Coos Bay, Ore.  – The Bureau of Land Management’s Western Oregon Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet virtually on December 5 and 6, 2023. The RAC will consider restoration projects for funding. 

RAC members will review 48 Secure Rural Schools Title II funding proposals and make recommendations for funding. Approximately $2.8 million is available for distribution. Projects must provide community-based solutions to pressing public lands challenges like watershed restoration, wildland fire prevention, trash clean-up, road maintenance, control of noxious weeds, and more. 

Title II funds help make investments in public lands and create employment opportunities. Over the years, projects funded through the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act have provided trail maintenance, culvert replacement or removal, or wildfire hazard reduction on public lands. Other projects assisted with stream channel enhancement, noxious weed control, or opportunities for youth training and employment. These projects also improve cooperative relationships among the people that use and care for public lands and the agencies that manage these lands. 

“The Western Oregon RAC is made up of valuable partners who represent the diverse perspectives of Western Oregon communities,” said Roseburg District Manager Heather Whitman. “Their work on Secure Rural Schools funding is critical for our local communities and to the overall health of public lands.”

The meetings start at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time (PT) each day. The meetings are open to the public, with a public comment period scheduled for 3:00 p.m. PT on December 5 and 1:30 p.m. PT on December 6. Individuals making a statement during the public comment period are encouraged to also submit a written copy of their statement for the administrative record.

The meetings will be held on the Zoom platform. Please contact Megan Harper, Public Affairs Specialist for the Coos Bay District, at (541) 751-4353 or m1harper@blm.gov to receive a link to attend the Zoom meeting. People needing reasonable accommodation, such as sign language interpretation, should contact Megan Harper, Advisory Council Coordinator, m1harper@blm.gov or at (541) 751-4353 at least 7 business days prior to the meeting to give the BLM sufficient time to process your request.

The Western Oregon RAC meets multiple times a year. It is one of several citizen advisory councils throughout Oregon and Washington. The Secretary of the Interior appoints the RAC’s 15 members. Members represent a broad range of public land interests, including environmental, local government, recreation, timber, and commercial activity. The Western Oregon RAC advises the BLM’s Coos Bay, Medford, Roseburg, and Northwest Districts, and parts of the Lakeview District.

For more information about the Western Oregon RAC, visit: https://www.blm.gov/get-involved/resource-advisory-council/near-you/oregon-washington.

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The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.