BLM Resource Advisory Council to Meet in Taos
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FARMINGTON, N.M. – The Bureau of Land Management today announced it will hold a meeting of the Farmington District Resource Advisory Council, demonstrating that partnerships and inclusion are vital to managing sustainable, working public lands. The public is welcome to attend the meeting and field trip which will occur on July 10 and 11, 2018. The July 10 meeting will take place from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Kit Carson Electrical Cooperative Boardroom at 118 Cruz Alta Road, Taos, NM 87571. On July 11 there will be a field trip from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Resource Advisory Councils (RACs) provide advice and recommendations for the BLM to consider on resource and land management issues within the BLM. The BLM maintains 37 chartered advisory councils located in the West. RACs are sounding boards for BLM initiatives, regulatory proposals, and policy changes. Each citizen-based council consists of 10 to 15 members from diverse interests in local communities and they assist in the development of council recommendations that address public land management issues. RACs are critical in assisting the BLM in continuing to be a good neighbor in the communities that the agency serves.
On July 10 , the RAC meeting agenda will include updates on the 2017/2018 RAC nominations; the RAC charter; Farmington Field Office Resource Management Plan Amendment; updates in the Taos planning area; general recreation planning for both the Taos and Farmington Field Offices; updates on the San Pedro Area; BLM efforts to gather additional cultural/ethnographic data for cultural site protection; the postponement of the spring 2018 oil and gas leasing in the Farmington Field Office area; and the methane emission rules. There will be a discussion on the Rio Grande Trail/State partnership and a potential event scheduled for October 2, 2018, to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the National Trails System Act of 1968; and any other topics that may reasonably come before the Farmington District RAC may also be addressed.
At the July 10 meeting, there will be a half-hour public comment period at 3:00 p.m. for anyone interested in addressing the RAC. Depending on the number of persons wishing to speak and time available, individual comments may be limited. The public may also send written comments to the RAC by mailing to the BLM Farmington District Office, Attn: Zach Stone, 6251 College Blvd, Suite A, Farmington, NM 87402 or by email to zstone@blm.gov. Written comments must be received no later than July 10 2018.
On the following day, RAC field trip participants will depart at 8 a.m. from the Taos Field Office at 226 Cruz Alta Road, Taos, NM 87571 for the Rio Grande Trail improvement areas, returning to the office by 12 p.m. Members of the public will have to provide their own transportation and bring their own food and water.
The 10-member Farmington District RAC provides advice and recommendations on resource and land management issues for 1.6 million acres of public land located within the District’s 12 northern New Mexico counties under its jurisdiction.
For any other information about the upcoming RAC meeting, please contact Zach Stone at 505-564-7677, or by e-mail at zstone@blm.gov.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.