262.1—Rewards in connection with fire or property prosecutions.
(a)
Hereafter, provided Congress shall make the necessary appropriation or authorize the payment thereof, the Department of Agriculture will pay the following rewards:
(1)
Not exceeding $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any person on the charge of willfully or maliciously setting on fire, or causing to be set on fire, any timber, underbrush, or grass upon the lands of the United States within the National Forest System or nearby.
(2)
Not exceeding $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any person on the charge of having kindled or caused to be kindled a fire on lands of the United States within the National Forest System or nearby, and leaving said fire which escapes before the same has been totally extinguished;
(3)
Not exceeding $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any person charged with destroying or stealing any property of the United States; and
(4)
Not exceeding $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any person charged with damaging or stealing the Pacific yew tree, Taxus brevifolia, or any portion thereof, including but not limited to bark, twigs, needles and other foliage.
(b)
A reward may be paid to the person or persons giving the information leading to such arrest and conviction upon presentation to the Department of Agriculture of satisfactory evidence thereof, subject to the necessary appropriation as aforesaid, or otherwise as may be provided.
(d)
The Department of Agriculture reserves the right to refuse payments of any claim for reward when, in its opinion, collusion or improper methods have been used to secure arrest and conviction. The Department also reserves the right to allow only one reward where several persons have been convicted of the same offense or where one person has been convicted of several offenses, unless the circumstances entitle the person to a reward on each conviction.
(e)
Applications for reward should be forwarded to the Regional Forester, Research Director, or Area Director who has responsibility for the land or property involved in the trespass. However, no application will be considered unless presented to a responsible Forest Service officer within three months from the date of conviction of an offender. In order that all claimants for rewards may have an opportunity to present their claims within the prescribed limit, the Department will not take action with respect to rewards for three months from the date of the conviction of an offender.