Bureau of Land Management Press Release
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Utah is seeking public nominations for five open positions on its Utah Resource Advisory Council (RAC). The BLM will consider nominations until June 22, 2015.
The BLM’s 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 31 RACs across the West, where most BLM-managed land is located. The BLM-Utah RAC consists of 15 members with an interest or expertise 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 helps ensure that the BLM land managers get the varying perspectives they need to achieve their mission, which is to manage the public lands for multiple uses.
“As a land-management agency that carries out a multiple-use mission, the BLM seeks out and values diverse input from citizens who care about the stewardship of America’s public lands,” said BLM-Utah Acting State Director, Jenna Whitlock. “This input advances our efforts in managing uses of and protecting resources on the public lands.”
Those who have already submitted a nomination in response to the first call for nominations (published in the Federal Register on February 3, 2015, (80 FR 5785)) do not need to resubmit. All nominations from the first and second calls will be considered together during the review process.
Individuals may nominate themselves or others to serve on an advisory council. Nominees, who must be residents of the state or states where the RAC has jurisdiction, will be judged 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 decisionmaking. All nominations must be accompanied by letters of reference from any represented interests or organizations, a completed RAC application, and any other information that speaks to the nominee’s qualifications.
The open positions are in the following categories:
Category One – Public land ranchers and representatives of organizations associated with energy and mineral development, the 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; representatives and employees of academic institutions who are involved in natural sciences; and the public-at-large.
Fillable application forms are available online at https://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/res/resource_advisory.html.
Nominations should be postmarked by June 22, 2015, to:
Sherry Foot, Special Programs Coordinator
Bureau of Land Management, Utah State Office
440 West 200 South, Suite 500
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
For more information, please contact Sherry Foot by phone (801)539-4195; fax (801)539-4013 or email sfoot@blm.gov.
Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to leave a message or question with the above individual. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Replies are provided during normal business hours.
The BLM-Utah will consult with the governor’s office before forwarding its recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior for a final decision.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s mission is to manage and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield. In fiscal year 2014, the BLM generated $5.2 billion in receipts from public lands.