Wyoming State Office
| Contacts: | Cindy Wertz | |||
| (307) 775-6014 |
BLM Seeks Nominations to Resource Advisory Council
The Bureau of Land Management in Wyoming announced today that it is seeking public nominations for four open positions on its Wyoming Resource Advisory Council, which will advise the BLM on public land issues. The BLM will consider the nominations for 45 days after today, when the agency is publishing its formal call for nominations in the Federal Register.
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 253 million acres of public lands. The Bureau, which manages more land than any other federal agency, has 24 RACs across the West, where most BLM-managed land is located. Each RAC consists of ten 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 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 Acting BLM Director Mike Poole. “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.”
Individuals may nominate themselves or others to serve on an advisory council. Nominees, who must be residents of the state or states where the RAC has jurisdiction, will be judged on the basis of their training, education, and knowledge of the council’s geographic area. Nominees should also demonstrate a commitment to consensus building and collaborative decision making. 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.
The four RAC positions open in Wyoming are:
- Category One – one vacancy – 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 - one vacancy – Representatives of nationally or regionally recognized environmental organizations, archaeological and historical organizations, dispersed recreation activities, and wild horse and burro organizations.
- Category Three – two vacancies – 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.
The nominations should be sent to Cindy Wertz, Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming State Office, 5353 Yellowstone, PO Box 1828, Cheyenne, WY, 82003: or FAX to (307) 775-6003, or email cwertz@blm.gov.
For more information and to download a nomination form, go to the website at www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/rac.html
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.
Wyoming State Office 5353 Yellowstone Cheyenne, WY 82009