BLM Advisory Council Nominations

    The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public nominations for six open positions on its Central California District Resource Advisory Council, which advises the BLM on public land issues.

      The BLM will consider nominations until March 1, 2013.

    The Central California RAC advises BLM officials for the Hollister, Mother Lode, Bakersfield and Bishop field offices.

    The six RAC positions open in the Central California District are in the following categories:

     Category One (three positions)--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.

    Catergory Two (one position) -- Representatives of nationally or regionally recognized enviromental organizations, archaeological and historical organizations, dispersed recreation activities, and wild horse burro organizations.

    Category Three (two positions) -- 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 instituions who are involved in natural sciences; and the public-at-large.

    "Each of the RAC's lend their unique combination of geographic and resource expertise to inform the BLM's decisions," said Acting BLM Director Mike Pool.

    "The members of our RAC's help our field offices by acting as sounding boards in all types of resource management issues.

    They are a tremendous resource for field managers across the West."

   Nomination forms and additional information about the Central California RAC are available on the web at http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/rac/ccrac/html.

    Nominations should be mailed to David Christy, BLM Central California District Public Affairs Officer, 5152 Hillsdale Circle, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762.

    You can also call 916-941-3146, or email dchristy@blm.gov.

     The BLM's Resource Advisory Councils (RAC's), 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 28 RAC's across the West, where most BLM-managed land is located.

   Each RAC consists of 12 to 15 members with an interest 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 is aimed at achieving a balanced outlook that the BLM needs for its mission, which is to manage the public lands for multiple uses.

    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 decisionmaking.

     All nominations must be accompanied by letters of reference from any represented interests or organizations; a completed background information nomination form; and any other information that speaks to the nominee's qualifications.