Saturday, August 24, 2013

Forest Service taking back federal funds

The U.S. Forest Service plans to take a portion of the timber payments it has promised or paid out to 22 states, citing federal budget cuts. Collection letters from Forest Service Chief Thomas Tidwell went out to governors around the country Monday, saying money would be taken from funds used for habitat improvement and other national forest-related projects that put people to work under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. Oregon stands to lose the most in the move, with nearly $4 million in reductions. That would leave the state with about $3.4 million under that program. California would lose nearly $2.2 million, leaving it with about $1 million for the program. Idaho is set to lose $1.7 million, Montana nearly $1.3 million and Alaska, about $930,000 - nearly half the total allotment it had been expecting. Earlier this year, Tidwell sent letters to 41 states, asking for the return of $17.9 million in timber payments used to pay for schools, roads, search and rescue operations in rural counties and conservation projects...more

1 comment:

Food for Thought said...

Here is one for you:

https://ncfp.wordpress.com/2013/08/22/lolo-creek-complex-majority-of-acres-burned-owned-by-plum-creek-timber-co/

I find it interesting that there has been little coverage of this fire....mostly on privately owned land in Montana....hmmmm guess private industry is having problems managing their land too. Those western states that want to take over management of federal lands or sell it to private industry might want to think twice.

We are all in this together, and the sooner both sides of the isle and the different agencies figure this out the better.