Projects & Plans
Payments to Counties
Resource Advisory Committees
(RACs)
Resource Advisory Committee
meetings are open to the public, and time has been set aside for public
comments.
October 03, 2008:
2008
Secure Rural Schools Authorization web link.
Reauthorization for Fiscal Years 2008--2011. On October 3, 2008, H.R.
1424 became Public Law (P.L.) 110-343. Section 601 in Division C
of H.R. 1424 reauthorized and amended the Secure Rural Schools and Community
Self-Determination Act of 2000 as originally enacted in P.L. 106-393.
More
information about Payments to Counties
The U.S. Department of Agriculture
chartered two Resource Advisory Committees for the Gifford Pinchot National
Forest. They are the North and South Gifford Pinchot National Forest Resource
Advisory Committees (RACs). Both RACs are authorized by "The Secure
Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000," which
provides for federal payments to counties with federal lands.
Resource Advisory Committees will review and recommend Title II projects
to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
Projects
Title II Projects
Title
II projects are Forest enhancement activities requiring approval by the
Forest Supervisor after being recommended by a 15-member Resource Advisory
Committee (RAC).
Title II Projects
How To Apply
(Submission period for 2009/2010
Title II Projects has ended)
RAC Membership
Geographic Area Maps ( RACs)
RAC Charters
RAC News
RAC Contacts
Designated Federal
Official: Janine Clayton, Forest Supervisor
Forest Administrative
Officer: Dave Olson 360-891-5154
Forest Public Affairs
Officer: Chris Strebig 360-891-5005
North Title II Projects
Coordinator:Robert West 360-891-5068
South Title II Projects
Coordinator: Sue Ripp 360-891-5153
Secure Rural Schools
and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 - Public Law 106-393 |
Currently,
States receive 25 percent of Forest Service revenues and counties
receive 50 percent of BLM revenues from the revested Oregon and
California Railroad and reconveyed Coos Bay Wagon Road grant lands
(O&C lands) to help fund schools and road maintenance. With
the reduction in timber harvest over the last 10 years, overall
payments to states and counties have dropped 36 percent. In addition,
current payment amounts are highly variable since they are tied
to fluctuating timber sales.
The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of
2000 (Public Law 106-393) provides an alternative to the former
25% formula which gives counties funds based on Forest Service receipts
from logging, grazing, recreation, and other activities on national
public lands. In the last decade, these receipts have dwindled with
changes in national forest management. The new Act will provide
rural counties an increased and predictable level of funding for
local schools, roads, and projects. In 2002, counties in the state
of Washington will share $43.8 million, nearly double the previous
year's payment.
This bill strengthens the connection of communities to the land
and water that sustains them. It allows for a strong link to exist
between the federal land and the communities surrounding them. Counties
that elect to receive H.R. 2389's full payment amount are required
to allocate 15-20 percent of their funding for investments in county
projects or for forest projects that implement stewardship objectives
to enhance forest ecosystems, or both. The bill establishes well-balanced
resource advisory committees to recommend forest projects to the
Secretary or to advise counties on county project proposals. The
Act states, "The purpose of a resource advisory committee shall
be to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice
and recommendations to the land management agencies consistent with
the purposes of this Act."
Cowlitz, Klickitat and Skamania counties, make up the South Gifford
Pinchot RAC, and Lewis County, which makes up the North RAC. County
commissioners from the these counties have set aside $1,840,346
from the total for RAC projects in FY 2005 that will benefit local
trails, roads, forest health, watershed, and fish and wildlife habitat
on or adjacent to Gifford Pinchot National Forest lands.
More information about the Secure Rural Schools
and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 may be found in a synopsis
and on the USDA Forest
Service website. |
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