Secure Rural Schools
 

Special Projects

Updated: March 6, 2011

Title II-Special Projects on Federal Land

Title II remains intact in significant part.  The renewed Secure Rural Schools Act (P.L. 110-343) differs from P.L. 106-393 in the following ways:

  • Secure Rural Schools Act resource advisory committees (RACs) established prior to September 29, 2006 may be renewed by the Secretary, including charters and appointments of individual members.
  • RAC duties are expanded to include monitoring of project progress and making recommendations for appropriate changes to projects being monitored.
  • RAC composition is expanded to permit non-timber forest product harvester groups, commercial and recreational fishing interests, non-industrial private forest landowners, wildlife or hunting organizations, and watershed associations to participate.
  • The authority to initiate Title II projects terminates on September 30, 2011.  Funds that are not obligated by September 30, 2012, must be transferred to the Treasury.

Secure Rural Schools RACs are formed and operate in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act and USDA committee management regulations. 

Special projects on federal lands

Title II funds may be used for the for protection, restoration, and enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat, and other resource objectives consistent with the Secure Rural Schools Act on Federal land and on non-Federal land where projects would benefit the resources on Federal land. 

For purposes of this Act, Federal land means land within the National Forest System and portions of the revested Oregon and California (O&C) Railroad and reconveyed Coos Bay Wagon Road grant land administered by the Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management. Other Federal lands such as those managed by the National Park Service or the Bureau of Reclamation are not considered Federal lands for the purposes of the Act. 

The purposes of the Secure Rural Schools Act include making additional investments in, and creating employment opportunities through title II funded projects that:

  • improve the maintenance of existing infrastructure;
  • implement stewardship objectives that enhance forest ecosystems; and
  • restore and improve land health and water quality;

The funds may be used for projects that enjoy broad based support and have objectives that may include--

  • road, trail, and infrastructure maintenance or obliteration;
  • soil productivity improvement;
  • improvements in forest ecosystem health;
  • watershed restoration and maintenance;
  • the restoration, maintenance, and improvement of wildlife and fish habitat;
  • the control of noxious and exotic weeds; and
  • the re-establishment of native species.

Planning and implementing the projects should help improve cooperative relationships among the people that use and care for Federal land and the agencies that manage the Federal land.