Siuslaw National Forest

Siuslaw National Forest
4077 S.W. Research Way
P.O. Box 1148
Corvallis, Oregon 97339

(541) 750-7000
Fax: (541) 750-7234

TTY for hearing & speech impaired:
(Oregon Relay)

Project Deadline for Title II County Payment Projects

Contacts:
Joni Quarnstrom 541.750.7075

February 4, 2009

Corvallis, OR – Local citizens again have an opportunity to submit applications for funds designed to improve Siuslaw National Forest lands and the rural economies of local counties.

This is the first year under the amended and reauthorized Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act, P.L. 110-343. Payments under the Act help fund schools and roads and create employment opportunities through projects that maintain current infrastructure and improve the health of watersheds and ecosystems on national forests.

Title II applications for projects under the provisions of Public Law 110-343 for fiscal year 2009 must be received no later than February 27.

“The Siuslaw Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) is currently asking for project proposals from members of the public and other agencies”, according to Barnie Gyant, Siuslaw National Forest Supervisor.

“These projects need to occur on federal land, or positively affect resources on federal land, and should have a positive effect on the health of the land, water, and watersheds”, Gyant added.

The Siuslaw RAC plans to meet in April and September to review Title II projects for fiscal year 2009 and 2010 funding respectively.

Title II grant application forms are available at www.fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw/committees or from the Siuslaw National Forest Headquarters, 4077 SW Research Way, Corvallis. Applicant will find the required project submission forms in downloadable MS Word and RTF formats. Instructions for filling out the Title II form are available at the same site.

Since 1908, 25 percent of Forest Service revenues, such as those from timber sales, mineral resources and grazing fees, have been returned to states in which national forest lands are located. In recent decades those revenues have declined significantly. The original Secure Rural Schools Act (P.L. 106-393) aimed at stabilizing the funding and transitioning to lower payments by providing assistance to affected rural counties. Under the original Act, more than $2.5 billion was paid out over seven years across the nation. A recent report, “Sustaining Forests and Communities” (pdf~3.34 mb)

summarizing activities under the previous Act can be viewed at www.fs.fed.us/srs.

That Act expired in September of 2007. The reauthorized Act extends the program four more years.

The Act also provides for an additional $52 million nation-wide this year in “Title II” funds to be used by local resource advisory committees to fund projects to maintain infrastructure, improve the health of watersheds and ecosystems, protect communities, and strengthen local economies. In past years 55 committees in western states have been active in this program. The Forest Service anticipates the formation of nearly 60 more committees under the newly reauthorized Act, many of them in the Lake States, eastern states and southeastern states where national forests are located.

The Siuslaw RAC has helped determine how to spend close to $7.5 million allocated in Tillamook, Benton, Lincoln, Douglas, Lane and Coos Counties for fiscal years 2002 through 2006. For fiscal year 2009 approximately $1.5 is available for Title II projects.

For further information, project proponents may call Joni Quarnstrom, 750-7075 or email to jquarnstrom@fs.fed.us.