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EL DORADO HILLS, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public nominations for positions on 27 Resource Advisory Councils (RAC) nationwide, which include seven vacant positions on the Central California RAC. These citizen-based committees assist in the development of recommendations that address public land management issues.

“Resource Advisory Councils provide the BLM with vital input on current issues, concerns and proposals and enable us to engage local communities and stakeholders to improve our management of public lands,” says BLM Acting Central California District Manager Chris Heppe. “Our goal is to ensure the Central California RAC encompasses a wide variety of perspectives and backgrounds.”

The BLM maintains 37 such advisory committees formally chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and the Federal Policy and Land Management Act (FLPMA) across the West. Of those committees, 31 are RACs and the remainder are site or subject-specific advisory councils. Each RAC consists of 10 to 15 members from diverse interests in local communities, and they assist in the development of recommendations that address public land management issues.

As published in the Federal Register, the Central California RAC is considering nominations submitted now until Feb. 24 in the following categories:

• There is one opening in membership category one, which includes representatives of organizations associated with energy/mineral development, federal grazing permit holders, the timber industry, transportation or rights-of-way, off-highway vehicles users, and commercial and developed outdoor recreation.
• There are three openings in category two, which includes representatives of archeological and historic organizations, dispersed recreation users, wild horse and burro organizations, and nationally or regionally recognized environmental organizations. 
• There are three openings in category three, which includes representatives of state, county, or local elected office; Indian tribes located within or adjacent to the area for which the RAC is organized; academicians employed in natural resource management or natural sciences; employees of a state agency responsible for management of natural resources and the public at large.

Individuals may nominate themselves or others to serve on a RAC. It is recommended that nominees be residents of Central California where the RAC has jurisdiction, and will be reviewed based on their training, education, and knowledge of the RAC’s geographic area. Nominees should also demonstrate a commitment to consensus building and collaborative decision-making. Letters of reference must accompany all nominations from any represented interests or organizations, a completed RAC application and any other information that speaks to the nominee’s qualifications. Applications are available online at www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/1120-019_0.pdf.

Nominations and supporting materials may be emailed to sbaker@blm.gov, or mailed to: BLM Central California District, Attention: Serena Baker, 5152 Hillsdale Circle, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762.