BLM seeks California Desert Advisory Council nominations
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MORENO VALLEY, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is seeking public nominations for positions on 27 Resource Advisory Councils (RACs) nationwide, which include four vacant positions with the California Desert District Desert Advisory Council (DAC). These citizen-based committees assist in the development of recommendations that address public land management issues.
The BLM maintains 37 such advisory committees formally chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and the Federal Policy and Land Management Act (FLPMA) across the West. Of those committees, 31 are RACs and the remainder are site or subject-specific advisory councils. Each RAC consists of 10 to 15 members from diverse interests in local communities, and they assist in the development of recommendations that address public land management issues.
As published in the Federal Register, the DAC is considering nominations submitted now until Feb. 24 in the following categories:
- There are two openings in category one, which includes representatives of organizations associated with energy/mineral development; federal grazing permit holders; the timber industry; transportation or rights-or-way; off-highway vehicle users; and commercial and developed outdoor recreation.
- There is one opening in category two, which includes representatives of archeological and historic organizations; dispersed recreation users; wild horse and burro organizations; and nationally-recognized environmental organizations.
- There is one opening in category three, which includes representatives of state, county, or local elected office; Indian tribes located within or adjacent to the area where the DAC is organized; academicians employed in natural resource management or natural sciences; employees of a state agency responsible for management or natural resources; and the public at large.
“The members of the California Desert Advisory Council play a vital role in providing the BLM with timely public input on issues concerning the management of publicly managed lands, allowing the BLM to engage the public to improve our management of public lands,” said California Desert District Manager Andrew Archuleta.
The DAC meets in formal session two to three times per year throughout the California Desert District. The council’s 15 members serve three-year terms and may be nominated for reappointment for an additional three-year term. Council members serve without compensation other than travel expenses. The council’s provide recommendations to the BLM on the management of more than 10-million acres of public lands in eight counties across southern California.
The Secretary selects council nominees consistent with the requirements of Federal Land Policy and Management Act, which require nominees appointed to the council be balanced in terms of points of view and representative of the various interests concerned with the management of the public lands within the area for which the council is established.
The diverse membership of each DAC member helps ensure that BLM land managers receive the varying perspectives they need to achieve their mission of managing the public lands for multiple uses.
Individuals or groups may nominate themselves or others to serve on the DAC. Nominees must be residents of the state or states where the DAC 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 of organizations, a completed DAC application, and any other information that speaks to the nominee’s qualifications. The nomination form is on the Desert Advisory Council webpage at: https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/get-involved-rac-near-you-california-california-desert-district-DAC_Nomination.pdf
As published in the Federal Register, the BLM will consider nominations for 45 days. For more information on the California Desert Advisory Council, contact Michelle Van Der Linden, Bureau of Land Management, at 951-697-5217, or email mvanderlinden@blm.gov.
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.