Utah residents interested in the management and conservation of public lands have an opportunity to become directly involved through participation on the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Utah Resource Advisory Council (RAC). Council members provide advice and recommendations to the BLM concerning the use and management of 22 million acres of public land in Utah.
“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.”
“The RAC has been an excellent way to keep citizens engaged in the resource issues facing the public lands in Utah,” said BLM Utah state director Juan Palma. “BLM managers look forward to having more Utahans become involved in this collaborative process, bringing fresh ideas to the table.”
The Utah RAC consists of 15 members drawn from representatives of three broad categories: commodity interests, non-commodity interests and local area interests. The RAC charter provides for members to serve 3-year terms, on a staggered basis, with one-third of the council subject to appointment or reappointment each year. Nominations are being accepted for five (5) positions on the Utah RAC.
- Two positions in Category One (Commodity), which includes holders of federal grazing permits, energy and mineral development, timber industry, transportation or rights-of-way, off-highway vehicle use and commercial recreation interests.
- One position in Category Two (Non-Commodity), which includes nationally or regionally recognized environmental organizations, archaeological and historic interests, dispersed recreation and wild horse and burro groups.
- Two positions in Category Three (Local Area Interest) which includes holders of State, county or local elected office, Native American Tribes, employees of a State agency responsible for management of natural resources, academicians involved in natural sciences and the public-at-large.
Nominees will be evaluated on their education, training, and experience with issues involving public lands in Utah. They should have demonstrated a commitment to collaborative resource decision-making. RAC members serve without monetary compensation, but are reimbursed for travel and meal expenses.
All nominations must be accompanied by letters of reference (a minimum of two) from the interests or organizations to be represented, a completed nomination form, as well as, any other information that speaks to the nominee’s qualifications. Nomination forms are available from BLM offices and from BLM’s website at https://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/res/resource_advisory.html. The BLM consults with Utah Governor Herbert before forwarding its recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior for final decision.
The deadline for sending nominations and letters of support to the BLM is Monday, May 2, 2011.
All nominations and letters of reference should be sent to: Bureau of Land Management, Utah State Office, 440 West 200 South, Suite 500, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84101, Attn: Sherry Foot. For additional information, contact Special Programs Coordinator, Sherry Foot at (801) 539-4195.