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Updated: January 26,2012
Title III-County Funds
In the reauthorized Act, Title III is modified by changing the types of activities eligible for funding, by adding a certification requirement, and by requiring counties to return funds not obligated by September 30, 2012, to the Treasury.
The reauthorized Act eliminates some previously authorized uses of title III funds: e.g., community service work camps, easement purchases, forest related after school programs, planning efforts to reduce or mitigate the impact of development on adjacent Federal lands.
Title III funds may be used only to
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carry out the Firewise Communities program,
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reimburse for emergency services paid for by counties and performed on Federal land (e.g. search and rescue, firefighting), and
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develop or update community wildfire protection plans.
The reauthorized Act requires counties allocating funds for title III projects to annually certify that the funds were used in accordance with title III (including a description of amounts and uses). Please see the section on Certification for information, instructions and a reporting form (OMB 596-0220) for the annual certification of expenditures.
The authority to initiate title III projects terminates on September 30, 2011. The reauthorized Act includes a new requirement that funds not obligated by September 30, 2012, be returned to the Treasury. For more information click on this link: Returning title III funds .
The relevant language from the Act is shown below:
SEC. 304. TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.
a) IN GENERAL.—The authority to initiate projects under this title terminates on September 30, 2011.
b) AVAILABILITY.—Any county funds not obligated by September 30, 2012, shall be returned to the Treasury of the United States.
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