During the month of September 2012 the Southwest Idaho RAC had the challenge of fitting $1,250,000 in project proposals and $736,000 to allocate.
Over two meetings the RAC examined the 31 proposals and found a way to fund 27 of them. Many were partially funded and some did receive full funding. Some details can be found in the September 13 meeting minutes posted here (.pdf). And the chart below is a quick summation of the types of projects proposed and funded.
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The Southwest Idaho RAC held it’s first of at least two meetings to look at proposed projects. At the August 29th meeting they reviewed the $1.3 million in project requests competing for approximately $700,000 in available funds. UPDATE – minutes posted here.
- Southwest Idaho RAC members review project proposals
The meeting was the first for the Southwest Idaho RAC since early 2011. In the intervening time RAC Chairman Dave Whaley passed away from pancreatic cancer.
The RAC had a moment of silence in memory and reflection for Dave at the beginning of its meeting. Following that the RAC agreed that Bob Baker take over as RAC chair.
After plowing through the large number of applications the RAC trimmed a few from future consideration, identified others where no new information is needed, and then identified which projects need more information prior to making a decision.
The RAC will meet on Thursday, September 13 to develop recommendations on funding projects.
From the plethora of posts in the past fortnight or so we have distilled the following dates for upcoming RAC meetings:
August 16 – Central Idaho RAC meets in Salmon at the Public Lands Center. Cancelled due to the wildfires. Rescheduled for September 11 in Salmon and September 18 in Challis.
August 29 – Southwest Idaho RAC meets in Boise at the Idaho Counties Risk Managment Program Build on South Vista Avenue.
September 5 – South Central Idaho RAC meets in Twin Falls at the Sawtooth National Forest headquarters.
September 6 – North Central Idaho RAC conferences on their previous decisions and identifies projects if there are extra funds.
September 7 – Idaho Panhandle RAC meets in Coeur d’Alene at the Idaho Panhandle National Forests headquarters.
September 13 – Southwest Idaho RAC meets in Boise at the Idaho Counties Risk Managment Program Build on South Vista Avenue.
September 21 – Eastern Idaho RAC meets in Idaho Falls.
We will keep this on top of the blog roll and update as new information comes in.
The application form for a proposed project for Southwest Idaho RAC review is available here (.doc).
The Southwest Idaho Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will be accepting proposals for review and possible funding for Fiscal Year 2013.
“The RAC will be very busy over the next two months because they have about $550,000 to award for 2013,” said Payette National Forest Supervisor Keith Lannom. “The authority of the RAC to recommend projects expires on September 30, 2012, so they need to complete recommendations for 2013 in the next 8 weeks.”
A series of meetings and proposal deadlines have been established by the RAC over the next few weeks. The funds are available through the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act, which was reauthorized by Congress for one year.
RAC-funded projects must be located on National Forest System Lands in Adams, Boise, Elmore, Gem, Valley, and Washington counties or on nearby lands if the project will benefit resources on the National Forests. Projects can be completed by Read more…
Dave Whaley died April 4, 2012. News of his passing was posted in the afternoon at idahostatesman.com. Dave served the past eleven years on the Southwest Idaho RAC, representing organized labor interests. Since 2007 Dave served as Chairman of the Southwest Idaho RAC. He was 54.
McCall, ID – The Payette National Forest is currently accepting applications for the 2012 summer Youth Conservation Program (YCC). Currently enrolled high school students from McCall, New Meadows, or Council, Idaho are eligible to apply. 
Applications are available and can be picked up at the high schools mentioned or the McCall, New Meadows and Council Ranger Districts. Applications are due April 13, and will be collected from the high schools on that date. No late applications will be accepted. Read more…
November 22nd, 2011
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The Southwest Idaho RAC funded a project to improve water quality and habitat on Grimes and Granite Creeks. Many miles of both creeks are lined with mine tailings from past dredging operations. The tailings have impinged the creek and limit riparian vegetation. Grimes and Granite Creeks are listed on the Clean Water Act 303(d) list for temperature and sediment. This project addresses both of these impairments through Read more…
McCall, ID - The newest bridge in the Payette National Forest (PNF) spans 80 feet over Big Creek near Edwardsburg, Idaho, a popular entrance to the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness.
The new Big Creek Bridge replaces a drivable ford through Big Creek used by the public and private landowners since the 1920s. Two cranes were trucked in to lift and lower the four bridge components into place.
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The Southwest Idaho RAC recommended some Title II funds be used to improve trails in the Sawtooth Wilderness Area. This recommendation came in the spring of 2011 and the money reached the ground this summer with a trail crew using skill and brawn to improve many trails.
This project funds 159 miles of patrols and deferred trail maintenance/heavy maintenance on trails within Elmore and Boise Counties. The project is needed to address a critical backlog of trail maintenance due to years of fires, wind events, beetle-kill trees and neglect. Forest Service crews, youth crews and volunteer groups have been used to work on the trails but these efforts have barely been able to scratch the surface. In 2010 a large Federal earmark was given to the Sawtooth NRA to address declining trail conditions. Much headway was made; however, many of the trails were in such poor condition (in some burned locations there were up to 400 trees/mile) that progress was slow and many miles of trail are still in need of attention.
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