Advisory Committees

Advisory Committee Overview

The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (Act), as amended by Public Law 116-94, provided for the establishment of Resource Advisory Committees. The purpose of these committees is to improve collaborative relationships between communities and their local forests and to provide advice and recommendations to the U.S. Forest Service concerning implementing Title II of the Act. Additional information on the three titles of the Act can be found under the Secure Rural Schools Background section of this website. All committee activities operate in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA.)

The Superior National Forest’s Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) is called the Superior RAC.  The RAC is comprised of 15 voting members, representing a broad array of interests as specified in the Act. Committee member appointments are 4-years in length. The Committee is led by a Designated Federal Officer in consultation with a Committee Chair. Meetings are open to the public and are announced in the Federal Register.

Superior National Forest contacts for the RAC are: 

  • Superior RAC coordinator, Emily Munter
  • Superior Designated Federal Official, Ellen Bogardus-Szymaniak

The RAC can be reached at sm.fs.superior_rac@usda.gov

Committee Membership - Become a Member Today!

The Superior RAC is an opportunity for local community collaboration with federal land managers on implementation of Title II of the Secure Rural Schools Act. The Superior National Forest invites any interested individuals or organizations to inquire and/or apply for committee membership. Apply today! The current nomination period is open from November 15, 2024 through February 15, 2025 for terms beginning in the fall of 2025.

To be considered for membership, nominees must:

  • Be a resident of the State of Minnesota
  • Identify what interest group you would represent and how they are qualified to represent that interest group
  • Complete Form AD-755, Advisory Committee or Research and Promotion Background Information
  • Complete Superior Resource Advisory Committee Supplementary Information

Mail (hard copy) Application Documents to:

Superior National Forest
c/o Emily Munter
8901 Grand Avenue Place
Duluth, MN 55808

To receive the application forms, or for more information on RAC membership, please contact: Emily Munter at (218)-626-4360 or sm.fs.superior_rac@usda.gov

More About Membership

Members of the RAC must be appointed to represent one of the following three interest groups:

  • Category One: Five members who represent energy and mineral development; the commercial timber industry; organized labor or non-timber forest product harvester groups; developed outdoor recreation; off-highway vehicle users, or commercial recreation; or federal grazing or other land permits or represent nonindustrial private forest landowners.
  • Category Two: Five members who represent nationally recognized environmental organizations; regionally or locally recognized environmental organizations; dispersed recreational activities; archaeological and historical interests; or nationally or regionally recognized wild horse and burro interest groups, wildlife or hunting organizations, or watershed associations.
  • Category Three: Five members who are elected state officials; are county or local elected officials; represent Indian tribes within or adjacent to the area for which the Council is organized; are school officials or teachers with knowledge in natural resource management or the natural sciences; or represent the affected public-at-large and/or are employed by a state agency responsible for the management of natural resources, land or water.

Member Commitment

RACs are citizen groups that meet an average of twice per year to consider proposals for Title II spending. Meetings are generally one half of a day and can be in-person, virtual, or a hybrid of the two depending on the committee’s needs. Committee members are appointed to four-year terms by the Secretary of Agriculture and there are a total of 15 citizens on a RAC.

Requests for Proposals  - Apply Today for Secure Rural Schools Funds

The Superior RAC is soliciting proposals for Title II projects from December 4th, 2024 through February 21, 2025. Individuals and organizations are encouraged to submit project proposals as early as possible during this time. It is the responsibility of the proponent to coordinate with Superior National Forest staff and partner agencies to ensure that proposals are complete and meet the intent of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act. Approximately $250,000 is available this funding cycle.

Who Can Apply?

  • Federal Agencies
  • Tribal Nations and Entities
  • State and Local Governments
  • Private Entities
  • Nonprofit Entities
  • Landowners

Prior to being awarded Secure Rural Schools funding, the applicant must have a valid SAM database registration.

What is Eligible?

Projects are considered for funding from Title II if they make investments in, and create employment opportunities, through the following:

  • Improvement of existing infrastructure maintenance
  • Implementation of stewardship objectives that enhance forest ecosystems
  • Restoration and improvement of land health and water quality

Please view the Title II Criteria and Eligibility Guide  for more information.  Projects must take place on Superior National Forest land or may occur on other land ownerships as long as the project benefits resources found on the Superior National Forest.

How to Apply?

To apply for funds, please contact: Emily Munter at (218)-626-4360 or sm.fs.superior_rac@usda.gov

This project submittal checklist is a useful tool to help project proponents prepare to apply. This checklist is not a required part of an application.

Additional Information

Incomplete or insufficient applications will be returned. Project proponents are encouraged to include any relevant supplemental information to help the Superior RAC review their proposal including project maps, planned deliverables, monitoring plans, and detailed budgets. Additionally, project proponents will be invited to attend the Superior RAC meeting when project reviews and decisions are made to present information on their project. All RAC meetings are open to the public.

Reach out to the Superior RAC Coordinator, Emily Munter at (218)-626-4360 or sm.fs.superior_rac@usda.gov with any questions.

Meetings

Upcoming Meetings

The Superior RAC does not have any upcoming meetings scheduled. When meetings are scheduled, they will be published in the Federal Register and advertised on this website. All RAC meetings are open to the public.

Past Meetings

The Superior RAC held two meetings in October, 2024. Meeting minutes can be found here:

Background

Since 1908, the U.S. Forest Service has shared with states 25 percent of gross receipts from timber sales, grazing, minerals, recreation, and other land use fees on national forests to benefit public schools and public roads in the counties in which the forests are situated.

In the late 1980s, due largely to declines in timber sale receipts, payments began to fluctuate and drop significantly. In 1994, Congress provided "safety net payments" to counties in northern California, western Oregon and western Washington.

To stabilize declining revenues nation-wide, Congress enacted the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (P.L. 106-393) (i.e., Secure Rural Schools Act). The SRS Act had three principal titles.

  • Title I – Secure Payments for States and Counties Containing Federal Land

The SRS Act directed that the majority of the payments to States be used to help fund county schools and roads. This portion of the payment is commonly referred to as the Title I payment and has averaged about 85 percent of the total payments to date.

  • Title II – Special Projects on Federal Land

Under SRS Act authorizations prior to P.L. 114-10, eligible counties had the option to allocate part of their share of the State Payment to SRS Title II for projects that maintain existing infrastructure or enhance the health of ecosystems on national forests, while supporting local economies. Title II provided for the establishment of Resource Advisory Committees (RACs) to review and recommend projects to forest supervisors. The Secure Rural Schools Act as reauthorized added to the duties of the committees and expanded the interests represented by members.

  • Title III – County Funds

Funds allocated by a county under Title III may be used on county projects. When the Secure Rural Schools Act was reauthorized in 2012, Congress limited the use of Title III funds to three authorized uses: activities under the Firewise Communities program, reimbursement for emergency services on national forests, and preparation of a community wildfire protection plan

Since the original Act in 2000, there have been several reauthorizations that have changed the calculation and process for which counties can elect to receive the funding.

For more information on Secure Rural Schools.