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Forest Service: Review of the Alaska Region's Operating Costs

RCED-98-106R Published: Mar 31, 1998. Publicly Released: Apr 01, 1998.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the costs to operate the Forest Service's Alaska Region, focusing on: (1) the region's allocation of funds for its operating costs for fiscal years (FY) 1993 through 1997 and estimated allocations for FY 1998; (2) the nature, purpose, and allocation of centralized field costs and examples of which costs caused the centralized field costs to fluctuate from year to year as well as the steps the Alaska Region is taking to comply with the limitation on the expenditures for the Alaska regional office and centralized field costs set forth in the Forest Service's FY 1998 appropriations act; (3) the rationale for the distribution of regional reserve funds; and (4) whether the appropriations for the National Forest System and for Forest and Rangeland Research were used appropriately to pay for work performed by the Pacific Northwest Research Station in connection with the revision of the Tongass Land Management Plan and for post-plan studies.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Forest Service The Chief of the Forest Service should direct the Alaska Regional Forester and the Pacific Northwest Research Station Director to fully comply with the Forest Service's August 28, 1997, direction on special research funding situations, which requires the preparation of financial plans and documentation of the determination of the appropriate funding allocations, and establish procedures to ensure compliance with appropriations law Forest Service-wide.
Closed – Implemented
The Forest Service has implemented the recommendation. The Forest Service's Alaska Regional Forester and Pacific Northwest Research Station Director have developed a benefits analysis process wherein special funding situations are evaluated for their relative benefits to the Alaska Region and the Research Station, which will accomplish the intent of the Forest Service's August 28, 1997, direction on special Research funding situations. On July 30, 1998, the Deputy Chief for Research and Development directed all research stations to implement the new procedures and stressed that they must abide by appropriation law, and the rules that govern it.

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Topics

Appropriated fundsBudget outlaysBudgetary reservesCost accountingCost analysisForest managementFunds managementNational forestsResearch and development facilitiesScientists