Dillon, Mont., Jan. 28, 2020 —The Southwest Montana Resource Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet 9 a.m. Feb. 14 at the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest Supervisor’s Office.
The meeting, which is open to the public, will include review of 23 project proposals within Beaverhead, Madison, Jefferson and Silver Bow counties. At the conclusion of the meeting, the committee will recommend projects for funding under Title II of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000.
“The recommendations of these committees help ensure we are focusing on work that is important to our neighboring communities,” said Beaverhead-Deerlodge Forest Supervisor Cheri Ford. “These committees represent a depth of experience we cannot replicate in the agency. We appreciate the voices and the experiences the committee members bring to the table.”
Recommended projects, which occur on or directly benefit National Forest System lands, help the Forest Service meet stewardship objectives, restore and improve forest ecosystems and water quality, or improve existing infrastructure. Past projects have included: maintenance of Forest Service roads, trails and infrastructure; replacement of county bridges; control of noxious and exotic weeds; and reestablishment of native species.
Resource Advisory Committees are federally sanctioned groups of people who represent a cross-section of county communities, industries, schools, environmentalists, and local government. Upon selection, committee members serve four-year terms.
The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, which was recently reauthorized by Congress through 2022, was enacted to provide transitional assistance to rural counties. Counties receive federal funds based on the percentage of land in federal ownership, timber receipt payments, and per capita income.
The Beaverhead-Deerlodge Forest Supervisor’s Office is located at 420 Barrett Street, Dillon, Mont.
For more information, contact Resource Advisory Committee Coordinator Jeanne Dawson by phone at (406) 683-3987 or via email at jeanne.dawson@usda.gov. More information is also available on the Resource Advisory Committee website at https://go.usa.gov/xdYKq.
