The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today announced that it is seeking public nominations for positions on 30 citizen-based sounding boards for BLM initiatives, proposals, and policy changes.
Resource Advisory Councils (RACs) provide advice and recommendations for the BLM to consider on a range of resource and land management issues. The BLM maintains 37 such chartered advisory committees located in the West. Of those committees, 30 are RACs. Each Council consists of 10 to 15 members from diverse interests in local communities, and they assist in the development of committee recommendations that address public land management issues. Established by charter, RACs are critical in assisting the BLM in continuing to be a good neighbor in the communities that the agency serves.
"Community input is a key component of public land management," said Acting BLM New Mexico State Director Aden Seidlitz. "The BLM Resource Advisory Councils are an important forum for ensuring that local voices are heard. RAC members, through their variety of perspectives, provide a valuable service to the BLM by delving into issues and proposing solutions on a wide variety of land and resource management issues."
Individuals may nominate themselves or others to serve on a Council. Nominees, who must be residents of the state or states where the RAC has jurisdiction, will be reviewed on the basis of their training, education, and knowledge of the Council's geographic area. Nominees should also demonstrate a commitment to consensus building and collaborative decision-making. Letters of reference must accompany all nominations from any represented interests or organizations, a completed RAC application, and any other information that speaks to the nominee's qualifications.
Each of the 30 RACs has different positions open in the following categories:
Category One – Public land ranchers and representatives of organizations associated with energy and mineral development, the commercial timber industry, transportation or rights-of-way, off-highway vehicle use, and commercial recreation.
Category Two – Representatives of nationally or regionally recognized environmental organizations, archaeological and historical organizations, dispersed recreation activities, and wild horse and burro organizations.
Category Three – Representatives of State, county, or local elected office; representatives and employees of a state agency responsible for the management of natural resources; representatives of Indian Tribes within or adjacent to the area for which the RAC is organized, Alaska Natives as appropriate to the state of Alaska; representatives and employees of academic institutions who are involved in natural sciences; and the public-at-large.
As published in a notice in today's Federal Register, the BLM will consider nominations for 45 days (until June 4, 2018). For more information, please contact Allison Sandoval at 505-954-2018, or aesandoval@blm.gov.