National Forest Service Resource Advisory Committee meets Jan 22
IRONWOOD — The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Ottawa National Forest Resource Advisory Committee is hosting a meeting at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at the Watersmeet District Office located at E23979 U.S. 2 East, Watersmeet.
This committee will be reviewing public proposals, which were submitted last fall, to invest approximately $780,000 of accumulated funds authorized by the Secure Rural Schools Act.
In the years after the Forest Service was established in 1905, the national forest system tripled in size, growing from 56 million acres in 1905 to 172 million acres in 1908. To compensate counties for potential losses of tax revenue from this early growth, Congress ratified the Act of May 23, 1908. The Act allowed the Forest Service to distribute a portion of agency revenues from timber sales, mineral leases, recreation, grazing and other sources to those states and counties containing national forests and grasslands.
Agency revenues from these activities declined in the late 20th century. In response, Congress passed the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 to help stabilize fiscal support for rural county services.
This year the Forest Service delivered $736,303 of Title 1 funds to Gogebic, Ontonagon, Baraga, Houghton, Iron, and Marquette counties.
Gogebic and Ontonagon counties have elected to take part in Title II of the Secure Rural Schools Act. Title II requires that the RAC review and provides recommendations to the Forest Service on the development and implementation of projects on federal lands.
Please reach out to Paul Holeva at Paul.Holeva@usda.gov with any questions.