Southeast Oregon RAC

RAC map

The Southeast Oregon Resource Advisory Council (RAC) provides advice and recommendations on all aspects of public land management to the BLM's Burns and Vale District Offices, and the Lakeview Field Office. Recent topics have included management options for off-highway recreation, sage-grouse habitat, and noxious-weed control.

The Southeast Oregon RAC meets quarterly at various communities within the RAC's boundary, generally for two days. The RAC schedules field tours for specific projects or issues on their agenda. All RAC meetings are open to the public, and each meeting includes time for the public to present or comment on issues for RAC consideration. Among the issues regularly discussed are land management plans, including those related to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), recreation fees, and land restoration associated with wildfires.

Meeting minutes retained by the Designated Federal Official (DFO) after each meeting are posted on this website after their approval. The DFO role rotates between the Burns, Lakeview, and Vale District Managers every two years.

The Secretary of the Interior appoints citizens to staggered three-year terms on the Council, so one-third of the member terms expire yearly. Each spring, the BLM encourages Oregon residents to apply, or nominate others to apply, for open positions they would like to represent.

Membership on the 15-member RAC is balanced to reflect the array of interests and users of Public Lands:

  • Five members represent commodity interests such as grazing permittees, commercial timber, energy and mining, developed recreation and/or off-highway vehicle groups, and transportation & rights-of-way.
  • Five members represent conservation interests such as environmental organizations, historic & cultural interests, conservation, and dispersed recreation.
  • Five members represent community interests such as elected officials, Indian Tribes, State resource agencies, academicians involved in natural sciences, and the public-at-large.

Membership

Member Interest Term Start Date Term End Date

Thomas O'Leary

Category 1: Agriculture/Ranching

4/28/2022

4/28/2025

Kenneth Poole

Category 1: Energy & Mineral Development

4/28/2022

4/28/2025

Gordon Seward

Category 1: Grazing

3/07/2024

3/07/2027

Karen Morgan

Category 2: Wild Horse and Burro

8/8/2023

8/8/2026

Mark Salvo

Category 2: Environmental Organizations

8/8/2023

8/8/2026

Mary Jo Hedrick

Category 2: Environmental Organizations

4/28/2022

4/28/2025

Timothy Davis

Category 2: Environmental Organizations

1/19/2022

1/18/2025

Michael O'Casey

Category 2: Dispersed Recreation

4/28/2022

4/28/2025

Stanley Shepardson

Category 3: Public-at-large

1/19/2022

1/18/2025

Don Hodge

Category 3: Public-at-Large

8/8/2023

8/8/2023

Thomas Batty

Category 3: Public-at-Large

4/28/2022

4/28/2025

James Williams

Category 3: Elected official

8/8/2023

8/8/2026

Kristen Shelman

Category 3: Elected Official

8/8/2023

8/8/2026

M. Joe Tague

Category 1: Commercial Timber

8/8/2023

8/8/2026

VACANT

Category 1:

   

Meetings

The March 12-13, 2024, meeting of the Southeast Oregon Resource Advisory Council has been canceled. The next scheduled meeting will be June 11-12, 2024, in Ontario, OR.

Meeting Minutes

Past Minutes

Meeting Agendas

Past Agendas

RAC Materials

RAC Contact

Lisa McNee
1301 S. G St.
Lakeview, OR 97630
lmcnee@blm.gov
541-947-6811

Apply for this RAC!

The nomination period is CLOSED. Please contact the RAC coordinator with questions.

Please email or physically mail your application to the RAC contact listed above. A complete application package includes:

  • The application, which must be printed and signed with a pen.
  • At least one letter of support
  • Resume (optional)