BLM Seeks Nominations to Southwest Resource Advisory Council
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MONTROSE, Colo. - Today, the Bureau of Land Management announced nominations are open for positions on 36 Resource Advisory Councils including the BLM Colorado Southwest Resource Advisory Council. Nominations will be considered through May 30.
The BLM’s RACs, composed of citizens chosen for their expertise in natural resource issues, help the Bureau carry out its multiple-use mission and 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 energy and mineral development, ranching, outdoor recreation, conservation, state and local government, tribal and cultural resources and academia. The diverse membership of each RAC helps ensure BLM land managers receive the varying perspectives they need to achieve their mission of managing 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 Ruth Welch, BLM Colorado State Director. “By ensuring that RAC representation reflects a variety of perspectives, RAC members provide a valuable service to the Bureau by delving into issues and proposing solutions on a wide variety of land and resource uses issues.”
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 reviewed based on 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 Southwest Resource Advisory Council has five positions open for nomination including two positions in Category 1, one position in Category 2 and two positions in Category 3. The categories are describe 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.
To access the nomination application, go to https://www.blm.gov/get-involv
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.