[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 73 (Monday, April 15, 1996)] [Notices] [Pages 16509-16510] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 96-9232] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR [OR-912-0777-52; GP6-0119] Call For Nominations To Resource Advisory Councils in Oregon and Washington AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to solicit public nominations for each of three Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Resource Advisory Councils currently assisting the BLM and Forest Service in Oregon and Washington. The three councils: Eastern Washington, John Day-Snake, and Southeastern Oregon, established and authorized in 1995 by the Secretary of the Interior, provide advice and recommendations to the BLM and Forest Service on management of public lands. Public nominations will be received and considered for 45 days beginning with the publication date of this notice. The Councils, which were established in August, are made up of 15 members who were randomly given 1-3 year terms to ensure that the entire council would not change at the same time. We are currently calling for nominations to fill the positions that expire in August. The terms for the vacancies listed below will be for three years. The three councils, which cover eastern Washington and eastern Oregon, have identified many different issues that they would like to work on with the BLM and the Forest Service. To date, the Councils have been working on such issues as standards for rangeland health and guidelines for grazing management, the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project, and the Southeastern Oregon Resource Management Plan. These councils are authorized under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) which directs the Secretary of the Interior to involve the public in planning and issues related to management of lands administered by BLM. Section 309 of FLPMA directs the Secretary to select 10 to 15 member citizen-based advisory councils that are established and authorized consistent with the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). As required by the FACA, Resource Advisory Council membership must be balanced and representative of the various interests concerned with the management of public lands. These include three categories: Category One: holders of federal grazing permits, representatives of energy and mining development, timber industry, transportation or rights-of-way, off-road vehicle use and developed recreation. Category Two: representatives of environmental and resource conservation organizations, dispersed recreation, archeological and historic interests, and wild horse and burro groups. Category Three: representatives of State and local government, Native American tribes, academicians involved in natural sciences, employees of State agencies responsible for the management of natural resources, land, or water, and the public at large. The Eastern Washington Council has five openings. Three of the openings are in Category One: energy and mineral, transportation and rights of way, and commercial recreation. Two of the openings are in Category Two: national/regional environmental, and archeological and historic interests. The John Day-Snake Council has six openings. Three of the openings are in Category One: energy and mineral, commercial timber, and transportation and rights of way. One of the openings is in Category Two under national/regional conservation. Two of the openings are in Category Three: academician and public at large. The Southeastern Oregon Council has six openings (one was created by a resignation). Two of the openings are in Category One: energy and minerals and commercial recreation. Three of the openings are in Category Two: dispersed recreation, wild horse and burro, and national/ regional conservation. Under Category Three there is one opening for a state employee. Individuals may nominate themselves or others. Existing council members, whose terms will expire in August, may be renominated. Nominees must be residents of the State in which the council has jurisdiction. The Eastern Washington Council covers eastern Washington (with the exception of the area south of the Snake River drainages). The John Day-Snake Council covers central and northeastern Oregon and the Snake River drainages in southeast Washington. The Southeastern Oregon Council covers southeastern Oregon. Nominees will be evaluated based on their experience working with the interest area they choose to represent and their knowledge of the geographic area covered by the Council. Nominees must also have demonstrated a commitment to collaborative resource decision making. All nominations must be accompanied by letters of reference from represented interests or organizations, a completed background information nomination form, as well as any other information that speaks to the nominee's qualifications. The BLM Oregon/Washington State Director, the Forest Service Regional Forester, and the Washington and Oregon Governor's Offices will forward the nominations to the Secretary of Interior, who will make the appointments to the Councils. This nomination period will also be announced through press releases issued by the BLM Oregon/Washington State Office. Nominations for Resource Advisory Councils should be sent to: Elaine Zielinski, Bureau of Land Management, Oregon/Washington State Director, P.O. Box 2965, Portland, OR, 97208. DATES: All nominations must be received by the BLM Oregon/Washington State Office on or before May 30, 1996. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brenda Lincoln Wojtanik, OR 912, Bureau of Land Management, Oregon/Washington State Office, P.O. Box 2965, [[Page 16510]] Portland, Oregon, 97208, (Telephone 503-952-6437). Eric Hoffman, Acting State Director, Oregon/Washington. [FR Doc. 96-9232 Filed 4-12-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-33-P