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The Bureau of Land Management Twin Falls District announced this week that it is seeking public nominations for six open positions on the Twin Falls District Resource Advisory Council (RAC).  As published in a notice in the Federal Register on April 12, the BLM will consider nominations for 45 days. The nomination period will close May 26, 2017.

“We lean on our RAC members to help us serve the public better as we make land use management decisions that can be complex, particularly when there are diverse interests at stake. If you want to have a voice in this process, serving on the RAC is a great way to do it,” said Twin Falls District Manager Mike Courtney.

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 that 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 Idaho State Director Tim Murphy.  “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 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, (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.

The Twin Falls District RAC has two open positions for Category One, three open positions for Category Two and one open position in Category Three. The Category descriptions are as follows:

• 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 may be sent to Heather Tiel-Nelson, RAC Coordinator at:

Twin Falls District
2878 Addison Ave. E
Twin Falls, ID  83301

For more information, please contact Heather Tiel-Nelson, 208-736-2352, or hnelson@blm.gov