U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
California

News Release

For Immediate Release:  September 9, 2002

Contact: Danella George (760) 251-4800

 

Federal Agencies Seek Nominations for National Monument Advisory Committee

 

            The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) have re-opened the nomination period and are accepting applications from the public to fill five positions on the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Advisory Committee. 

 

            The five positions to be filled will include one representative each for the county of Riverside, the cities of Indian Wells and Cathedral City, the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy, and the Winter Park Authority.  Nominations will be accepted through Monday, October 7, 2002. 

 

            Committee members will be appointed to serve 3-year terms and may be nominated for reappointment for an additional three-year term.  The three-year term would begin November 2002.  All members will serve without pay but may be reimbursed for travel and per diem expense at the current rates for government employees under 5 U.S.C. 5703.  The Secretary of the Interior, with concurrence of the Secretary of Agriculture, makes the appointments to the Committee.

 

            The monument advisory committee (MAC) is a committee of citizens appointed to provide advice to the BLM and USFS with respect to preparation and implementation of the management plan for the national monument as required in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 431nt). 

 

            The 272,000-acre monument encompasses 86,400 acres of BLM-managed public lands, 64,400 acres of Forest Service lands, 23,000 acres of Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians lands, 8,500 acres of California Department of Parks and Recreation lands, 35,800 acres of other state of California agencies lands, and 53,900 acres of private land. 

 

            BLM and the Forest Service jointly manage federal lands in the national monument in coordination with the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, other federal agencies, state agencies and local governments.  The Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument was established by Congress on October 24, 2000, to preserve significant biological, cultural, recreational, geological, educational and scientific values found in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains.

 

            For more information contact Danella George, monument manager, at (760) 251-4800.

 

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