[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 77 (Wednesday, April 22, 1998)] [Notices] [Page 19905] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-10792] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army American Heritage Rivers Advisory Committee AGENCY: Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works), Department of Defense. ACTION: Notice of open meeting. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Public Law 92-463), this notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of the forthcoming meeting of the American Heritage Rivers Advisory Committee (``Committee''), a Presidential Commission. The meeting will be open to the public except for the last portion of the meeting where the Committee will select up to 20 river communities from which the President will chose river communities for designation as American Heritage Rivers. The partial closure is necessary in order to permit the selection of the 20 finalist applicant rivers for submission to the President and to prevent premature disclosure of their identity. Because the seating capacity of the meeting room might be limited, an advance notice of intent to attend, although not required, is requested. This will help make adequate arrangements for those wishing to attend. Members of the public will not be permitted to make oral statements at the meeting due to equity considerations and time constraints. Written comments may be submitted for the record to Mr. Charles R. Smith, Executive Secretary, at the address listed below. Comments must be received by 5:00 p.m. on May 8. NAME OF COMMITTEE: American Heritage Rivers Advisory Committee. DATES OF MEETING: Monday, May 11, 1998, and Tuesday, May 12, 1998, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PLACE: The meeting will be at the White House Conference Center, 726 Jackson Place, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20503. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Charles R. (Chip) Smith, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works), 108 Army, Pentagon (2E569), Washington, D.C. 20310- 0108. Mr. Smith also can be reached by telephone (703) 693-3655, or FAX (703) 697-3366. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Committee shall consist of up to 20 members appointed by the President from the public and private sectors, whose charge shall be to appraise the quality of nominations for selection of rivers as ``American Heritage Rivers.'' The Committee shall recommend up to 20 rivers for designation as American Heritage Rivers by the President. In its review of nominations submitted by communities, the Committee shall provide its assessment of: 1. The scope of each nomination's application and the adequacy of its design to achieve the community's goals; 2. Whether the natural, economic (including agricultural), scenic, historic, cultural, and/or recreational resources featured in the application are distinctive or unique; 3. The extent to which the community's plan of action is clearly defined and the extend to which the plan addresses all three American Heritage Rivers objectives--natural resource and environmental protection, economic revitalization, and historic and cultural preservation--either through planned actions or past accomplishments, as well as any other characteristics of the proposals that distinguish a nomination, such as: (A) Community vision and partnership: (B) Sustainability of products and projects, including project maintenance; (C) Resources, both committed and anticipated, including means of generating additional support from both private and public sources; (D) Anticipated Federal role as defined by the applicants; (E) Schedule or timeline; (F) Citizen involvement; (G) Public education relating to the designation of the river; (H) Logistical support, operating procedures, and policies; (I) Prior accomplishments, if relevant, and relationship to existing plans and projects in the area; and (J) Measures of performance. 4. The strength and diversity of support for the nomination and plan of action as evidenced by letters from local and state governments, Indian tribes, elected officials, any and all parties who participate in the life and health of the area to be nominated, or who have an interest in the economic life and cultural and environmental vigor of the involved community. The Committee also should seek to recommend the selection of rivers that as a group: 1. Represent the natural, historic, cultural, social, economic, and agricultural diversity of American rivers; 2. Showcase a variety of stream sizes and an assortment of urban, rural, and mixed settings from around the country, including both relatively pristine and degraded rivers; 3. Highlight a variety of innovative programs in such areas as historic preservation, sustainable development through tourism, wildlife management, fisheries restoration, recreation, community revitalization, agricultural practices, and flood plain and watershed management; 4. Include community efforts in early stages of development as well as those that are more well-established; and 5. Stand to benefit from targeted Federal assistance. Submitted by Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works): Charles R. Smith, Executive Secretary, American Heritage Rivers Advisory Committee. [FR Doc. 98-10792 Filed 4-21-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3710-08-M