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IDAHO FALLS-- The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Idaho Falls District announced this week that it is seeking public nominations for five open positions on its Resource Advisory Council (RAC), which advises the BLM on public land issues.  As published in a notice in the Federal Register, the BLM will consider nominations for 45 days.  The nomination period will close May 26, 2017.

“As resource issues become increasingly more complex and stakeholders more diverse, our Resource Advisory Council becomes vitally important in its role providing input on public land activities,” said Mary D’Aversa, Idaho Falls District Manager.

The BLM’s RACs, composed of citizens chosen for their expertise in natural resource issues, help the Bureau carry out its stewardship of 245 million acres of public lands.  The Bureau, which manages more land than any other Federal agency, has 36 RACs across the West, where most BLM-managed land is located.  Each RAC consists of 10 to 15 members with an interest or expertise in public land management, including such individuals as conservationists, ranchers, outdoor recreationists, state and local government officials, Tribal officials, and academics.  The diverse membership of each RAC helps ensure that BLM land managers get the varying perspectives they need to achieve their mission, which is to manage the public lands for multiple uses.

“The BLM Resource Advisory Councils are an important forum for the community conversation that is a key component of public land management,” said Idaho BLM Director Tim Murphy.  “With representatives with different land use perspectives, the RACs give community members an opportunity to dig into local issues and explore possible solutions.”

Individuals may nominate themselves or others to serve on an advisory council.  Nominees, who must be residents of the state or states where the RAC has jurisdiction, will be judged on the basis of their training, education, and knowledge of the council’s geographical area.  Nominees should also demonstrate a commitment to consensus building and collaborative decision making.  All nominations must be accompanied by letters of reference from any represented interests or organizations, a completed RAC application (available online at https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/GetInvolved_RACApplication.pdf) and any other information that speaks to the nominee’s qualifications.

Eastern Idaho is seeking five nominees to serve on the Idaho Falls District RAC.  For this committee there are one vacancy in Category One, two in Category Two and two in Category Three. The category descriptions are listed below:

Category One – Public land ranchers and representatives of organizations associated with energy and mineral development, the 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; representatives and employees of academic institutions who are involved in natural sciences; and the public-at-large.

Nominations must be received by May 26, 2017, and sent to Sarah Wheeler, RAC Coordinator, at:

Idaho Falls District

Bureau of Land Management

1405 Hollipark Drive

Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401

Attention: Sarah Wheeler, RAC Coordinator, email sawheeler@blm.gov, phone (208) 524-7550.

To learn more about BLM Idaho RACs and to access the nomination form, visit the BLM Idaho website at: https://www.blm.gov/get-involved/resource-advisory-council. For more information on specific vacancies in your area, please contact your local BLM RAC coordinator.