Legislation
- Partnership for Rural America (An Initiative of the NFCSC)
- Long Term Information
Legislative Program Goals
The mission of the National Forest Counties and Schools Coalition is to actively initiate, coordinate, and monitor activities regarding the multiple-use management of public and private lands that effect their health, productivity, and sustainability; and which also effect the economic and social vitality of forest and rural county communities, families, schools, and local governments. The Legislative Program Goals set forth below are intended to provide direction to the Board of Directors of the Coalition as they monitor and engage in the development of policy, regulations, and legislation. The goals are not intended to serve as the blueprint for a single piece of legislation, but rather as a guiding reference point for the evaluation of legislation and regulations under consideration by the Federal Government, and to broadly define the parameters of new legislation proposed by the Coalition.
Goals
- Actively manage and restore National Forest and BLM lands to a level that promotes social and economic stability in the local community while providing appropriate environmental safeguards.
- Secure payment methods that achieve or exceed current revenue levels to counties and schools under the 1908 Act and the 1937 O&C Act with incentives that produce a sustainable level of funding from actual receipts.
- Federal land management plans and projects will be science-based and reflect: a balance between ecological, economic and social needs; timely and appropriate public input and review; consistency with local government planning; adequate agency resources to allow for full, annual implementation of goal oriented plans and accountability systems.
- Increase revenues from National Forest and BLM lands through active goal-based multiple use management within the context of sustainable forest management, and applicable federal law.
- Insure continuous consideration and involvement of local communities and local governments in the development and implementation of federal land management plans, policies, procedures, and regulations.
- Exempt no revenue generating programs and activities from making contributions to federal revenue sharing funds within the USFS and BLM as described in the 1908 Twenty-five Percent Payment Legislation and the 1937 O&C Act as amended.
- Ensure that funds from the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act and the Twenty-five Percent Fund are allocated to eligible school districts and other entities in the amounts consistent with established federal legislative intent.
- Expand incentives for the continued involvement of local stakeholders in ecologically sound, outcome-based management of public lands.
- Enhance the number, duties, and visibility of Resource Advisory Committees (RAC's).
Approved by NFCSC Board on March 27, 2004
Approved by NFCSC Conference Participants on March 28, 2004
