BLM looks to fill 15 Resource Advisory Council positions

The Bureau of Land Management Nevada is accepting nominations for open positions on its three Resource Advisory Councils.

Interested applicants have until June 22 to submit their applications, as a formal call for nominations was published in the Federal Register May 21.

There are five open positions on each of the three councils, so a total of 15 positions need to be filled at this time in the state. Every three years five positions from each council come up for nomination.

Resource Advisory Councils are citizen-based groups that make recommendations to the BLM regarding public land and resource management, including land-use planning, recreation, fire management, livestock grazing, and wild horse and burro herd management.

The councils have been around for almost 20 years and have changed to include more responsibility for those involved.

“The three councils here in Nevada were originally formed back in the mid-90s, around 1996,” said Chris Rose, Nevada State RAC Coordinator. “Over time they’ve evolved. Originally they were to develop standards and guides to grazing and now they provide advice and recommendation to the Secretary of the Interior on all natural resource and management issues.”

Each advisory council consists of 10 to 15 members, who have an interest in public land management. Members are chosen by the Secretary of the Interior to serve an initial three-year term and may be reappointed to serve additional three-year terms.

The diverse membership of each RAC is aimed at achieving a balanced outlook that the BLM needs for its mission, which is to manage the public lands for multiple uses.

With disputes between Nye County residents and the BLM taking place regularly, having these committees helps when some of those issues arise.

“It definitely helps give people a voice,” Rose said.

According to the BLM, each of the RACs has different positions open in the following categories and those interested can apply for any position.

Category One – Public land ranchers and representatives of organizations associated with energy and mineral development, the timber industry, transportation or rights-of-way, off-highway vehicle use, and commercial recreation.

Category Two – Representatives of nationally or regionally recognized environmental organizations, archaeological and historical organizations, dispersed recreation activities, and wild horse and burro organizations.

Category Three – Representatives of state, county, or local elected office; representatives and employees of a state agency responsible for the management of natural resources; representatives of Native American tribes within or adjacent to the area for which the RAC is organized; representatives and employees of academic institutions who are involved in natural sciences; and the public-at-large.

The three RACs in Nevada are the Mojave, North Eastern Great Basin and the Sierra Front-Northwestern Great Basin.

The Mojave council serves Esmeralda, Lincoln and Nye counties. Their meetings are held in the Las Vegas, Pahrump, Ely, and Tonopah areas.

The Northeastern Great Basin council serves Elko, White Pine, Lander and Eureka counties. This council holds meetings in the Elko, Eureka, and Ely areas.

Lastly, the Sierra Front-Northwestern Great Basin serves Washoe, Humboldt, Pershing, Churchill, Storey, Douglas, Lyon, Mineral and Carson City counties. Their meetings are held in the Carson City and Winnemucca areas.

Interested applicants must be a resident of Nevada and may nominate themselves or others to serve on an advisory council, according to the BLM. Nominations should be made on the appropriate nomination form, which is available at any BLM office, or on the internet at http://on.doi.gov/14tvwdE.

Nominees will be reviewed on the basis of their training, education, and knowledge of the council’s geographical area. Nominees should also display a commitment to consensus building and collaborative resource decision-making.

All nominations must include letters of reference from the represented interests or organizations, a completed nomination form and any other information that addresses the nominee’s qualifications. All nominations will be given full consideration.

The councils meet several times a year and give advice and recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior, through the BLM district managers and the state director, on management of the public lands within the council’s geographic area.

There is also a meeting of all three RACs held once a year.