus projects at: www.fs.fed.us/.
Where can I read the full text of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)?
Go to the federal ARRA website: www.recovery.gov/about/pages/the_act.aspx.
Frequently-Asked Questions in downloadable/printable format
Federal stimulus grants: Frequently Asked Questions [PDF; 4 pages; 163 KB]
An overcrowded tree stand (l) is prone to wildfire, while a thinned stand (r) can better resist it. Many thinning projects, such as this one on a forest stand in eastern Oregon, on both public and private lands are coming on line via ARRA grants received by the
Oregon Department of Forestry.
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| Go Oregon! |
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Along with the federal dollars made available to Oregon for forest enhancement, a parallel stimulus program is providing funding for infrastructure improvements at Oregon Department of Forestry facilities. In early February, Governor Ted Kulongoski signed Go Oregon! into law, authorizing the sale of bonds to fund important capital projects at public facilities throughout Oregon.
The Oregon Department of Forestry received $2.6 million in Go Oregon! funding for infrastructure improvements at several facilities. The projects range from building maintenance and repairs to office relocations. The department began letting bids for some of the projects in mid-March. Here are the projects and their current status:
- John Day and Sisters offices - Relocate the Sisters Sub-Unit office (built in 1939) and the John Day Unit office (built in 1950) that are now poorly located. These aging structures are being replaced with new facilities that will provide greater wildfire protection to forestlands through improved firefighter response times.
The new John Day office is currently under design. The project will go out to bid in January 2010, with construction to begin in March. Cost for the John Day Unit office project is estimated at $2 million.
A suitable site is being sought for the Sisters office project. When one is found, the design and bidding will be expedited. The bid phase is expected to occur in late winter, with construction getting underway in early spring 2010. Estimated cost for the Sisters Sub-Unit office project is $1.8 million.
Total cost for both offices: $3.8 million (a combination of Go, Oregon! and Certificate of Participation dollars).
- Phipps Forest Nursery - Replace roof and damaged ceilings, make structural repairs, remediate mold, and repair deteriorated soffits on the loading docks at the former Phipps Forest Nursery. For decades, the nursery near Elkton provided tree seedlings to small woodland owners for reforestation after timber harvest. In 2006, the Oregon Board of Forestry directed the Department of Forestry to sell the nursery. Phipps closed at the end of the two-year seedling growing season in 2008. The property is on the market, and these repairs are being made to enhance and protect its salability. The roof replacement and structural repairs are about 50 percent finished but have been slowed a bit by the recent rains. Project completion is scheduled for mid-November. Cost: $375,700.
- Western Lane District warehouse - Replace deteriorated siding and repaint the warehouse at the headquarters compound in Veneta. This project has been completed. Cost: $111,000.
- Tillamook Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife office – Repair window leaks and replace some of the siding as needed on the former Oregon Department of Forestry administration building in Tillamook. The Oregon Department of Forestry owns the building, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is the tenant. This project has been completed. Cost: $40,000.
- West Oregon District offices – Replace worn carpeting in the West Oregon District headquarters and unit offices in Philomath, Toledo and Dallas. This project has been completed. Cost: $28,000.
- Western Lane District buildings – Replace deteriorated siding and repaint several buildings at the headquarters compound in Veneta. This project has been completed. Cost: $26,300.
- Klamath-Lake District fire cache and warehouse – Upgrade the electrical distribution and service in these buildings at the district office in Klamath Falls. The first phase of the project has been completed, and the second phase is out to bid. Cost: $25,000.
- Central Oregon District buildings – Repair interior lighting and an electrical panel in the warehouse, machine storage, and oil house buildings at the district office in Prineville. This project has been completed. Cost: $3,550.
- South Cascade District office – Replace flooring and refinish casework at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife office in Springfield. The Oregon Department of Forestry owns the building, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is the tenant. This project has been completed. Cost: $2,500.
- Southwest Oregon District warehouse – Replace footings under support columns on this building at the Southwest Oregon District’s unit office in Grants Pass. This project has been canceled.
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Sisters Sub-Unit Office
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John Day Unit Office
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The Oregon Department of Forestry sub-unit office in Sisters was built in 1939. Its slightly more modern counterpart, the John Day Unit office, was built in 1950. Both offices are slated for replacement using “Go, Oregon!” dollars and other previously authorized funding. The construction work on these new office buildings, as well as the repair and maintenance work at other ODF facilities, will directly stimulate the local economy.
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| Follow our progress and track our results |
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As The Oregon Way and Go Oregon! get underway, we will post information here on how the dollars are being distributed, the current status of funded projects, and jobs created by the projects being implemented by the Oregon Department of Forestry.
For information on other non-forestry The Oregon Way and Go Oregon! projects, visit the statewide Economic Stimulus and Recovery website.
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| Other stimulus projects |
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In late 2008, Congress passed a separate economic stimulus package that offered grant dollars to the states. The Oregon Department of Forestry applied for and received funding for several on-the-ground projects. As these forest enhancement efforts get underway, we will post information about them.
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| "Tough Times in the Woods" |
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The Forestry & Natural Resources Extension team at Oregon State University has developed a Web Site that includes frequently asked questions, and a list of Web Sites to assist you in finding help, such as learning how funds allocated by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act are making their way into the forests of Oregon, and how these funds will translate into projects and jobs on the ground. Web Sites are also highlighted that show sources of cost-share funds for private landowners and marketing opportunities through an Oregon Forest Industry Directory.
Tough Times in the Woods website
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| For more information . . . |
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The Oregon Way:
Norm Miller
Oregon Department of Forestry
503-945-7419
nmiller@odf.state.or.us
Go Oregon!:
Bob McKee
Oregon Department of Forestry
503-945-7503
bmckee@odf.state.or.us
News media:
Rod Nichols
Oregon Department of Forestry
503-945-7425
rnichols@odf.state.or.us
Oregon's Statewide Economic Stimulus and Recovery Program:
Jane Bacchieri
Governor's Natural Resource Office
503-378-6169
Jane.Bacchieri@state.or.us
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