National Bulletin:	300-23-6	Date:	November 9, 2022
Subject:	LTP - Notice of the Mass Release of Survey Funds from Preliminary Obligations for Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Wetland Reserve Easements (ACEP-WRE), Emergency Watershed Protection Program – Floodplain Easements (EWPP-FPE), and Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP)

Purpose. To provide States and the Easement Acquisitions Branch (EAB) guidance regarding and notice of the mass release of survey funds obligated through the enrollment agreement supplement to an Agreement to Purchase Conservation Easement (APCE).

Expiration Date. September 30, 2023

Background. In fiscal year (FY) 2022, States and EAB continued to complete preliminary obligations for easement acquisition and restoration activities associated with an easement or 30-year contract enrollment. Preliminary obligations were documented on form “Supplement to the Enrollment Agreement for the Preliminary Obligation of Acquisition-Related and Restoration Costs” (herein referred to as Enrollment Agreement Supplement). The Enrollment Agreement Supplement is used for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Wetlands Reserve Easement (ACEP-WRE). And used optionally for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program- Floodplain Easement (EWPP-FPE), Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP), and Regional Conservation Partnership Program Farm Bill 2014 covered programs HFRP and ACEP-WRE.
The process of obligating funds preliminarily is based on the need to secure all funding required to acquire and restore the enrolled easement or 30-year contract. There are two methods to “convert” the preliminary obligation to the final obligation. This guidance gives notice of the mass release method for legal boundary survey obligations.

Explanation. In FY 2023, there will continue to be two methods of releasing funds for final obligations that were obligated preliminarily via the Supplement in FY 2022: mass release of funds and case-by-case State/EAB requested release of funds. Mass release of funds will be completed by National Headquarters staff for all legal boundary surveys obligated via the Supplement in FY 2022. In FY 2023 State and EAB will continue to use case-by-case requested release of preliminary obligations to final contracting mechanisms (Landowner Contracts, Cooperative/Contribution Agreements, or Federal Contracts) for all other preliminary obligations.

Mass release of funds that were obligated in FY 2022 via the Enrollment Agreement Supplement specifically for legal boundary surveys will be completed by National Headquarters staff working with Farm Production and Conservation Business Center (FPAC-BC) staff. Mass release of survey funds will be completed in early November 2022. Once released, States/EAB must requisition legal boundary surveys through the State/EAB selected contract mechanism no later than January 17, 2023. If States/EAB have requested release of funds for legal boundary surveys and entered requisitions into Integrated Acquisition System (IAS) prior to publication of this bulletin they may continue to complete those actions according to prior approved methods.

As a reminder, States must not execute a final contract mechanism until the preliminary obligation has been released, doing so would result in a double obligation of funds for the same activity. When funds are released for use on the final contract mechanisms, States/EAB will not create unique work breakdown structure (WBS) with a XX23 budget period. Instead, they will use the unique WBS (XX22 budget period) used for obligating funds via the Enrollment Agreement Supplement in FY 2022 for obligation of the final contract mechanisms, regardless of when and how the final contract mechanisms are obligated.

Contact. If you have questions or concerns regarding this national bulletin, contact the Easement Policy Branch by email at EasementSupport@usda.gov.

/s/

KAREN A. WOODRICH
Acting Deputy Chief for Programs