[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 6]
[Revised as of January 1, 2008]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR625.6]

[Page 448-449]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
   CHAPTER VI--NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 625_HEALTHY FORESTS RESERVE PROGRAM--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 625.6  Establishing priority for enrollment in HFRP.

    (a) Ranking considerations. Based on the specific criteria set forth 
in a sign-up announcement and the applications for participation, NRCS, 
in coordination FWS and NMFS, may consider the following factors to rank 
properties:
    (1) Estimated conservation benefit to habitat required by threatened 
or endangered species listed under Section 4 of the ESA;
    (2) Estimated conservation benefit to habitat required by species 
not listed as endangered or threatened under Section 4 of the ESA but 
that are candidates for such listing, State-listed species, or species 
identified by the Chief for special consideration for funding;
    (3) Estimated improvement of biological diversity, if enrolled;
    (4) Potential for increased capability of carbon sequestration, if 
enrolled;
    (5) Availability of contribution of non-federal funds;
    (6) Significance of forest ecosystem functions and values;
    (7) Estimated cost-effectiveness of the particular restoration cost-
share agreement or easement, and associated HFRP restoration plan; and
    (8) Other factors identified in an HFRP sign-up notice.
    (b) The NRCS may place higher priority on certain forest ecosystems 
based regions of the State or multi-State area where restoration of 
forestland may better achieve NRCS programmatic and sign-up goals and 
objectives.

[[Page 449]]

    (c) Notwithstanding any limitation of this part, NRCS may enroll 
eligible lands at any time in order to encompass project areas subject 
to multiple land ownership or otherwise to achieve program objectives. 
Similarly, NRCS may, at any time, exclude otherwise eligible lands if 
the participation of the adjacent landowners is essential to the 
successful restoration of the forest ecosystem and those adjacent 
landowners are unwilling to participate.
    (d) If available funds are insufficient to accept the highest ranked 
application, and the applicant is not interested in reducing the acres 
offered to match available funding, USDA may select a lower ranked 
application that can be fully funded. Applicants may choose to change 
the duration of the easement or agreement or reduce acreage amount 
offered if the application ranking score is not reduced below that of 
the score of the next available application on the ranking list.