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CAÑON CITY, Colo. – The Bureau of Land Management announced new appointments or reappointments of members to Colorado’s citizen-based Front Range 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 industry and the conservation community, the BLM’s Resource Advisory Councils exemplify the Department's collaborative approach to 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 well serve the BLM as we work 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 Front Range RAC:

• Dean Sandoval of Cañon City, dentist and avid outdoor recreationist, representing public-at-large, appointed to his second three-year term.
• Julie Mach of Salida, Conservation Manager at Colorado Mountain Club, representing environmental organizations, appointed to her first three-year term.
• Brett Ackerman of Colorado Springs, Deputy Regional Manager with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, representing State Government, appointed to serve the remainder of Al Trujillo’s term.
• Arthur Koepsell of Westminster, Environmental Data Analyst with the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, representing State Agencies, appointed to his first three-year term.
• Diana Leiker of Superior, Senior Environmental Planner with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc., representing Transportation or Rights-of-way, appointed to her first three-year term.
• Scott Braden of Denver, Wilderness Advocate for Conservation Colorado, representing Environmental Organizations, appointed to his first three-year term.

For more information about the Front Range RAC, please visit http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/BLM_Resources/racs/frrac.html.

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