SALT LAKE CITY — The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public nominations for five open positions on its Utah Resource Advisory Council. The BLM will consider nominations until June 22.

The Council, composed of citizens chosen for their expertise in natural resource issues, helps the BLM carry out its stewardship of 245 million acres of public lands. The BLM, which manages more land than any other Federal agency, has 31 advisory councils across the West, where most BLM-managed land is located.

The BLM-Utah advisory council consists of 15 members with an interest or expertise in public land management, including such individuals as conservationists, ranchers, outdoor recreationists, state and local government officials, tribal officials and academics. The diverse membership of each advisory council helps ensure that the BLM land managers get the varying perspectives they need to manage the public lands for multiple uses.

“As a land-management agency that carries out a multiple-use mission, the BLM seeks out and values diverse input from citizens who care about the stewardship of America’s public lands,” BLM-Utah Acting State Director Jenna Whitlock, said. “This input advances our efforts in managing uses of and protecting resources on the public lands.”

Nomination

Those who have already submitted a nomination in response to the first call for nominations, published in the Federal Register on Feb. 3, do not need to resubmit. All nominations from the first and second calls will be considered together during the review process.

Individuals may nominate themselves or others to serve on an advisory council. Nominees, who must be residents of the state or states where the advisory council has jurisdiction, will be judged on the basis of their training, education and knowledge of the council’s geographical area. Nominees should also demonstrate a commitment to consensus building and collaborative decision making.

All nominations must be accompanied by letters of reference from any represented interests or organizations, a completed advisory council application and any other information that speaks to the nominee’s qualifications.

The open positions are in the following categories:

• 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 Indian Tribes within or adjacent to the area for which the advisory council is organized; representatives and employees of academic institutions who are involved in natural sciences; and the public-at-large.

How to apply

Fillable application forms are available online.

Nominations should be postmarked by June 22, to:

For more information, please contact Sherry Foot: Telephone 801-539-4195 or email.

Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 800-877-8339 to leave a message or question with Foot. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Replies are provided during normal business hours.

The BLM-Utah will consult with the governor’s office before forwarding its recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior for a final decision.

Related posts

• Utah joins lawsuit challenging new BLM fracking rule; fracking in Utah
• BLM releases quarterly oil, gas lease sale results
• BLM seeks input on guided group trekking permit request

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews