BLM seeks Desert Advisory Council nominations
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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management California Desert District is seeking public nominations for two open positions to serve on the Desert Advisory Council (DAC), a citizen-based advisory body that develops recommendations for the BLM related to public land management issues. Applications for future openings are also encouraged.
“The Desert Advisory Council is made up of valuable partners, each representing a diverse perspective based on the category they represent,” said California Desert District Manager Andrew Archuleta. “The composition of the membership helps ensure we receive the varying perspectives needed to achieve the BLM’s mission of managing public lands for multiple uses.”
As published in the Federal Register, the BLM is considering nominations submitted now until Oct 21; both of the open positions are in Category 2, which includes representatives of archeological and historic organizations; dispersed recreation users; wild horse and burro organizations; and nationally recognized environmental organizations.
The DAC is one of 28 BLM advisory committees formally chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and the Federal Policy and Land Management Act (FLPMA) across the West. Each council consists of 10 to 15 members from diverse interests in local communities and provides recommendations to the BLM. DAC members provide guidance on the management of more than 12-million acres of public lands across eight counties spanning southern California.
The DAC typically meets in formal session three to four times per year throughout the California Desert District. The council’s 15 members serve three-year terms and may be nominated for reappointment for an additional three-year term. Council members serve without compensation other than travel expenses.
The Secretary selects council nominees consistent with the requirements of Federal Land Policy and Management Act, which require that nominees appointed to the council be balanced in terms of points of view and representative of the various interests concerned with the management of the public lands within the area for which the council is established.
Individuals or groups may nominate themselves or others to serve on the DAC. Nominees must be residents of the state or states where the DAC has jurisdiction and will be reviewed 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 of organizations, a completed DAC application, and any other information that speaks to the nominee’s qualifications. The application form is on the DAC webpage at: https://go.usa.gov/xMPmd.
For more information on the California Desert Advisory Council, contact Michelle Van Der Linden, Bureau of Land Management, at 760-833-7172, or by email at mvanderlinden@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.