BLM announces appointments to council to help advise agency on balanced management of nation's public lands
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MONTROSE, Colo. --- The Bureau of Land Management announced new appointments or reappointments of members to Colorado’s citizen-based Southwest Resource Advisory Council (RAC), which advises the Bureau of Land Management on public land issues. The RACs are composed of members with diverse interests and backgrounds.
"By working with federal, state, local and tribal governments, as well as leaders from the industry and conservation communities, the BLM’s Resource Advisory Councils exemplify the collaborative approach taken by the Department in handling public land issues,” said Interior Secretary Sally Jewell. “I want to welcome our newly appointed RAC members and salute them for their commitment to public service. Their counsel will serve the BLM well as the agency works to ensure the health and productivity of America’s public lands.”
The RACs, composed of citizens chosen for their expertise in natural resource issues, help the BLM carry out its nation-wide stewardship of 245 million acres – the largest land portfolio of any federal agency. The BLM has established 28 RACs across the West, where most BLM-managed land is located.
Each RAC consists of 10 to 15 members who represent stakeholder interests in public land management, such as conservationists, outdoor recreationists, ranchers, industry officials, tribal leaders, state and local government officers, academics, and others.
The BLM, an agency of the Interior Department, is responsible for managing these various uses – such as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production – while conserving the land’s natural, historical, and cultural resources.
Below are the newly appointed or newly re-appointed members of the Southwest RAC, which will meet November 7, 2014, at the Montrose Public Lands Center at 9 a.m.:
• Todd Bacon, Olathe (developed recreation)
• James Dietrich, Cortez (dispersed recreation)
• William Gleason, Montrose (public-at-large)
• Renzo DelPiccolo, Montrose (representative for the State of Colorado) reappointment
• John Reams, Naturita (energy and mineral development) reappointment
For the latest BLM news and updates visit us on the web at: www.blm.gov/co/st/en.html orhttp://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/BLM_Resources/racs/swrac.html.
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.