§ 204.51 - Application and approval procedures for a fire management assistance grant.

§ 204.51 Application and approval procedures for a fire management assistance grant.

(a) Preparing and submitting an application.

(1) After the approval of a fire management assistance declaration, the State may submit an application package for a grant to the Regional Administrator. The application package must include the Application for Federal Assistance and Summary of Assurances - Non-construction Programs, as well as supporting documentation for the budget.

(2) The State must submit its grant application within 9 months of the declaration. Upon receipt of the written request from the State, the Regional Administrator may grant an extension for up to 6 months. The State's request must include a justification for the extension.

(b) Fire cost threshold.

(1) FEMA will approve the initial grant award to the State when FEMA determines that the State's application demonstrates either of the following:

(i) Total eligible costs for the declared fire meet or exceed the individual fire cost threshold; or

(ii) Total costs of all declared and non-declared fires for which a State has assumed responsibility in a given calendar year meet the cumulative fire cost threshold.

(2) The individual fire cost threshold for a State is the greater of the following:

(i) $100,000; or

(ii) Five percent × $1.07 × the State population, adjusted annually for inflation using the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published annually by the Department of Labor.

(3) The cumulative fire cost threshold for a State is the greater of the following:

(i) $500,000; or

(ii) Three times the five percent × $1.07 × the State population as described in § 204.51(b)(2)(ii).

(4) States must document the total eligible costs for a declared fire on Project Worksheets, which they must submit with the grant application.

(5) FEMA will not consider the costs of pre-positioning resources for the purposes of determining whether the grant application meets the fire cost threshold.

(6) When the State's total eligible costs associated with the fire management assistance declaration meet or exceed the fire cost threshold eligible costs will be cost shared in accordance with § 204.61.

(c) Approval of the State's grant application. The Regional Administrator has 45 days from receipt the State's grant application or an amendment to the State's grant application, including attached supporting Project Worksheet(s), to review and approve or deny the grant application or amendment; or to notify the recipient of a delay in processing funding.

(d) Obligation of the grant. Before FEMA approves the State's grant application, the State must have an up-to-date State Administrative Plan and a Hazard Mitigation Plan that has been reviewed and approved by the Regional Administrator. Once these plans are approved by the Regional Administrator, the State's grant application may be approved and FEMA may begin to obligate the Federal share of funding for subgrants to the recipient.

(1) State administrative plan.

(i) The State must develop an Administrative Plan (or have a current Administrative Plan on file with FEMA) that describes the procedures for the administration of the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program. The Plan will include, at a minimum, the items listed below:

(A) The designation of the State agency or agencies which will have responsibility for program administration.

(B) The identification of staffing functions for the Fire Management Assistance Program, the sources of staff to fill these functions, and the management and oversight responsibilities of each.

(C) The procedures for:

(1) Notifying potential applicants of the availability of the program;

(2) Assisting FEMA in determining applicant eligibility;

(3) Submitting and reviewing subgrant applications;

(4) Processing payment for subgrants;

(5) Submitting, reviewing, and accepting subgrant performance and financial reports;

(6) Monitoring, close-out, and audit and reconciliation of subgrants;

(7) Recovering funds for disallowed costs;

(8) Processing appeal requests and requests for time extensions; and

(9) Providing technical assistance to applicants and subgrant recipients, including briefings for potential applicants and materials on the application procedures, program eligibility guidance and program deadlines.

(ii) The recipient may request the Regional Administrator to provide technical assistance in the preparation of the State Administrative Plan.

(2) Hazard Mitigation Plan. As a requirement of receiving funding under a fire management assistance grant, a State, or tribal organization, acting as recipient, must:

(i) Develop a Mitigation Plan in accordance with 44 CFR part 201 that addresses wildfire risks and mitigation measures; or

(ii) Incorporate wildfire mitigation into the existing Mitigation Plan developed and approved under 44 CFR part 201 that also addresses wildfire risk and contains a wildfire mitigation strategy and related mitigation initiatives.

[66 FR 57347, Nov. 14, 2001, as amended at 68 FR 61371, Oct. 28, 2003; 79 FR 63546, Oct. 24, 2014; 82 FR 42, Jan. 3, 2017]