[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 58 (Monday, March 26, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17402-17404]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-7175]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Revised notice of intent to call for nominations for membership
to the Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service has re-
established the Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board (Board). The
purpose is to obtain advice and recommendations on a broad range of
forest issues such as forest plan revisions or amendments, forest
health including fire management and mountain pine beetle infestations,
travel management, forest monitoring and evaluation, recreation fees,
and site-specific projects having forest wide implications. In an
earlier notice, the Forest Service indicated it was seeking nominations
for individuals to be considered as committee members, and the public
was invited to submit nominations for membership. That notice, ``Notice
of intent to re-establish the Black Hills National Forest Advisory
Board and call for nominations,'' was published in the Federal
Register, Volume 77, No. 30, page 8214, on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
and indicated that nominations and applications to the Board must be
received by March 15, 2012. This revised notice extends the deadline
for nominations and applications to April 30, 2012.
DATES: Written nominations must be received by April 30, 2012.
Instructions for submitting a nomination package may be found in the
section below entitled, ``Advisory Committee Organization''.
ADDRESSES: Send nominations and applications to Craig Bobzien, Forest
Supervisor, Black Hills National Forest, 1019 North 5th Street, Custer,
SD 57730.
[[Page 17403]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marie Curtin, Planning and Public
Affairs, USDA, Forest Service, Black Hills National Forest, telephone:
605-673-9324, fax: 605-673-9208, or email: [email protected].
Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through
Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: USDA 16565-Black Hills National Forest
Advisory Board is a non-scientific program advisory Board established
by the Secretary of Agriculture in 2003 to provide advice and counsel
to the U. S. Forest Service, Black Hills National Forest, in the wake
of increasingly severe and intense wild fires and mountain pine beetle
epidemics.
The purpose of the Board is to provide advice and recommendations
on a broad range of forest issues such as forest plan revisions or
amendments, travel management, forest monitoring and evaluation, and
site-specific projects having forest-wide implications. The Board also
serves to meet the needs of the Recreation Enhancement Act of 2005 as a
recreation resource advisory board (RRAC) for the Black Hills of South
Dakota. The Board provides timely advice and recommendations to the
regional forester through the forest supervisor regarding programmatic
forest issues and project-level issues that have forest-wide
implications for the Black Hills National Forest.
The Board meets approximately ten times a year, with one month
being a field trip, held in August and focusing on both current issues
and the educational value of seeing management strategies and outcomes
on the ground. This Board has been established as a truly credible
entity and a trusted voice on forest management issues and is doing
often astonishing work in helping to develop informed consent for
forest management.
For years, the demands made on the Black Hills National Forest have
resulted in conflicts among interest groups resulting in both forest-
wide and site-specific programs being delayed due to appeals and
litigation. The Board provides a forum to resolve these issues to allow
for the Black Hills National Forest to move forward in its management
activities. The Board is believed to be one of the few groups with
broad enough scope to address all of the issues and include all of the
jurisdictional boundaries.
Significant Contributions
The Board's most significant accomplishments include:
1. A 2004 report on the Black Hills Fuels Reduction Plan, a
priority following the major fires including the 86,000 acre Jasper
Fire in 2000;
2. A 2004 initial Off-Highway Vehicle Travel Management
Subcommittee report;
3. A report on their findings regarding the thesis, direction, and
assumptions of Phase II of our Forest Plan produced in 2005;
4. The Invasive Species Subcommittee Report in 2005 covering
recommendations to better stop invasive species from infiltrating the
Forest;
5. A final Travel Management Subcommittee Report in 2006 in which
the Board made 11 recommendations regarding characteristics of a
designated motor vehicle trail system, the basis for our initial work
to prepare our Motor Vehicle Use Map in 2010-2011;
6. The Board's annual work to attract funding through grants based
on the Collaborative Landscape Forest Restoration Program (CFLRP), a
program of the Secretary of Agriculture CFLR Program to encourage the
collaborative, science-based ecosystem restoration of priority forest
landscapes;
7. A letter to the Secretary and the Chief of the Forest Service to
work, restore and maintain open space for wildlife habitat and
recreation needs like snowmobile trails; and
8. The annual reports to the Secretary detailing the Board's
activities, issues, and accomplishments.
The Board is deemed to be among the most effective public
involvement strategies in the Forest Service and continues to lead by
example for Federal, State, and local government agencies working to
coordinate and cooperate in the Black Hills of South Dakota and
Wyoming.
Background
Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. II),
notice is hereby given that the Secretary of Agriculture intends to
calls for nominations for membership to the Black Hills National Forest
Advisory Board. The Board provides advice and recommendations on a
broad range of forest planning issues and, in accordance with the
Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (Pub. L. 108-447 (REA)), more
specifically will provide advice and recommendations on Black Hills
National Forest recreation fee issues (serving as the RRAC for the
Black Hills National Forest). The Board membership consists of
individuals representing commodity interests, amenity interests, and
State and local government.
The Board has been determined to be in the public interest in
connection with the duties and responsibilities of the Black Hills
National Forest. National forest management requires improved
coordination among the interests and governmental entities responsible
for land management decisions and the public that the agency serves.
Advisory Committee Organization
The Board consists of 16 members that are representative of the
following interests (this membership is similar to the membership
outlined by the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination
Act for Resource Advisory Committees (16 U.S.C. 500, et seq.)):
1. Economic development;
2. Developed outdoor recreation, off-highway vehicle users, or
commercial recreation;
3. Energy and mineral development;
4. Commercial timber industry;
5. Permittee (grazing or other land use within the Black Hills
area);
6. Nationally recognized environmental organizations;
7. Regionally or locally recognized environmental organizations;
8. Dispersed recreation;
9. Archeology or history;
10. Nationally or regionally recognized sportsmen's groups, such as
anglers or hunters;
11. South Dakota State-elected offices;
12. Wyoming State-elected offices;
13. South Dakota or Wyoming county-or local-elected officials;
14. Tribal government elected or- appointed officials;
15. South Dakota State natural resource agency official; and
16. Wyoming State natural resource agency official.
No individual who is currently registered as a Federal lobbyist is
eligible to serve as a member of the Committee. The Committee will meet
approximately nine times, and will attend at least one summer field
tour as designated by the Designated Federal Officer (DFO).
The appointment of members to the Board will be made by the
Secretary of Agriculture. Any individual or organization may nominate
one or more qualified persons to serve on the Board. Individuals may
also nominate themselves. To be considered for membership, nominees
must submit a:
1. Resume describing qualifications for membership to the
Committee;
2. Cover letter with rationale for serving on the committee and
what you can contribute; and
[[Page 17404]]
3. Complete form AD-755, Advisory Committee Membership Background
Information.
Letters of recommendations are welcome. The AD-755 may be obtained
from Forest Service contact person or from the following Web site:
http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/ad755.pdf. All nominations
will be vetted by USDA. The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint
committee members to the Board from the list of qualified applicants.
The members of the Board will elect and determine the
responsibilities of the Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson. In
absence of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson will act in the
Chairperson's stead. The Forest Supervisor of the Black Hills National
Forest serves as the Designated Federal Official under sections 10(e)
and (f) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. II).
Members will serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for
travel expenses while performing duties on behalf of the Board, subject
to approval by the DFO.
Equal opportunity practices are followed in all appointments to the
Board in accordance with USDA policies. To ensure that the
recommendations of the Board have been taken into account the needs of
diverse groups, served by the Black Hills National Forest, membership
shall include, to the extent practicable, individuals with demonstrated
ability to represent minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.
Dated: March 19, 2012.
Craig Bobzien,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2012-7175 Filed 3-23-12; 8:45 am]
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