BLM seeks nominations for Northern California District Resource Advisory Council
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REDDING, Calif. -- The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public nominations for five open positions on the Northern California Resource Advisory Council. The RAC works closely with BLM managers in Alturas, Arcata, Cedarville, Redding and Susanville, providing guidance on the full range of the BLM's responsibilities. As published in a notice in the Federal Register, the BLM will consider nominations until Dec. 4.
The Northern California RAC consists of 15 members representing three categories: commodity, non-commodity, and local area interest. Seats are open for three-year terms in the following membership categories:
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, or representatives and employees of academic institutions who are involved in natural sciences and the public-at-large.
The BLM's RACs, composed of citizens chosen for their expertise in natural resource issues, help the BLM carry out its multiple-use mission and stewardship of 245-million acres of public lands. The Bureau has 36 RACs across the West, where most BLM-managed land is located. The diverse membership of each RAC helps ensure that BLM land managers receive the varying perspectives they need to achieve their mission of managing the public lands for multiple uses.
"Restoring trust in the federal government and being a good land manager are two of my top priorities at Interior, and state and local input, particularly in communities surrounding public lands, is imperative to building trust," said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. "Nobody knows the land better than the people who live and work it. Council members provide a valuable service to the Department and offer a variety of perspectives that assist in solving land and resource use issues.”
Individuals may nominate themselves or others. Nominees, who must be residents of the state or states where the RAC has jurisdiction, will be reviewed on the basis of their training, education, and knowledge of the council's geographic 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, and any other information that speaks to the nominee's qualifications. The United States secretary of the interior makes appointments to the 15-member council.
Nominations and support letters must be sent to Jeff Fontana, Bureau of Land Management, 2550 Riverside Dr., Susanville, CA 96130, attention: RAC Nominations. Documents can be emailed to jfontana@blm.gov. Nomination forms and information about the council are available online at https://www.blm.gov/get-involved/resource-advisory-council, or by contacting Fontana at 530-252-5332.
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.