Montana State Office
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Secretary Salazar Announces Appointments to Dakotas Resource Advisory Council
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has announced new appointments or reappointments to the Dakotas’ citizen-based Resource Advisory Council (RAC), which advises the Bureau of Land Management on public land issues. The RAC is composed of members with diverse interests and backgrounds.
“I want to welcome our new RAC members and commend them for their commitment to public service,” said Secretary Salazar. “Their counsel will serve the BLM well as the agency carries out its multiple-use mission.”
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 29 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, “The diverse membership of RACs results in a balanced outlook that the BLM needs in managing the public lands for current and future generations.” The BLM, an agency of the Department of the Interior, is responsible for managing various uses of the land--such as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production--while conserving the land’s natural, historical, and cultural resources.
“I’m looking forward to working with the Montana RACs and hearing the members’ perspectives on the various issues,” said 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.”
Frank Kartch-ND (environmental) new
Martin Marchello-ND (dispersed recreation) reappointment
Ellen Reddick-SD (environmental) new
Jarrod Johnson-SD (elected official) 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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