Intent To Establish Secure Rural Schools Resource Advisory Committees and Solicitation of Nominations for Membership for Secure Rural Schools Resource Advisory Committees
In accordance with the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended, the United States Department of Agri...
Notice of intent to establish Secure Rural Schools Resource Advisory Committees and solicitation of nominations for membership.
SUMMARY:
In accordance with the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended, the United States Department of Agriculture announces its intent to establish 84 Secure Rural Schools Resource Advisory Committees (RACs). The Secure Rural Schools Resource Advisory Committees will advise the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture on proposed recommendations and other such matters as the Secretary determines. Secure Rural Schools Resource Advisory Committees will be governed by the provisions of FACA. Duration of the Secure Rural School Resource Advisory Committees is for two years unless renewed by the Secretary of Agriculture. This notice also solicits nominations for membership on the Secure Rural Schools Resource Advisory Committees.
DATES:
Nominations must be submitted via email or postmarked by May 25, 2026.
ADDRESSES:
Please submit nominations to the Secretary of Agriculture through the Secure Rural Schools Resource Advisory Committee (SRS RAC) Regional Coordinators. See
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
for the name and address of the SRS RAC Regional Coordinators accepting nominations.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Inquiries may be sent to, Brianna Gallegos, National Partnership Coordinator, National Partnership Office, USDA Forest Service, Yates Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, Mailstop 1158, Washington, DC 20250, or by email to
SM.FS.SRSInbox@usda.gov.
or phone 505-218-1535.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-393) directs the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture to create Secure Rural Schools Resource Advisory Committees (SRS RACs) to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with SRS Title II of the Act. The duties of SRS RACs include monitoring projects, advising the Secretary on the progress and results of monitoring efforts, and making recommendations to the Forest Service for any appropriate changes or adjustments to the projects being monitored by the SRS RACs.
This charter renewal will establish two new committees as follows: Mineral and Missoula County (RAC) in Region 1 by consolidating the Mineral County and Missoula County RACs; Chugach (RAC) in Region 10 by consolidating the Prince William Sound RAC and the Kenai Peninsula-Anchorage Borough RAC. The SRS RACs will operate in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). The purpose of the SRS RACs is to improve collaborative relationships among people who use and care for national forests. The SRS RACs are statutory committees. Additional information on the SRS RACs can be found by visiting the (Committee) website at:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/pts.
SRS RACs Membership
The SRS RACs will be comprised of 15 members approved by the Secretary of Agriculture (or designee) where each will serve a 4-year term. SRS RACs memberships will be balanced in terms of the points of view represented and functions to be performed. The SRS RACs shall include representation from the following interest areas:
(1) Five persons who represent:
(a) Organized labor or non-timber forest product harvester groups;
(b) Developed outdoor recreation, off-highway vehicle users, or commercial recreation activities;
(c) Energy and mineral development, or commercial or recreational fishing groups;
(d) Commercial timber industry; or
(e) Federal grazing permit or other land use permit holders, or representative of non-industrial private forest land owners, within the area for which the committee is organized.
(2) Five persons who represent:
(a) Nationally or regionally recognized environmental organizations;
(b) Regionally or locally recognized environmental organizations;
(c) Dispersed recreational activities;
(d) Archaeology and history; or
(e) Nationally or regionally recognized wild horse and burro interest, wildlife hunting organizations, or watershed associations.
(3) Five persons who represent:
(a) State elected office holder;
(b) County or local elected office holder;
(c) American Indian Tribes within or adjacent to the area for which the committee is organized;
(d) Are school officials or teachers; or
(e) Affected public-at-large.
If a vacancy arises, the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) may consider recommending to the Secretary (or designee) to fill the vacancy as soon as it occurs with a candidate from the applicant pool provided an appropriate candidate is available. In accordance with the Act, members of the SRS RAC shall serve without compensation. SRS RAC members and replacements may be allowed travel expenses and per diem for attendance at committee meetings, subject to approval of the DFO responsible for administrative support to the SRS RAC.
Any interested person or organization may nominate qualified individuals for membership. Interested candidates may nominate themselves. Individuals who wish to be considered for membership on the Secure Rural Schools Advisory Committee must submit a nomination with information, including a background disclosure form (Form AD-755 is available online at
https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-755-advisory-committee-commodity-board-background-information.pdf). Nominations should be typed and include the following:
1. If nominating an individual, a brief summary, no more than two pages, explaining the nominee's qualifications to serve on the Secure Rural Schools Advisory Committee and addressing the membership composition and criteria described above.
2. A resume providing the nominee's background, experience, and educational qualifications.
3. A completed background disclosure form (Form AD-755) signed by the nominee.
4. Letters of endorsement are optional.
Northern Regional Office—Region 1
Helena-Lewis Clark RAC, Flathead RAC, Gallatin RAC, Idaho Panhandle RAC, Lincoln RAC, Mineral and Missoula County RAC, North Central Idaho RAC, Ravalli RAC, Sanders RAC, Southern Montana RAC, Southwest Montana RAC, Tri-County RAC
Coconino County RAC, Eastern Arizona RAC, Northern New Mexico RAC, Southern Arizona RAC, Southern New Mexico RAC, Yavapai RAC
Daniel Fredrickson, Southwestern Regional Coordinator, Forest Service, 333 Broadway SE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102, (505) 563-7939 or email
daniel.fredrickson@usda.gov.
Intermountain Regional Office—Region 4
Southern Utah RAC, Alpine RAC, Bridger-Teton RAC, Central Idaho RAC, Eastern Idaho RAC, Nevada RAC, Northern Utah, South Central Idaho RAC, Southwest Idaho RAC
Hannah Lenkowski, Intermountain Regional Coordinator (Idaho, Utah, and Nevada), Forest Service, 324 25th
Street, Ogden UT 84401 (385)-517-0972 or email
hannah.lenkowski@usda.gov.
Pacific Southwest Regional Office—Region 5
Butte County RAC, Del Norte County RAC, El Dorado County RAC, Fresno County RAC, Glenn and Colusa Counties RAC, Humboldt County RAC, Kern and Tulare Counties RAC, Lassen County RAC, Mendo-Lake County RAC, Modoc County RAC, Nevada and Placer Counties RAC, Plumas County RAC, Shasta County RAC, Sierra County RAC, Siskiyou County RAC, Tehama RAC, Trinity County RAC, Tuolumne and Mariposa Counties RAC
Paul Wade, Pacific Southwest Regional Coordinator, Forest Service, 1323 Club Drive, Vallejo, California 94592, (707) 562-9010 or email
paul.r.wade@usda.gov.
Pacific Northwest Regional Office—6
Colville RAC, Deschutes and Ochoco RAC, Fremont and Winema RAC, Hood and Willamette RAC, Gifford Pinchot RAC, Northeast Oregon Forests RAC, Olympic Peninsula RAC, Rogue and Umpqua RAC, Siskiyou (OR) RAC, Siuslaw RAC, Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest RAC, Wenatchee-Okanogan RAC, Umatilla Washington RAC
Paul Wade, Pacific Northwest Regional Coordinator, Forest Service, 1323 Club Drive, Vallejo, California 94592, (707) 562-9010 or email
paul.r.wade@usda.gov.
Southern Regional Office—Region 8
Alabama RAC, Cherokee RAC, Daniel Boone RAC, Davy Crockett RAC, Florida National Forests RAC, Francis Marion-Sumter RAC, Kisatchie RAC, Ozark-Ouachita RAC, Sabine-Angelina RAC, National Forest in Mississippi RAC, Virginia RAC, El Yunque RAC
Brianna Gallegos, National Partnership Coordinator, National Partnership Office, USDA Forest Service, Yates Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, Mailstop #1158, Washington, DC 20250, (505)-218-1535 or email
SM.FS.SRSInbox@usda.gov.
Eastern Regional Office—Region 9
Allegheny RAC, Chippewa National Forest RAC, Eleven Point RAC, Hiawatha RAC, Huron-Manistee RAC, North Wisconsin RAC, Ottawa, Superior RAC, West Virginia RAC
Tiffany Benna, Eastern Regional Coordinator, Forest Service, 71 White Mountain Drive, Campton, New Hampshire 03223, (603)-348-0078 or email
tiffany.benna@usda.gov.
Alaska Regional Office—Region 10
Chugach RAC, North Tongass RAC, South Tongass RAC
Tanya Zastrow, Alaska Regional Coordinator, Forest Service, 612 Second Street Cordova, Alaska 99574, (907) 424-4722 or email
tanya.zastrow@usda.gov.
Equal opportunity practices, in accordance with USDA policies, will be followed in all membership appointments to the Committee.
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program.intake@usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.