DNR asks authority to retain firefighting reimbursements for equipment maintenance; requests $1.5M SDPR cap

The Department of Natural Resources told the House Finance Department of Natural Resources Subcommittee on Feb. 21 that it seeks statutory designated program receipt (SDPR) authority to retain reimbursements from interstate and federal partners for wildland firefighting activity so those funds can be used for maintenance of aircraft and fire engines.

Deputy Commissioner Brent Goodrum, Department of Natural Resources, said the request would allow the division to collect reimbursements from Northwest Compact partners, state-to-state agreements and federal cooperators such as the U.S. Forest Service, and to use those program receipts for needed maintenance rather than relying solely on unrestricted general funds. Goodrum said the department requests SDPR authority capped at $1,500,000.

Why it matters: the state frequently provides aircraft and engines for out-of-state firefighting and operates under multiple interstate and federal agreements. The department said some cross-billing through national systems can take years to settle; SDPR authority would let the division capture and spend reimbursements more promptly to keep aviation and engine fleets ready for future seasons.

Key points described at the hearing: - Agreements and billing: Goodrum described three ordering/billing arrangements the state uses when providing resources: state-to-state agreements (direct billing), the Northwest Compact, and the Alaska Master Cooperative Agreement (the national ordering system where the U.S. Forest Service is often the billing agency). He said state-to-state and Northwest Compact arrangements generally allow faster reimbursement (about six months) while national Forest Service cross-billing can take multiple years. - SDPR authority requested: the department asked for statutory designated program receipt authority capped at $1,500,000 to allow reimbursed funds to be used for maintenance on aircraft and fire engines that have been used in suppression activities. - Fund capitalization history: Goodrum described recent state budgeting for fire suppression. He said the state moved to a fund-capitalization approach and that the current year included $34,340,000 placed into the fire suppression fund. He said the governor’s proposed FY26 budget includes $25,800,000 to be placed into the fund. Goodrum also recounted past appropriations, saying the state set aside $5,240,000 in FY19 and increased fire-activity funding by $8,400,000 in FY20 to about $13,640,000. - Reimbursements and operations: Goodrum said the division has in recent years sent equipment and aircraft to other states and would like authority to retain reimbursements for maintenance rather than losing that ability when budget accounts change. He told the committee that the previous fire-activity fund had SDPR authority but that authority was lost when the fund structure changed; the current request would restore a mechanism to capture reimbursements.

Committee follow-up and questions: Representative Klum asked whether the department could keep FEMA reimbursements; Goodrum said the department is seeking authority to capture reimbursements generally via SDPR, but noted federal cross-billing timelines can be long and that some federal reimbursements are managed through different processes. Representative questions also covered the cost of transporting engines and aircraft to other states and how frequently equipment is sent; the department described recent deployments but did not provide a comprehensive annual tally at the hearing.

What the department did not do at the hearing: no formal appropriation or committee vote occurred; the department asked the subcommittee for guidance and said it would provide additional materials at upcoming budget meetings.

Ending: The subcommittee requested follow-up documentation ahead of budget closeout.