Road Construction Program
FPANS manages a gas tax - access road construction program on behalf of the
industry. The purpose of the program is to:
Provide woodlot access for the sustainable harvesting and extraction of forest
products.
Increase silviculture and stand tending activities.
Provide greater access for Christmas tree and Maple sugar operators.
Provide greater access and efficiency in overall forest fire protection.
Provide environmental and safety enhancement through the road maintenance
program.
It is clear that this program continues to be a highly visible and very popular
program. Since its inception in 1967, the program has delivered more than
10,000 kilometres of new roads and 10,000 kilometers of existing roads upgraded in
the woods of Nova Scotia (as of 2010).
Eligibility for this Program is as Follows:
Applicant must be a member in good standing of FPANS for a period of at least
one year prior to applying for road assistance.
Applicant must be a woodlot owner or forest operator and must have produced
wood fibre for the forest industry within the past five years, and is planning
to produce wood fibre within the next five year period, OR applicants must be
actively engaged in silviculture activities for the purpose of sustainably
managing fibre on their woodlot,applicant must be a Maple products producer or
Christmas tree woodlot owner, who is actively developing their woodlot.
Assistance funding may be spent on roads not previously constructed under this
program.
Associate members of FPANS are not eligible for funding under this program.
Requirements for this Program are as Follows:
Applicants must own, occupy, or have lease control of a minimum of 20 forest
hectares (50 acres). Woodlots of a smaller size with established or current
forest fibre may be considered. The proposed road location must be clearly
marked on a Department of Natural Resources 40 chain index sheet.
A "Road Deposit" cheque for $231.75 + HST = $266.51, made payable to the Forest
Products Association of Nova Scotia must accompany this application. If the
Committee approves the application, this money is non-refundable, even if a
road is not constructed within the required two-year period. If the application
is rejected, the $266.51 will be returned to the applicant.
Unless otherwise specified, applications for funding assistance must be
received at the FPANS office on forms provided by FPANS, on or before March 31st
of that calendar year.
Construction or maintenance work must be complete and a request for inspection submitted before October 15th of that calendar year.
All roadwork must conform to the booklet entitled "Woodlot Roads Streams Crossings" by Gen C. Braithwaite, P.Eng., 1962.
If a road does not meet the FPANS construction standards. The road
deposit is not refundable.
Road Classifications:
Class D: Specifications: Roads must be ditched. Gravel must be provided where
necessary. Road top width will be 3.0 to 4.0 meters (10 feet to 14 feet). The road will be one lane with a minimum of two turnouts per kilometer. Culverts must be
a minimum of four meters (14 feet) in length with a minimum diameter of 38 cm
(15 inches). The right-of-way shall be a minimum of nine meters (30 feet) in
width. Turn-arounds shall be made near the end of the constructed road.
Class E: Specifications: Roads must be ditched where necessary. Minimum 8 foot
top. Minimum Culvert Diameter must be 30 cm (12 inches). Turn arounds shall be
made near the end of the constructed road.
Funding Assistance:
The amount of funding available to any individual on a yearly basis will
depend on the type of operation in which he is involved. Three separate categories
of membership have been established for funding purposes. They are as follows:
Level I: LARGE -
Pulp and Paper Companies.
Fibre and Hardboard plants.
Sawmills.
Level II: INTERMEDIATE -
Commercial Forest Operator producing > 5,000 cords per year.
Level III: BASE -
Large and small landowners.
Wood Producers - producing 5,000 cords/year
Christmas tree Producers.
Maple Products Producers.
The levels of funding (base, intermediate, or large) will be determined
annually by the Gas Tax/Access Road Committee and will be based on available
funds and the number of applications received.
The Committee will establish the levels of funding based on the following
maximums:
Class D: $3,000 per km for base road plus 75 percent of cost of trucked gravel,
culverts, stream crossings and environmental safeguards.
Class E - $1,500 per km for base road plus 75 percent of cost of trucked gravel,
culverts, stream crossings and environmental safeguards.
The maximum allowable assistance for bridge construction is 75 per cent of the
total cost of building the structure. This bridge is to be a part of the road
assistance allocation. The total allowable bridge assistance may be spread over
a number of years, to a maximum of 75 per cent of the total cost. Bridges are
considered to be structures using 10 foot stringers or longer.
Maintenance and Upgrading:
These are allowable under the program. This category includes repairing a
culvert, bridge or washout; cleaning ditches and drains; removing obstructing
vegetation on right-of- ways; gravelling and upgrading road surfaces; widening
and providing extra passing or turn out sites; improving road alignment and
line of vision.
Maximum allowable assistance for maintenance or upgrading is 75 per cent of
all costs where gravel assistance is $3.95 per cubic meter ($3.00 per cubic
yard). Invoices covering the completed work are required.
Program Notes:
Invoices are required for bridge constructions costs.
Invoices are required for road maintenance work.
The applicant is responsible for notifying FPANS upon completion of work prior
to October 15 of that calendar year. No progress payments or finance payments will
be made until the road is completed and approved for payment by FPANS.
Payments under the program will be made on a first come, first served basis,
until available funding is depleted.
FPANS funding assistance for access road work will not be provided if
assistance has been, or will be provided through other programs for the same
section of road.
The maximum annual assistance any individual may receive is $10,000.00.
The Gas Tax/ Access Road Committee consists of several members of FPANS, from
all areas of the province, who volunteer their time to attend meetings. Every
application is considered separately and judged on its own merit.
If you wish to learn more about our association and its membership and principles, please read here or call us at 1-902-895-1179.
