The U. S. Bureau of Land Management is seeking public nominations for five open positions on its Northeast California Resource Advisory Council, which advises the BLM on public land issues. The BLM will consider the nominations until March 12th.
The 15-member Northeast California RAC advises BLM officials in the Alturas, Eagle Lake and Surprise field offices.
The five RAC positions open on the Northeast California RAC are in the following categories:
Category One (three positions): Members include holders of federal livestock grazing permits, transportation and rights of way interests, commercial recreation and off-highway vehicle interest groups, the commercial timber industry and representatives of energy and mineral development.
Category Two (one position): The category includes representatives of national or regional environmental organizations, those who represent dispersed recreation interests, representatives of historical and archaeological interests and those who represent nationally or regionally-recognized wild horse and burro interest groups.
Category Three (one position): Members are employees of state agencies responsible for natural resources, representatives of Native American tribal interests, teachers in natural resource management or natural science fields, the public at large, and state, county or local elected officials.
Nomination forms and additional information are available on the web at http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/rac/ccrac.html.
Nominations should be to mailed to Jeff Fontana, BLM Northern California District public affairs officer, 2950 Riverside Dr., Susanville, CA 96130, or sent by email to [email protected].
Individuals may nominate themselves or others. Nominees, who must be residents of the state or states where the RAC has jurisdiction, will be selected on the basis of their training, education, and knowledge of the council’s geographical area. Nominees should also demonstrate a commitment to consensus building and collaborative decision making.
All nominations must be accompanied by letters of reference from any represented interests or organizations, a completed background information nomination form, and any other information that speaks to the nominee’s qualifications.
The BLM’s Resource Advisory Councils (RACs), composed of citizens chosen for their expertise in natural resource issues, help the Bureau carry out its stewardship of 245 million acres of public lands. The Bureau, which manages more land than any other Federal agency, has 28 RACs across the West, where most BLM-managed land is located.
Each RAC consists of 12 to 15 members with interests in public land management, including such individuals as conservationists, ranchers, outdoor recreationists, state and local government officials, Tribal officials, and academics.
The diverse membership of each RAC is aimed at achieving a balanced outlook that the BLM needs for its mission, which is to manage the public lands for multiple uses.
“I value the advice given to the BLM by these citizen-based Resource Advisory Committees, and I know that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar shares my view of their importance,” said BLM Director Bob Abbey.
“The people who live, work, and recreate near or on BLM-managed lands deserve a formal voice on public land issues, and their input will enhance our agency’s ability to manage the public lands for multiple uses while conserving resources for future generations.”
