U.S. Forest Services refiles charter to establish Resource Advisory Committees for SRS funding
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Zeke Lee
Andrew Nober
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Key Takeaways
Update, May 27, 2026: On May 19, the U.S. Department of Agriculture refiled the charter establishing Resource Advisory Committees, clearing the way for committees to be activated. NACo will continue to engage the U.S. Forest Service for updates on the Secure Rural Schools program.
On April 30, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) published a notice of intent to establish new Resource Advisory Committees (RACs) for the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program. RACs provide advice and recommendations to Forest Service units on how they should use Title II funds under the SRS program.
Counties have until May 25, 2026 to submit nominations for RAC members. There are 84 regional and state RACs nationwide, and the intent to establish them comes after the reauthorization SRS program by the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025 (P.L. 119-58) secured by NACo last year.
What are Resource Advisory Councils?
The Secure Rural Schools program provides funding to counties to support critical local government services such as public education, emergency preparedness and transportation infrastructure maintenance. As part of the program, USFS directs a portion of funding – under Title II of the program – to National Forest System units to carry out projects on federal land.
Resource Advisory Committees (RACs) provide advice and recommendations to Forest Service units about the use of Title II funding. When the authorization for the SRS program expired at the end of FY 2023, the authorization for RACs expired as well. NACo engaged in sustained advocacy alongside county leaders to secure reauthorization of the SRS program.
Steps for Counties
County leaders can serve on RACs and guide their recommendations for the use of Title II funding. As part of the establishment of new RACs nationwide, USFS is soliciting nominations for committee members. A list of RACs, along with detailed instructions on how to submit nominations for a seat on a RAC, are available here.
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