South Carolina Code 48-28-50. Powers and duties of State Forester in connection with administration of cost-sharing provisions
1. Prescribing the requirements for making application for cost-sharing funds.
Terms Used In South Carolina Code 48-28-50
- Approved forest management plan: shall mean a forest management plan approved by the State Forester for an eligible landowner. See South Carolina Code 48-28-30
- Approved practices: shall mean those silvicultural practices approved by the State Forester for the purpose of commercially growing timber through the establishment of forest stands or of ensuring the proper regeneration of forest stands to commercial production levels following the harvest of timber. See South Carolina Code 48-28-30
- Forest renewal assessment: shall mean an assessment on primary forest products from timber severed in South Carolina for the funding of the provisions of this chapter. See South Carolina Code 48-28-30
- Forest renewal fund: shall mean the special nonlapsing fund provided by § 48-28-100 established in the Commission designated as the forest renewal fund. See South Carolina Code 48-28-30
- Slippage: shall mean the difference in funds earmarked in the management plan for an approved practice and funds actually earned when the practice is completed. See South Carolina Code 48-28-30
- State Forester: shall mean the director of the State Commission of Forestry. See South Carolina Code 48-28-30
2. Identifying those approved practices as defined in item 6 of § 48-28-30 which shall be approved for cost-sharing under the provisions of this chapter.
3. Reviewing periodically the cost of forest renewal practices and establishing allowable ranges for cost-sharing purposes for approved practices under varying conditions throughout the State.
4. Determining, prior to approving cost-sharing payments to any landowner, that all proposed practices are appropriate and are comparable in cost to the prevailing cost of those practices.
5. Determining, prior to approving cost-sharing payments, that an approved forest management plan as defined in item 7 of § 48-28-30 for the eligible land has been filed with the State Forester and that the landowner has indicated in writing his intent to comply with the terms of such management plan that related to cost-share payments.
6. Determining, prior to approving cost-sharing payments, that the approved practices for which payment is requested have been completed in a satisfactory manner, conform to the approved forest management plan submitted under item 5 of this section and otherwise meet the requirements of this chapter.
7. Disbursing from the forest renewal fund, comprised of appropriated funds and forest assessment funds, to eligible landowners, cost-sharing payments or satisfactory completion of practices provided for by this chapter and insofar as is practicable disbursing funds equally from the state appropriated funds and the forest renewal assessment funds, until appropriated funds are expended after which expenditures shall come from the forest renewal assessment funds subject to limitations of § 48-28-100.
8. Applying directly funds resulting from slippage as defined in item 10 of § 48-28-30 to the revolving forest renewal fund which shall be available for applying to cost-sharing for additional landowners.
9. Publishing guidelines for implementing this chapter.
10. Initiating recollection of all cost-share payments if a landowner does not meet the requirements of § 48-28-80, for ten years.