BLM Alaska Reopens 2018 Nominations to Resource Advisory Councils
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The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Alaska announced that it is reopening the public call for nominations for 10 open positions on its citizen-based advisory council.
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 38 such chartered advisory committees located in the West. 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. RACs are critical in assisting the BLM in continuing to be a good neighbor in communities served by the Bureau.
“Our resource advisory council is a very active component of public land management in Alaska,” said Acting BLM Alaska State Director Ted Murphy. “Our RAC delves into issues ranging from energy development to mining reclamation; recreation opportunities to rights-of-way. It’s an important component to everything BLM does.”
An individual may self-nominate or nominate others to serve on a Council. Nominees must be residents of Alaska and 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. A letter of reference must accompany all nominations from any represented interests or organizations per the categories below, also a completed RAC application, and any other information that speaks to the nominee’s qualifications.
The 10 positions open on the RAC are 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.
A term on a RAC is for three years. As published in a notice in the Oct. 1, 2018, Federal Register, the BLM will consider nominations for 30 days, until Oct. 31, 2018. There are six positions opening in 2018, and another four in 2019.
Applications are available online at https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/GetInvolved_RACApplication.pdf.
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.