Eastern Montana/Dakotas District Office
| Contacts: | Mark Jacobsen 406-233-2831 |
Secretary Salazar Announces New Appointments to BLM Dakotas Resource Advisory Council
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has announced new appointments or reappointments of six members to the Dakotas citizen-based Resource Advisory Council (RAC), which advises the Bureau of Land Management on public land issues.
BLM RACs are composed of members with diverse interests and backgrounds.
"The BLM’s Resource Advisory Councils exemplify the collaborative approach taken by the BLM in handling public land issues," said Secretary Salazar. "I want to welcome our newly appointed RAC members and salute them for their commitment to public service. Their counsel will serve the BLM well, as the agency works to ensure the health and productivity of America’s great outdoors."
The RACs, composed of citizens chosen for their expertise in natural resource issues, help the BLM carry out its stewardship of 245 million acres – the largest land portfolio of any federal agency. The BLM has established 28 RACs across the West, where most BLM-managed land is located. Each RAC consists of 10 to 15 members with an interest in public land management, such as conservationists, outdoor recreationists, ranchers, tribal officials, state and local government officials, academics, and others.
BLM Director Bob Abbey said, "RAC members represent a variety of professional backgrounds and perspectives, and together bring a balanced outlook that the BLM needs in managing the public lands for multiple uses."
"I’m looking forward to working with the Montana/Dakotas RACs and hearing the members’ perspectives on the various issues," said new Montana/Dakotas State Director Jamie Connell. "And I’m grateful to all the RAC members who devote their time to assist us in public land management."
The BLM, an agency of the Interior Department, is responsible for managing these various uses – such as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production – while conserving the land’s natural, historical, and cultural resources.
Below are the newly appointed or newly re-appointed members of the Dakotas RAC:
Michael B. Watson, Belle Fourche, SD (energy and mineral development) new
Donald A. Nelson, Keene, ND (environmental organizations) new
Chance R. Davis, Belle Fourche, SD (federal grazing) reappointment
Janet L. DeCory, Spearfish, SD (public-at-large) reappointment
Tobias L. Stroh, Dickinson, ND (public-at-large) reappointment
Martin J. Marchello, Bismarck, ND (dispersed recreation) new
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.
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