Alaska Delegation Urges Fast-Tracked Approval for Virtual SRS RAC Meetings
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, Senator Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Young, all R-Alaska, today sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue requesting that he allow Resource Advisory Committees (RACs) to meet virtually on an expedited timeline during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Below is an excerpt from their letter:
“Most RAC funding is used to improve natural resource and recreation infrastructure, which will be extremely important as Alaskans rally to salvage and restore our summer tourism and recreation economy during the coronavirus pandemic. We understand the Ketchikan Borough RAC alone has nearly $1 million worth of projects that are on hold while they await Forest Service permission to meet. These projects include replacing old oil stoves in recreation cabins with wood burning stoves and restoring boating docks that have not been repaired in 15 years.”
RACs are federal advisory committees authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act to evaluate and recommend how the Forest Service should spend Title II project funding to benefit resources on national forests. Forest Service guidance requires RACs to publish a public notice 45 days in advance of a meeting.
Read the full letter here.
