BLM announces Public Lands Rule advisory committee appointments
Washington, D.C.— Today, the Bureau of Land Management announced the 15 members, and 11 alternate members appointed to the National Advisory Committee for Implementation of the BLM Public Lands Rule (Committee). Committee members are citizens from diverse backgrounds who share an interest in public lands. Serving in advisory roles, they will deliberate and vote on matters concerning the implementation of BLM’s Conservation and Landscape Health Rule, also known as the Public Lands Rule.
Committee members reflect a variety of public interests and opinions. In their roles, they will offer feedback and develop recommendations for the Secretary of the Interior and the BLM Director regarding the implementation of the Public Lands Rule and associated public outreach and engagement activities.
The inaugural appointments to the Committee are listed below. These appointments are for two-year terms.
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COMMITTEE MEMBERS |
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Primary or Alternate |
Name of Person Recommended |
Interest |
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Primary 1 |
Joey Sanchez |
Tribal governments |
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Primary 2 |
Crystal Miller |
Tribal governments |
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Primary 3 |
J.J. Goicoechea |
State governments |
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Primary 4 |
Joshua Uriarte |
State governments |
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Alternate |
Amanda Kaster |
State governments |
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Primary 5 |
Todd Devlin |
Local governments |
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Alternate |
Geri Byrne |
Local governments |
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Primary 6 |
Robbie LeValley |
Public-at-large |
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Primary 7 |
Kara Matsumoto |
Public-at-large |
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Alternate |
Jamie Pleune |
Public-at-large |
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Alternate |
Barbara Vasquez |
Public-at-large |
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Primary 8 |
Edward Arnett |
Science community |
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Primary 9 |
Thomas Kaye |
Science community |
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Alternate |
Mary Jo Hedrick |
Science community |
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Primary 10 |
Leslie Bahn |
Non-governmental organizations |
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Primary 11 |
Louis Geltman |
Non-governmental organizations |
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Alternate |
Al Eiden |
Non-governmental organizations |
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Alternate |
Sara Brodnax |
Non-governmental organizations |
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Primary 12 |
Katie Sweeney |
Energy or mineral development |
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Primary 13 |
Andrea Felix |
Energy or mineral development |
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Alternate |
Alan Olson |
Energy or mineral development |
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Alternate |
Adam Cernea Clark |
Energy or mineral development |
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Primary 14 |
Hanes Holman |
Federal grazing permit holders |
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Alternate |
Stefanie Smallhouse |
Federal grazing permit holders |
|
Primary 15 |
Kerrie Cox Romero |
Commercial recreation activities |
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Alternate |
Joshua Martelli |
Commercial recreation activities |
The BLM will host the Committee’s inaugural meeting virtually on February 19, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mountain Time. The meeting notice will publish in tomorrow’s Federal Register.
The Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) governs the establishment and operation of advisory committees. The purpose of the FACA is to ensure that the public has knowledge of and an opportunity to participate in meetings between Federal agencies and groups that the agency either has established, or manages and controls for the purpose of obtaining group advice and recommendations regarding the agency’s operations or activities.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.