Secretary Jewell Announces New Appointments to BLM Colorado's Front Range Resource Advisory Council
Organization
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CANON CITY, Colo. – Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced the 2013 appointments to the Colorado citizen-based Front Range Resource Advisory Council, which advises the Bureau of Land Management on public land issues.
The Front Range RAC is comprised of 15 members representing a balance of public land resources and users. The BLM Colorado has three RACs, one assigned to each district.
Five members were appointed to advise the Front Range District (Royal Gorge and San Luis Valley field offices) including:
Kristin Salamack of Denver is a new member representing environmental organizations. Salamack works as a regional biologist who helped facilitate implementing habitat enhancement/community outreach programs across the western U.S. She also has experience collaborating with a variety of nonprofit, state and federal agencies.
Jason Anderson of Crestone is a new member representing dispersed recreation. Anderson has nearly 30 years of experience working for Outward Bound, including 18 years as an instructor and course director, and 17 years as an Outward Bound professional facilitator. Anderson also served three years as the program director for the San Luis Valley Colorado Youth Corps. He currently owns Agua Solar, and is a Saguache County Commissioner.
Laura Benjamin of Colorado Springs is a reappointed member representing the public at large. Benjamin is a 20-year Colorado resident who enjoys camping, hunting and fishing throughout the state. She has owned and operated a successful coaching, training and facilitation company for more than 15 years.
Christopher “Kit” Shy is a reappointed member representing elected officials. Shy has 31 years of experience as a land surveyor, and serves as a County Commissioner and Land Surveyor for Custer County. Shy’s experience as a land surveyor gives him a unique knowledge of the geography in Front Range area and the many land use issues facing the BLM professionals working in public land management.
Edwin Nielsen of Saguache is a reappointed member representing grazing interests. Nielsen has lived in the San Luis Valley for more than 35 years and is very familiar with Colorado’s Front Range area. In addition to serving on the BLM’s Front Range RAC, he also served on U.S. Forest Service advisory committees that were developed to resolve permittee-agency disputes.
For more information about the Front Range RAC, contact Kyle Sullivan at 719-269-8553 or go to www.blm.gov/co/st/en/BLM_Resources/racs/frrac.html.
The BLM, which manages more land than any other Federal agency, has 28 RACs across the West, where most BLM-managed land is located. Each RAC consists of 10 to 15 members with an interest in public land management. Members are appointed by the Secretary of the Interior to serve an initial three-year term and may be reappointed to serve additional three-year terms. The diverse membership of each RAC is aimed at achieving a balanced outlook that the BLM needs for its mission, which is to manage the public lands for multiple uses.
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.