44 C.F.R. PART 204—FIRE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM
Title 44 - Emergency Management and Assistance
Authority: Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121–5206; Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978, 43 FR 41943, 3 CFR, 1978 Comp., p. 329; E.O. 12127, 44 FR 19367, 3 CFR, 1979 Comp., p. 376; E.O. 12148, 44 FR 43239, 3 CFR, 1979 Comp., p. 412; and E.O. 12673, 54 FR 12571, 3 CFR, 1989 Comp., p. 214.
Source: 66 FR 57347, Nov. 14, 2001, unless otherwise noted.
This part provides information on the procedures for the declaration and grants management processes for the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program in accordance with the provisions of section 420 of the Stafford Act. This part also details applicant eligibility and the eligibility of costs to be considered under the program. We (FEMA) will actively work with State and Tribal emergency managers and foresters on the efficient delivery of fire management assistance as directed by this part. This part is intended for those individuals responsible for requesting declarations and administering grants under the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program, as well as those applying for assistance under the program. Applicant. A State or Indian tribal government submitting an application to us for a fire management assistance grant, or a State, local, or Indian tribal government submitting an application to the Grantee for a subgrant under an approved fire management assistance grant. Associate Director. The Associate Director or Assistant Director, as applicable, of the Readiness, Response and Recovery Directorate of FEMA, or his/her designated representative. Declared fire. An uncontrolled fire or fire complex, threatening such destruction as would constitute a major disaster, which the Associate Director has approved in response to a State's request for a fire management assistance declaration and in accordance with the criteria listed in §204.21. Demobilization. The process and procedures for deactivating, disassembling, and transporting back to their point of origin all resources that had been provided to respond to and support a declared fire. FEMA Form 90–91. See Project Worksheet. Fire complex. Two or more individual fires located in the same general area, which are assigned to a single Incident Commander. Governor's Authorized Representative (GAR). The person empowered by the Governor to execute, on behalf of the State, all necessary documents for fire management assistance, including the request for a fire management assistance declaration. Grant. An award of financial assistance, including cooperative agreements, by FEMA to an eligible Grantee. The grant award will be based on the projected amount of total eligible costs for which a State submits an application and that FEMA approves related to a declared fire. Grantee. The Grantee is the government to which a grant is awarded which is accountable for the use of the funds provided. The Grantee is the entire legal entity even if only a particular component of the entity is designated in the grant award document. Generally, the State, as designated in the FEMA-State Agreement for the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program, is the Grantee. However, after a declaration, an Indian tribal government may choose to be a Grantee, or it may act as a subgrantee under the State. An Indian tribal government acting as Grantee will assume the responsibilities of a “state”, as described in this Part, for the purpose of administering the grant. Hazard mitigation plan. A plan to develop actions the State, local, or tribal government will take to reduce the risk to people and property from all hazards. The intent of hazard mitigation planning under the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program is to identify wildfire hazards and cost-effective mitigation alternatives that produce long-term benefits. We address mitigation of fire hazards as part of the State's comprehensive Mitigation Plan, described in 44 CFR part 201. Incident commander. The ranking official responsible for overseeing the management of fire operations, planning, logistics, and finances of the field response. Incident period. The time interval during which the declared fire occurs. The Regional Director, in consultation with the Governor's Authorized Representative and the Principal Advisor, will establish the incident period. Generally, costs must be incurred during the incident period to be considered eligible. Indian tribal government. An Indian tribal government is any Federally recognized governing body of an Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community that the Secretary of Interior acknowledges to exist as an Indian tribe under the Federally Recognized Tribe List Act of 1994, 25 U.S.C. 479a. This does not include Alaska Native corporations, the ownership of which is vested in private individuals. Individual assistance. Supplementary Federal assistance provided under the Stafford Act to individuals and families adversely affected by a major disaster or an emergency. Such assistance may be provided directly by the Federal Government or through State or local governments or disaster relief organizations. For further information, see subparts D, E, and F of part 206. Local government. A local government is any county, municipality, city, town, township, public authority, school district, special district, intrastate district, council of governments (regardless of whether the council of governments is incorporated as a nonprofit corporation under State law), regional or interstate government entity, or agency or instrumentality of a local government; any Indian tribal government or authorized tribal organization, or Alaska Native village or organization; and any rural community, unincorporated town or village, or other public entity, for which an application for assistance is made by a State or political subdivision of a State. Mitigation, management, and control. Those activities undertaken, generally during the incident period of a declared fire, to minimize immediate adverse effects and to manage and control the fire. Eligible activities may include associated emergency work and pre-positioning directly related to the declared fire. Mobilization. The process and procedures used for activating, assembling, and transporting all resources that the Grantee requested to respond to support a declared fire. Performance period. The time interval designated in block 13 on the Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) for the Grantee and all subgrantees to submit eligible costs and have those costs processed, obligated, and closed out by FEMA. Pre-positioning. Moving existing fire prevention or suppression resources from an area of lower fire danger to one of higher fire danger in anticipation of an increase in fire activity likely to constitute the threat of a major disaster. Principal advisor. An individual appointed by the Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture, or Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior, who is responsible for providing FEMA with a technical assessment of the fire or fire complex for which a State is requesting a fire management assistance declaration. The Principal Advisor also frequently participates with FEMA on other wildland fire initiatives. Project worksheet. FEMA Form 90–91, which identifies actual costs incurred by eligible applicants as a result of the eligible firefighting activities. Public assistance. Supplementary Federal assistance provided under the Stafford Act to State and local governments or certain private, nonprofit organizations for eligible emergency measures and repair, restoration, and replacement of damaged facilities. For further information, see Subparts G and H of Part 206. Regional Director. A director of a regional office of FEMA, or his/her designated representative. Request for Federal Assistance. See Standard Form (SF) 424. Standard Form (SF) 424. The SF 424 is the Request for Federal Assistance. This is the form the State submits to apply for a grant under a fire management assistance declaration. Subgrant. An award of financial assistance under a grant by a Grantee to an eligible subgrantee. Subgrantee. An applicant that is awarded a subgrant and is accountable to the Grantee for the use of grant funding provided. Threat of a major disaster. The potential impact of the fire or fire complex is of a severity and magnitude that would result in a presidential major disaster declaration for the Public Assistance Program, the Individual Assistance Program, or both. Uncontrolled fire. Any fire not safely confined to predetermined control lines as established by firefighting resources. We, our, us mean FEMA. [66 FR 57347, Nov. 14, 2001, as amended at 68 FR 61370, Oct. 28, 2003] (a) Determinations. We will approve declarations for fire management assistance when the Associate Director determines that a fire or fire complex threatens such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. (b) Evaluation criteria. We will evaluate the threat posed by a fire or fire complex based on consideration of the following specific criteria: (1) Threat to lives and improved property, including threats to critical facilities/infrastructure, and critical watershed areas; (2) Availability of State and local firefighting resources; (3) High fire danger conditions, as indicated by nationally accepted indices such as the National Fire Danger Ratings System; (4) Potential major economic impact. The Governor of a State, or the Governor's Authorized Representative (GAR), may submit a request for a fire management assistance declaration. The request must be submitted while the fire is burning uncontrolled and threatens such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. The request must be submitted to the Regional Director and should address the relevant criteria listed in §204.21, with supporting documentation that contains factual data and professional estimates on the fire or fire complex. To ensure that we can process a State's request for a fire management assistance declaration as expeditiously as possible, the State should transmit the request by telephone, promptly followed by written documentation (FEMA Form 90–58). (a) In processing a State's request for a fire management assistance declaration, the Regional Director, in coordination with the Principal Advisor, will verify the information submitted in the State's request. (b) The Regional Director will then forward the State's request to the Associate Director for determination along with the Principal Advisor's Assessment and the Regional Summary. (1) Principal Advisor's assessment. The Principal Advisor, at the request of the Regional Director, is responsible for providing us with a technical assessment of the fire or fire complex for which the State is requesting a fire management assistance declaration. The Principal Advisor may consult with State agencies, usually emergency management or forestry, as well as the Incident Commander, in order to provide us with an accurate assessment. (2) Regional summary and recommendation. Upon obtaining all necessary information on the fire or fire complex from the State and the Principal Advisor, the Regional Director will provide the Associate Director with a summary and recommendation to accompany the State's request. The summary and recommendation should include a discussion of the threat of a major disaster. The Associate Director will review all information submitted in the State's request along with the Principal Advisor's assessment and Regional summary and render a determination. The determination will be based on the conditions of the fire or fire complex existing at the time of the State's request. When possible, the Associate Director will evaluate the request and make a determination within several hours. Once the Associate Director makes a determination, the Associate Director will promptly notify the Regional Director. The Regional Director will then inform the State of the determination. (a) After a State's request for a fire management assistance declaration has been approved, the Governor and Regional Director will enter into a standing FEMA–State Agreement (the Agreement) for the declared fire and for future declared fires in that calendar year. The State must have a signed and up-to-date FEMA–State Agreement before receiving Federal funding for fire management assistance grants. FEMA will provide no funding absent a signed and up-to-date Agreement. An Indian tribal government serving as Grantee, must sign a FEMA–Tribal Agreement, modeled upon the FEMA–State Agreement. (b) The Agreement states the understandings, commitments, and conditions under which we will provide Federal assistance, including the cost share provision and articles of agreement necessary for the administration of grants approved under fire management assistance declarations. The Agreement must also identify the State legislative authority for firefighting, as well as the State's compliance with the laws, regulations, and other provisions applicable to the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program. (c) For each subsequently declared fire within the calendar year, the parties must add a properly executed amendment, which defines the incident period and contains the official declaration number. Other amendments modifying the standing Agreement may be added throughout the year to reflect changes in the program or signatory parties. (a) Submitting an appeal. When we deny a State's request for a fire management assistance declaration, the Governor or GAR may appeal the decision in writing within 30 days after the date of the letter denying the request. The State should submit this one-time request for reconsideration in writing, with appropriate additional information, to the Associate Director through the Regional Director. The Associate Director will notify the State of his/her determination on the appeal, in writing, within 90 days of receipt of the appeal or the receipt of additional requested information. (b) Requesting a time-extension. The Associate Director may extend the 30-day period provided that the Governor or the GAR submits a written request for such an extension within the 30-day period. The Associate Director will evaluate the need for an extension based on the reasons cited in the request and either approve or deny the request for an extension. (a) The following entities are eligible to apply through a State Grantee for a subgrant under an approved fire management assistance grant: (1) State agencies; (2) Local governments; and (3) Indian tribal governments. (b) Entities that are not eligible to apply for a subgrant as identified in (a), such as privately owned entities and volunteer firefighting organizations, may be reimbursed through a contract or compact with an eligible applicant for eligible costs associated with the fire or fire complex. (c) Eligibility is contingent upon a finding that the Incident Commander or comparable State official requested the applying entity's resources. (d) The activities performed must be the legal responsibility of the applying entity, required as the result of the declared fire, and located within the designated area. (a) General. (1) All eligible work and related costs must be associated with the incident period of a declared fire. (2) Before obligating Federal funds the Regional Director must review and approve the initial grant application, along with Project Worksheets submitted with the application and any subsequent amendments to the application. (3) Grantees will award Federal funds to subgrantees under State law and procedure and complying with 44 CFR part 13. (b) Equipment and supplies. Eligible costs include: (1) Personal comfort and safety items normally provided by the State under field conditions for firefighter health and safety, including: (2) Firefighting supplies, tools, materials, expended or lost, to the extent not covered by reasonable insurance, will be replaced with comparable items. (3) Operation and maintenance costs of publicly owned, contracted, rented, or volunteer firefighting department equipment used in eligible firefighting activities to the extent any of these costs are not included in applicable equipment rates. (4) Use of U.S. Government-owned equipment based on reasonable costs as billed by the Federal agency and paid by the State. (Only direct costs for use of Federal Excess Personal Property (FEPP) vehicles and equipment on loan to State Forestry and local cooperators may be eligible.) (5) Repair of equipment damaged in firefighting activities to the extent not covered by reasonable insurance. We will use the lowest applicable equipment rates, or other rates that we determine, to calculate the eligible cost of repairs. (6) Replacement of equipment lost or destroyed in firefighting activities, to the extent not covered by reasonable insurance, will be replaced with comparable equipment. (c) Labor costs. Eligible costs include: (1) Overtime for permanent or reassigned State and local employees. (2) Regular time and overtime for temporary and contract employees hired to perform fire-related activities. (d) Travel and per diem costs. Eligible costs include: (1) Travel and per diem of employees who are providing services directly associated with eligible fire-related activities may be eligible. (2) Provision of field camps and meals when made available in place of per diem; (e) Pre-positioning costs. (1) The actual costs of pre-positioning Federal, out-of-State (including compact), and international resources for a limited period may be eligible when those resources are used in response to a declared fire. (2) The Regional Director must approve all pre-positioning costs. (i) Upon approval of a State's request for a fire management assistance declaration by the Associate Director, the State should immediately notify the Regional Director of its intention to seek funding for pre-positioning resources. (ii) The State must document the number of pre-positioned resources to be funded and their respective locations throughout the State, estimate the cost of the pre-positioned resources that were used on the declared fire and the amount of time the resources were pre-positioned, and provide a detailed explanation of the need to fund the pre-positioned resources . (iii) The State will base the detailed explanation on recognized scientific indicators, that include, but are not limited to, drought indices, short-term weather forecasts, the current number of fires burning in the State, and the availability of in-State firefighting resources. The State may also include other quantitative indicators with which to measure the increased risk of the threat of a major disaster. (iv) Based on the information contained in the State's notification, the Regional Director will determine the number of days of pre-positioning to be approved for Federal funding, up to a maximum of 21 days before the fire declaration. (3) Upon rendering his/her determination on pre-positioning costs, the Regional Director will notify the Associate Director of his/her determination. (f) Emergency work. We may authorize the use of section 403 of the Stafford Act, Essential Assistance, under an approved fire management assistance grant when directly related to the mitigation, management, and control of the declared fire. Essential assistance activities that may be eligible include, but are not limited to, police barricading and traffic control, extraordinary emergency operations center expenses, evacuations and sheltering, search and rescue, arson investigation teams, public information, and the limited removal of trees that pose a threat to the general public. (g) Temporary repair of damage caused by firefighting activities. Temporary repair of damage caused by eligible firefighting activities listed in this subpart involves short-term actions to repair damage directly caused by the firefighting effort or activities. This includes minimal repairs to bulldozer lines, camps, and staging areas to address safety concerns; as well as minimal repairs to facilities damaged by the firefighting activities such as fences, buildings, bridges, roads, etc. All temporary repair work must be completed within thirty days of the close of the incident period for the declared fire. (h) Mobilization and demobilization. Costs for mobilization to, and demobilization from, a declared fire may be eligible for reimbursement. Demobilization may be claimed at a delayed date if deployment involved one or more declared fires. If resources are being used on more than one declared fire, mobilization and demobilization costs must be claimed against the first declared fire. (i) Fires on co-mingled Federal/State lands. Reasonable costs for the mitigation, management, and control of a declared fire burning on co-mingled Federal and State land may be eligible in cases where the State has a responsibility for suppression activities under an agreement to perform such action on a non-reimbursable basis. (This provision is an exception to normal FEMA policy under the Stafford Act and is intended to accommodate only those rare instances that involve State firefighting on a Stafford Act section 420 fire incident involving co-mingled Federal/State and privately-owned forest or grassland.) Costs not directly associated with the incident period are ineligible. Ineligible costs include the following: (a) Costs incurred in the mitigation, management, and control of undeclared fires; (b) Costs related to planning, pre-suppression (i.e., cutting fire-breaks without the presence of an imminent threat, training, road widening, and other similar activities), and recovery (i.e., land rehabilitation activities, such as seeding, planting operations, and erosion control, or the salvage of timber and other materials, and restoration of facilities damaged by fire); (c) Costs for the straight or regular time salaries and benefits of a subgrantee's permanently employed or reassigned personnel; (d) Costs for mitigation, management, and control of a declared fire on co-mingled Federal land when such costs are reimbursable to the State by a Federal agency under another statute (See 44 CFR part 51); (e) Fires fought on Federal land are generally the responsibility of the Federal Agency that owns or manages the land. Costs incurred while fighting fires on federally owned land are not eligible under the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program except as noted in §204.42(i). (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 Director. The application package must include the SF 424 (Request for Federal Assistance) and FEMA Form 20–16a (Summary of Assurances—Non-construction Programs), as well as supporting documentation for the budget. (2) The State should submit its grant application within 9 months of the declaration. Upon receipt of the written request from the State, the Regional Director may grant an extension for up to 3 months. The State's request must include a justification for the extension. (b) Fire cost threshold. (1) We will approve the initial grant award to the State when we determine 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) We 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 Director 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 Grantee of a delay in processing funding. (d) Obligation of the grant. Before we approve 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 Director. Once these plans are approved by the Regional Director, the State's grant application may be approved and we may begin to obligate the Federal share of funding for subgrants to the Grantee. (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 Grantee may request the Regional Director 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 Grantee, 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] (a) Request for Fire Management Assistance. (1) State, local, and tribal governments interested in applying for subgrants under an approved fire management assistance grant must submit a Request for Fire Management Assistance to the Grantee in accordance with State procedures and within timelines set by the Grantee, but no longer than 30 days after the close of the incident period. (2) The Grantee will review and forward the Request to the Regional Director for final review and determination. The Grantee may also forward a recommendation for approval of the Request to the Regional Director when appropriate. (3) The Regional Director will approve or deny the request based on the eligibility requirements outlined in §204.41. (4) The Regional Director will notify the Grantee of his/her determination; the Grantee will inform the applicant. (b) Preparing a Project Worksheet. (1) Once the Regional Director approves an applicant's Request for Fire Management Assistance, the Regional Director's staff may begin to work with the Grantee and local staff to prepare Project Worksheets (FEMA Form 90–91). (2) The Regional Director may request the Principal Advisor to assist in the preparation of Project Worksheets. (3) The State will be the primary contact for transactions with and on behalf of the applicant. (c) Submitting a Project Worksheet. (1) Applicants should submit all Project Worksheets through the Grantee for approval and transmittal to the Regional Director as amendments to the State's application. (2) The Grantee will determine the deadline for an applicant to submit completed Project Worksheets, but the deadline must be no later than six months from close of the incident period. (3) At the request of the Grantee, the Regional Director may grant an extension of up to three months. The Grantee must include a justification in its request for an extension. (4) Project Worksheets will not be accepted after the deadline and extension specified in paragraphs (c)(2) and (c)(3) of this section has expired. (5) $1,000 Project Worksheet minimum. When the costs reported are less than $1,000, that work is not eligible and we will not approve that Project Worksheet. (a) By submitting applicants' Project Worksheets to us, the Grantee is certifying that all costs reported on applicant Project Worksheets were incurred for work that was performed in compliance with FEMA laws, regulations, policy and guidance applicable to the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program, as well as with the terms and conditions outlined for the administration of the grant in the FEMA-State Agreement for the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program. (b) Advancement/Reimbursement for State grant costs will be processed as follows: (1) Through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services SMARTLINK system; and (2) In compliance with 44 CFR 13.21 and U. S. Treasury 31 CFR part 205, Cash Management Improvement Act. An eligible applicant, subgrantee, or grantee may appeal any determination we make related to an application for the provision of Federal assistance according to the procedures below. (a) Format and content. The applicant or subgrantee will make the appeal in writing through the grantee to the Regional Director. The grantee will review and evaluate all subgrantee appeals before submission to the Regional Director. The grantee may make grantee-related appeals to the Regional Director. The appeal will contain documented justification supporting the appellant's position, specifying the monetary figure in dispute and the provisions in Federal law, regulation, or policy with which the appellant believes the initial action was inconsistent. (b) Levels of appeal. (1) The Regional Director will consider first appeals for fire management assistance grant-related decisions under subparts A through E of this part. (2) The Associate Director will consider appeals of the Regional Director's decision on any first appeal under paragraph (b)(1) of this section. (c) Time limits. (1) Appellants must file appeals within 60 days after receipt of a notice of the action that is being appealed. (2) The grantee will review and forward appeals from an applicant or subgrantee, with a written recommendation, to the Regional Director within 60 days of receipt. (3) Within 90 days following receipt of an appeal, the Regional Director (for first appeals) or Associate Director (for second appeals) will notify the grantee in writing of the disposition of the appeal or of the need for additional information. A request by the Regional Director or Associate Director for additional information will include a date by which the information must be provided. Within 90 days following the receipt of the requested additional information or following expiration of the period for providing the information, the Regional Director or Associate Director will notify the grantee in writing of the disposition of the appeal. If the decision is to grant the appeal, the Regional Director will take appropriate implementing action. (d) Technical advice. In appeals involving highly technical issues, the Regional Director or Associate Director may, at his or her discretion, submit the appeal to an independent scientific or technical person or group having expertise in the subject matter of the appeal for advice or recommendation. The period for this technical review may be in addition to other allotted time periods. Within 90 days of receipt of the report, the Regional Director or Associate Director will notify the grantee in writing of the disposition of the appeal. (e) The decision of the Associate Director at the second appeal level will be the final administrative decision of FEMA. (a) All fire management assistance grants are subject to a cost share. The Federal cost share for fire management assistance grants is seventy-five percent (75%). (b) As stated in §204.25, the cost share provision will be outlined in the terms and conditions of the FEMA-State Agreement for the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program. (a) Duplication of benefits. We provide supplementary assistance under the Stafford Act, which generally may not duplicate benefits received by or available to the applicant from insurance, other assistance programs, legal awards, or any other source to address the same purpose. An applicant must notify us of all benefits that it receives or anticipates from other sources for the same purpose, and must seek all such benefits available to them. We will reduce the grant by the amounts available for the same purpose from another source. We may provide assistance under this Part when other benefits are available to an applicant, but the applicant will be liable to us for any duplicative amounts that it receives or has available to it from other sources, and must repay us for such amounts. (b) Duplication of programs. We will not provide assistance under this part for activities for which another Federal agency has more specific or primary authority to provide assistance for the same purpose. We may disallow or recoup amounts that fall within another Federal agency's authority. We may provide assistance under this part, but the applicant must agree to seek assistance from the appropriate Federal agency and to repay us for amounts that are within another Agency's authority. (c) Negligence. We will provide no assistance to an applicant for costs attributable to applicant's own negligence. If the applicant suspects negligence by a third party for causing a condition for which we made assistance available under this Part, the applicant is responsible for taking all reasonable steps to recover all costs attributable to the negligence of the third party. We generally consider such amounts to be duplicated benefits available to the Grantee or subgrantee, and will treat them consistent with (a) of this section. (d) Intentional acts. Any person who intentionally causes a condition for which assistance is provided under this part shall be liable to the United States to the extent that we incur costs attributable to the intentional act or omission that caused the condition. We may provide assistance under this part, but it will be conditioned on an agreement by the applicant to cooperate with us in efforts to recover the cost of the assistance from the liable party. A person shall not be liable under this section as a result of actions the person takes or omits in the course of rendering care or assistance in response to the fire. 44 CFR 13.22 establishes general policies for determining allowable costs. (a) We will reimburse direct costs for the administration of a fire management assistance grant under 44 CFR part 13. (b) We will reimburse indirect costs for the administration of a fire management assistance grant in compliance with the Grantee's approved indirect cost rate under OMB Circular A–87. (a) Reporting. Within 90-days of the Performance Period expiration date, the State will submit a final Financial Status Report (FEMA Form 20–10), which reports all costs incurred within the incident period and all administrative costs incurred within the performance period; and (b) Audit. (1) Audits will be performed, for both the Grantee and the subgrantees, under 44 CFR 13.26. (2) FEMA may elect to conduct a program-specific Federal audit on the Fire Management Assistance Grant or a subgrant.
Title 44: Emergency Management and Assistance
PART 204—FIRE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM
Section Contents
§ 204.1 Purpose.
§ 204.2 Scope.
§ 204.3 Definitions used throughout this part.
§§ 204.4-204.20 [Reserved]
§ 204.21 Fire management assistance declaration criteria.
§ 204.22 Submitting a request for a fire management assistance declaration.
§ 204.23 Processing a request for a fire management assistance declaration.
§ 204.24 Determination on request for a fire management assistance declaration.
§ 204.25 FEMA–State agreement for fire management assistance grant program.
§ 204.26 Appeal of fire management assistance declaration denial.
§§ 204.27-204.40 [Reserved]
§ 204.41 Applicant eligibility.
§ 204.42 Eligible costs.
§ 204.43 Ineligible costs.
§§ 204.44-204.50 [Reserved]
§ 204.51 Application and approval procedures for a fire management assistance grant.
§ 204.52 Application and approval procedures for a subgrant under a fire management assistance grant.
§ 204.53 Certifying costs and payments.
§ 204.54 Appeals.
§§ 204.55-204.60 [Reserved]
§ 204.61 Cost share.
§ 204.62 Duplication and recovery of assistance.
§ 204.63 Allowable costs.
§ 204.64 Reporting and audit requirements
Subpart A—General
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§ 204.1 Purpose.
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§ 204.2 Scope.
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§ 204.3 Definitions used throughout this part.
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§§ 204.4-204.20 [Reserved]
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Subpart B—Declaration Process
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§ 204.21 Fire management assistance declaration criteria.
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§ 204.22 Submitting a request for a fire management assistance declaration.
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§ 204.23 Processing a request for a fire management assistance declaration.
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§ 204.24 Determination on request for a fire management assistance declaration.
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§ 204.25 FEMA–State agreement for fire management assistance grant program.
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§ 204.26 Appeal of fire management assistance declaration denial.
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§§ 204.27-204.40 [Reserved]
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Subpart C—Eligibility
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§ 204.41 Applicant eligibility.
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§ 204.42 Eligible costs.
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§ 204.43 Ineligible costs.
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§§ 204.44-204.50 [Reserved]
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Subpart D—Application Procedures
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§ 204.51 Application and approval procedures for a fire management assistance grant.
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§ 204.52 Application and approval procedures for a subgrant under a fire management assistance grant.
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§ 204.53 Certifying costs and payments.
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§ 204.54 Appeals.
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§§ 204.55-204.60 [Reserved]
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Subpart E—Grant Administration
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§ 204.61 Cost share.
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§ 204.62 Duplication and recovery of assistance.
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§ 204.63 Allowable costs.
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§ 204.64 Reporting and audit requirements
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