FAQs for Title II-Special Projects

Updated: November 24, 2008

Section 205(a)(4)(A) speaks to RACs established before September 29, 2006. If a vacancy on a RAC was filled in 2007, is that appointment viewed in the same manner as an appointment made before September 29, 2006?

A: Yes.  Subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 205(a)(4) provide:

(4) EXISTING ADVISORY COMMITTEES.—

(A) IN GENERAL.—An advisory committee that meets the requirements of this section, a resource advisory committee established before September 29, 2006, or an advisory committee determined by the Secretary concerned before September 29, 2006, to meet the requirements of this section may be deemed by the Secretary concerned to be a resource advisory committee for the purposes of this title.

(B) CHARTER.—A charter for a committee described in subparagraph (A) that was filed on or before September 29, 2006, shall be considered to be filed for purposes of this Act.

(Emphasis added.)

These provisions authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to renew RACs that were established under title II of P.L. 106-393.  By decision memorandum dated October 20, 2008, the Secretary has deemed these advisory committees to be RACs for purposes of title II of P.L. 110-343.  Accordingly, the appointments of members of these RACs are renewed for a 4-year term under section 205(c)(1)(A) beginning on the date of the Secretary’s decision memorandum, even if the appointment was made after September 29, 2006, so long as the RAC for which the appointment was made was established before this date.

What are the duties of Secure Rural Schools RACs?

RACs duties include the following, as described in section 205(b) of the Act:

• review projects proposed under title II by participating counties and other persons;
• propose projects and funding to the Secretary through the Designated Federal Official (DFO);
• provide early and continuous coordination with the DFO in recommending title II projects;
• provide frequent opportunities for citizens, organizations, tribes, land management agencies, and other interested parties to participate openly and meaningfully, beginning at the early stages of developing title II projects;
• monitor implementation of approved title II and advise the DFO on the progress of the monitoring;
• make recommendations to the DFO for any appropriate changes or adjustments to the projects being monitored by the resource advisory committee.