Project Proposals Needed for Forest Improvements

The following email just arrived from the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest:

Submission due date extended to April 1

The public is invited to propose projects to improve Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest lands and the rural economies of local counties by April 1. The submitted projects will be considered for 2009 and 2010 project year funding. Funding is made available through Title II funds under the reauthorized Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (Public Law 110-343.) The due date has been extended from a previous announcement to ensure maximum participation. “We encourage project applications from other agencies, local governments, organizations, any individuals,” said Rob Iwamoto, Forest Supervisor.

Projects must be on or benefit National Forest lands, such as enhancing forest ecosystems, restoring land health and water quality, or improving the maintenance of existing facilities within the national forest. Proposals vary from culvert replacement to help fish passage to youth-oriented outdoor recreation and conservation education work, mountain weather data collection, road, trail and watershed restoration and increased cooperative law enforcement patrols.

Resource Advisory Committees that represent Whatcom and Skagit County, Snohomish County, and King and Pierce Counties review project proposals and recommend which should be funded to the Forest Supervisor. Fifty percent of the funds must be spent on roads or watershed restoration.

Originally enacted by Congress in 2000, then re-enacted and modified in 2008, the law provides payments to local counties as compensation for the impact of reduced tax revenue from large federal land acreages within their boundaries. The law guarantees funding for schools and roads while providing monies that can be devoted to natural resource-related improvement projects that benefit lands within the national forest boundaries.

Forms and information are available at http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/projects/rac/ or from the three district rangers who head the three committees.

For project proposals in:

Whatcom & Skagit Counties Contact Jon Vanderheyden 360-856-5700 x201
jvanderheyden@fs.fed.us 810 State Route 20 Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284 Snohomish

County Contact Barbara Busse 360-677-2414 bbusse@fs.fed.us P.O. Box 305

Skykomish, WA 98288 King & Pierce Counties Contact Jim Franzel 425-888-1421 x230 jfranzel@fs.fed.us 42404 SE North Bend Way North Bend, WA 98045