Department of Lands seeks staff and one-time items; governor proposes large transfers to fire suppression fund and TPA adjustments

The Idaho Department of Lands told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee it is seeking multiple staff additions and one-time spending for fire preparedness and forest management while the governor proposed major transfers to replenish the state's fire suppression deficiency fund.

Janet Jessup, Legislative Services analyst, opened the Department of Lands presentation and said the department's budget appears in the natural resources section. She noted the department is established in Idaho statute and serves as the administrative arm of the Board of Land Commissioners. Jessup highlighted the department's long list of dedicated funds and said many receipts and uses are codified in statute.

Why it matters: The Department of Lands manages trust lands, administers fire protection on private timberlands and other trust properties, and coordinates wildfire response across districts. Committee members pressed for detail because FY2026 requests include personnel additions for the state's fire program, requests tied to Timber Protective Associations (TPAs), and changes to how Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) funds will be treated in the budget.

Fire fund transfers and suppression balance The governor's recommendation includes large transfers to the fire suppression deficiency fund. Jessup told the committee the governor recommended a $60,000,000 supplemental transfer in the current fiscal year and an additional $40,000,000 transfer from the general fund to the fire suppression deficiency fund. Jessup's slides project that those transfers would materially increase the fund balance shown on the department's five-year chart.

Director Dustin Miller told the committee the department's suppression account balance stood at about $35,800,000 on the slide he cited but that many invoices and partner cost shares remain outstanding. Miller said, "If we do not receive the additional funds that's being asked for by the governor in our budget, that fund could drop down to about 13,000,000 is what we're projecting, 13,000,000 for FY '26." He said invoicing and reimbursement timing with federal partners remains a challenge.

Timber Protective Associations and CEC Jessup outlined funding for the two Timber Protective Associations included in the budget: Southern Idaho Timber Protective Association (based in McCall) and Clearwater Potlatch Timber Protective Association (based in Orofino). She described TPAs as "quasi state agencies" that receive funds through the Department of Lands to fight fires on private lands. The department collects assessments and liens tied to those lands and a portion of assessments is distributed to TPAs.

The TPAs are not state employees. Jessup explained that the committee's recent general CEC action for state employees does not apply to TPA staff; the TPAs requested CEC-equivalent funding and the governor's recommendation increased the TPA CEC line rather than leaving it unchanged. Committee members asked whether the CEC-equivalent would duplicate or augment the state CEC passed for state employees; Jessup answered that it would be distinct because TPA employees are not state employees.

Firefighter bonuses and TPA request Jessup said the governor's recommendation included $1,000,000 for firefighter bonuses that would cover Department of Lands employees but not TPA employees. TPAs sought an additional $250,000 to fund bonuses for TPA firefighters; the TPAs amended their request after the governor's state of the state.

Good Neighbor Authority and funding details Director Miller described the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) program as work on federal lands to increase pace and scale of active management and restoration. Miller said the program originated in the 2015 federal farm bill and the state has agreements with six of Idaho's seven national forests. He told the committee the GNA has generated about $40,000,000 to date from timber sales on federal lands and that revenues are used for personnel, operations, payments to the Forest Service and restoration contracts. Miller gave a breakdown: roughly $5,000,000 for department personnel costs, about $1,000,000 for operating expenses, about $1,000,000 to the Forest Service, and roughly $6,000,000 for restoration contracts.

Budget requests and positions Jessup described FY2026 enhancement requests that would add six positions: a fire emergency support program manager, a fire aviation section manager, a statewide forest assessment program manager, an assistant fire warden for the Ponderosa area, a fiscal/financial specialist, and a forest program position. Miller said those roles align with the department's fire program modernization and the governor's wildfire roundtable recommendations and emphasized aviation capacity, district coordination, and improving assessments for timberland owners to ensure proper fee collection.

Abandoned mines and grant funding Committee members asked about the abandoned mine lands fund. Miller said Idaho needs to close and secure nearly 9,000 abandoned mines and that the abandoned mine lands fund, funded by a portion of the mining license tax, has not kept pace with the task. He said the department prioritizes closures and works with the Idaho Geological Survey but acknowledged funding constraints.

No formal committee action or vote was recorded at the hearing. Department staff stood ready to answer follow-up questions and the committee will resolve appropriation details later in the budget process.

Ending: The Department of Lands presentation gave lawmakers a range of program priorities tied to wildfire preparedness and forest management; the governor's proposed supplemental and transfers would substantially increase the fire suppression reserve if enacted, and the committee requested further details on reimbursements, abandoned mine funding and implementation of personnel changes.