Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announces new appointments or reappointments of six members to Utah’s 15-member citizen-based Resource Advisory Council (RAC), which advises the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on public land issues.

 “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 Interior Department, 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.