Payments to Counties

Background
On October 30, 2000, Congress signed Public Law 106-393.  This law is called the “Secure Rural School and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000” and is commonly known as Payments to Counties.

Recognizing that revenue from timber harvest has been sharply curtailed during recent years, the Law addresses funds received on Federal land, which have historically been shared with counties and been used for schools and roads. 

For each year 2001-2006, the law allows counties to receive a payment from the Federal government based on the average of their top three years (1986-1999) of payments from Federal lands. 

How the Law Affects These Funds
Counties can choose to receive funds as they have in the past, or they can choose to receive a lump sum payment.  If they choose the lump sum payment, the funds can be used in several different ways and require some ‘rules” to acquire them. 

Title I Projects:   
The law states that counties will 80-85% of their lump sum payment for schools and roads.

Title II and Title III Projects:
The rest of the funds (15-20% of payment) will be used for what the law calls “Title II or Title III projects.”  Counties will choose how they want to distribute funds.  They may choose all Title II or all Title III or some combination of both.  

Title II Projects
Title II projects can occur both on or off federally managed lands, but in some way they must benefit resources on Federal lands.  The legislation states at least 50 percent of all Title II funds should be used for road maintenance and watershed restoration projects.  The categories for Title II projects listed in the legislation are:  

• Road maintenance & decommissioning
• Stream & watershed restoration
• Land health & water quality
• Forest ecosystem stewardship
• Control of noxious or exotic weeds
• Maintaining infrastructure (including trails)
• Other projects including fish & wildlife habitat and restoring native species

Anyone can submit a Title II project, but must work with appropriate Federal agencies, state and local governments, private and nonprofit entities and landowners where the project will take place.

To submit a Title II project: 

1. Fill out a project submission form & monitoring plan
2. Submit form to appropriate County Commissioners (county in which project will be completed). 
3. If commissioners approve, they will submit to the appropriate Resource Advisory Committee (RAC).
4. If RAC approves, they will submit to either the Secretary of Interior or Secretary of Agriculture, or their official designee.
5. If the Secretary approves, the project will be funded.

Who Do I Contact to learn more?
For Title II projects, it is best to contact the National Forest or Bureau of Land Management office that will benefit from your project. 

Title III
Title III projects are submitted directly to County Commissioners for the county in which the project is taking place.  Anyone can submit projects, but only very specific projects will be considered.  Those are:  

• Search, Rescue and Emergency Services
• Community Service Work Camps
• Fire Prevention and County Planning (related to fire prevention)
• Forest Related Educational Opportunities
• County Easement Purchases (for recreation or conservation purposes)
• Community Forestry  (under the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978)

If commissioners approve the project, they will advertise it for a 45-day comment period and notify the appropriate Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) of their decision.  Title III projects do not require RAC approval

What is a Resource Advisory Committee?
The law requires that resource advisory committees (RACs) be formed to:

• Recommend Title II projects to the appropriate Secretary
• Improve collaborative relationships
• Provide advice and recommendations to the land management agencies

How are the RACs comprised?

• Each RAC must have 3 categories with 5 members each  (15 members total)
• The Forest Service (FS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Counties are soliciting RAC members.
• If you are interested in serving on a RAC, contact your local county commissioners or FS or BLM office.

 Category 1 Represents

• Labor
• Developed outdoor recreation, off highway vehicle users or commercial recreational activities
• Energy and mineral development interests
• Commercial timber industry
• Holders of federal grazing or other land use permits

 Category 2 Represents

• Nationally recognized environmental organizations
• Regionally or locally recognized environmental organizations
• Dispersed recreational activities
• Archaeological and historical interests
• Wild horse and burro interests (national or regional)

Category 3 Represents

• Holder of State elected office (or designee)
• Holder of county or local elected office
• American Indian tribes within or adjacent to area which committee represents
• School officials or teachers
• Affected public at large

Where are the RACs located?
Different RACs exist for Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management projects.   There are a total of 6 Bureau of Land Management RACs and 7 Forest Service RACs in Oregon.   RACs are typically defined by a combination of agency and county boundaries.

The Northeast Oregon Forests RAC comprises the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests as well as the following counties:  Baker, Crook, Grant, Harney, Malheur, Morrow, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, and Wheeler counties.

 

Key Dates

October 20, 2000	Public Law 106-393 Enacted
April 28, 2001	RACs must be established
June, 2001	Title II projects submitted
September 30 (of each year from 2001 until 2006)	RACs submit Title II Projects to the Secretary concerned for the Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management
September 30, 2006	Authority to initiate projects under Title II is terminated

Title II Project Submittal Forms:
These forms are available through counties or agencies.  Be sure to get the form for the area where your project will occur.  Various counties and agencies may use different forms. 

For more Information about the Northeast Oregon Forests RAC, contact:

Bonnie Wood
Designated Forest Service Official
Malheur National Forest
431 Patterson Bridge Road
P.O. Box 909
John Day, Oregon  97845
541-575-3000
FAX 541-575-3001
Email bjwood@fs.fed.us