| Contacts: | Jim Sample, 303-239-3861 |
BLM Seeks Nominations for Colorado Resource Advisory Councils
DENVER, Colo.The Bureau of Land Management, Colorado, announced today that it is seeking public nominations for 15 open positions on its Resource Advisory Councils, which advise the BLM on public land issues.
The BLM’s Resource Advisory Councils (RACs), 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 RACs 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 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.
“I value the advice given to the BLM by these citizen-based Resource Advisory Committees, and I know that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar shares my view of their importance,” said BLM Director Bob Abbey. “The people who live, work, and recreate near or on BLM-managed lands deserve a formal voice on public land issues, and their input will enhance our agency’s ability to manage the public lands for multiple uses while conserving resources for future generations.”
“RAC members play an important role in providing insight into public land issues in Colorado,” said Helen Hankins, BLM Colorado State Director.
“These local volunteers have extremely important views on how BLM policies play out on Colorado’s federal public lands, and how these policies affect public and private land owners, recreation and environmental users, and state and local land agencies,” she said.
Applicants will be judged on the basis of their training, education, and knowledge of each RAC’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. Applicants are urged to apply to the RAC that represents their geographic area
The 15 RAC positions open in Colorado are in the following categories:
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 sent by close of business May 2 to the appropriate BLM Colorado RAC Coordinator listed here:
Cass Cairns
Front Range RAC Coordinator
Bureau of Land Management
Royal Gorge Field Office
3028 E. Main Street
Canon City, CO 81212
(719) 269-8553
ccairns@blm.gov
Front Range includes: Royal Gorge Field Office, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, San Luis Valley Public Lands Center, Del Norte Field Office, La Jara Field Office, Saguache Field Office
David Boyd
Northwest RAC Coordinator
Bureau of Land Management
Colorado River Valley Field Office
2300 River Frontage Road
Silt, CO 81652
(970) 876-9008
david_boyd@blm.gov
Northwest District includes: Kremmling Field Office, Little Snake Field Office, White River Field Office, Colorado River Valley Field Office, Grand Junction Field Office
Shannon Borders
Southwest RAC Coordinator
Bureau of Land Management
Uncompaghre Field Office
2465 S. Townsend Ave,
Montrose, CO 81401
(970) 240-5300
shannon_borders@blm.gov
Southwest District includes: Uncompahgre Field Office, Gunnison Field Office, San Juan Public Lands Center, Columbine Field Office, Dolores Public Lands Office, Columbine Field Office, Pagosa Springs Field Office
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
2850 Youngfield Street Lakewood, CO 80215