Accomplishment Highlights, December 2006 November 2007

Accomplishment HighlightsDecember 2006-November 2007

Accomplishments• Appropriations• Biomass • Collaboration• Farm Bill• Forest Restoration &

Community Capacity Building

• FS New Business Model• Performance Measures• Stewardship Contracting• Wildfire Cost

Containment• Workforce & Labor

Western Week in Washington

• 2 trips (April and June)• 20 organizations participated• Over 100 meetings held with congressional,

agency and interest group leaders

Forum on Working Conditions for Forest Workers

• 5 RVCC participating groups collaborated with DOL and FS on event

• About 100 members of the public attended• More than 30 forest workers provided oral testimony• Forum conducted with

simultaneous translation in English/Spanish

• Generated media interest

Workforce & Labor

• Influenced issuance of FS guidance on how to use best value contracting authorities for restoration and fuels reduction, and monitoring service contracts, with particular focus on community benefit criteria

Appropriations

• Economic Action Program• Performance Measures• Collaboration

Appropriations

Economic Action Program• Kept Congress informed of value of service delivered by

EAP• Organized an action alert to get Senators to sign “Dear

Colleague” letters supporting EAP

• Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee Rep. Rahall stated his support for renewed funding for EAP at $52.6 million for the FY08 budget

Appropriations

Performance Measures• Proposed outcome-based performance measures for

federal programs and linked them to specific budget line items in funding package

Appropriations

Collaboration• Influenced inclusion of language requiring collaboration

in the President’s budget proposal

Biomass• RVCC member testified on

integrating woody biomass issues with larger energy and climate change issues at a congressional oversight hearing

• Provided language on biomass utilization that was included in Section 309 of the Energy Policy Reform and Revitalization Act of 2007– Developed and distributed

press release in support of Section 309

• Provided comments to congressional offices on legislative language ensuring community benefit from biomass production tax credits

Farm Bill• Worked with Senator Crapo's

staff on biomass issue in Farm Bill resulting in his decision to make biomass one of top five Farm Bill issues

• Developed sign-on letter in support of establishing Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program

• Encouraged inclusion of Community Wood Energy Program

Performance Measures

• RVCC member provided testimony at oversight hearing on Wildfire Preparedness• recommended measurement criteria and

performance measures to ensure funding and assistance for wildfire preparedness applied in an equitable way

New Business Model

• Invited to participate in advising Forest Service on initiative development and implementation

Keep up the good work!