Resource Advisory Council 2008 Call for Nominations; DD: 06/06/2008

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240
http://www.blm.gov
February 15, 2008

In Reply Refer To:
1784 (620) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 02/29/2008
Information Bulletin No. 2008-046

To: All State Directors (except ESO and WY)

From: Director

Subject: Resource Advisory Council 2008 Call for Nominations DD: 06/06/2008

All of the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Resource Advisory Councils (RAC) have members whose terms of appointment expire this August or September. To ensure a timely nomination and selection process, we have developed guidelines for BLM State Office submittal of recommendations to the BLM Washington Office. Once again, a key element will be a "RAC Information Book" (Attachment 1) to consolidate all the necessary information about nominees for each RAC.

Charters
All RAC charters, except for Idaho’s, were renewed in 2007 and established for a two-year term. As a consequence no re-chartering will be needed this year.

New Members
Recruitment of new members for each RAC as the terms expire is essential. Your public outreach efforts will be critical to our success in attracting new nominees with fresh ideas and viewpoints. For each term expiring this year, you must submit a minimum of two qualified candidates for each vacancy. Council membership shall remain balanced among the following three categories:

· Holders of Federal grazing permits and representatives of organizations associated with energy and mineral development, timber industry, transportation or rights-of-way, off-highway vehicle use, and commercial recreation;

· Representatives of nationally or regionally recognized environmental organizations, archaeological and historic organizations, dispersed recreation activities, and wild horse and burro organizations; and

· Representatives of state, county, or local elected office; representatives and employees of a state agency responsible for management of natural resources; representatives of Indian Tribes within or adjacent to the area for which the RAC is organized; representatives of academia that are employed in the natural sciences; and the public-at-large.

You must ensure that we continue to have a balanced representation of the various interests and users of the public lands.

Call for Nominations
The Washington Office will publish a bureau-wide call for public nominations in the Federal Register for all RACs. The Federal Register notice will provide general information about the RACs, including their purpose, composition, and the procedures for submitting nominations. It will also provide the names of BLM State Office contacts for providing specific information about RAC vacancies and for receiving nominations (see Attachment 2). Your office should also issue media announcements and actively recruit to fill RAC vacancies at open houses or other appropriate forums. The nomination period will be open for 45 days from the publication date of the Federal Register notice.

Citizens may nominate themselves or others and all nominees must be residents of the state(s) for which the RAC is organized. In addition:

· At least one member of each RAC must be an elected official of general purpose government serving the people within the geographic area a RAC represents;

· All nominations must be accompanied by letters of reference from interest groups or organizations represented;

· Each nominee must submit a completed Background Information Nomination Form; and

· All nominees should have demonstrated a commitment to collaborative resource decision-making.

You should evaluate each nominee based on his or her education, training, and experience and knowledge of the issues and the geographical area of the RAC.

Coordination with Governors
Under the provisions of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Secretary of the Interior is the designated official for appointing RAC members. The Secretary wants you to fully consider all nominees and to ultimately advance those you recommend as most qualified for their selection as RAC members. It is important to initiate coordination with your Governor’s Office early in the nomination process.

RAC Information Book
The RAC Information Book will serve as a guide for consolidating all BLM State Office information about RAC nominees and for facilitating Washington Office review. Specifically, the RAC Information Book must include:
a. Your detailed transmittal memorandum, providing the names of your recommended nominees and specific reasons for endorsement, and the names of exiting members;

b. A RAC summary chart showing proposed new, reappointed, and continuing members on each RAC;
c. Individual summary sheets for your principal and alternate RAC nominees, plus completed Background Information Nominations Forms, and nomination support letters/documents; and

d. Copies of nomination materials submitted for Other Candidates.

Please refer to the attached prototype RAC Information Book for samples of documents that will help us expedite the nomination and appointment process. We will electronically transmit these documents to your office to facilitate completion of information and electronic transmittal back to us. Our Legislative Affairs Group (WO-620) will contact your designated State RAC contacts regarding the specifics of these documents.

Timetable for RAC Nominations
To ensure timely review and action on the 2008 RAC nominations at all levels, we have established the following timetable:

2/28/08: The Director (WO-620) publishes a bureau-wide call for public nominations in the Federal Register, with a 45-day period for submitting nominations. State Directors issue media announcements, providing specifics about RAC positions to be filled.

4/14/08: Nomination period closes, as announced in the Federal Register on February 28.

6/6/08: State nomination packages are transmitted electronically and sent by mail to the Legislative Affairs Staff (WO-620).

I cannot emphasize strongly enough what effective partners the RACs have been in helping resolve public land issues that affect the West’s quality of life. The nominees that we put forward for the Secretary’s consideration should be of the highest caliber to ensure continuity and quality collaboration on each of the RACs.

Please forward your completed nomination packages to WO-620; MS 5654, by June 6, 2008. Should you or your staff have any questions, please contact Justin Hall, WO-620, at
(202) 208-1423.

Signed by: Authenticated by:
Henri R. Bisson Robert M. Williams
Acting, Director Division of IRM Governance,WO-560

2 Attachments
1- Prototype RAC Information Book (12 pp)
2- 2008 Federal Register Notice, Call for Nominations (2 pp)