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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. --- The Bureau of Land Management announced new appointments or reappointments of members to Colorado’s citizen-based Northwest 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 Northwest RAC, which will meet Dec. 4 in Grand Junction:

• Jim Mattern of Craig, President and General Manager of Trapper Coal Mine, representing energy and minerals, appointed to his first three-year term.
• John Potter of Loma, a civil engineer and avid outdoor recreationist, representing off-highway vehicle recreation, appointed to his second three-year term.
• Dean Riggs of Loma, Assistant Regional Manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, representing State Government, appointed to his third three-year term.
• Luke Schafer of Craig, West Slope Advocacy Director for Conservation Colorado, representing environmental organizations, appointed to his first three-year term.
• Lanny Weddle of Walden, veterinarian and Jackson County Commissioner, representing the public-at-large, appointed to his third three-year term.

For more information about the NW RAC, visit http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/BLM_Resources/racs/nwrac.html.

For the latest BLM news and updates, visit us on the web at www.blm.gov/co.