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GLENWOOD SPRINGS — The Bureau of Land Management announced on Thursday that the agency is seeking public nominations for five open positions with the agency’s Northwest Resource Advisory Council (RAC).
Along with the five open spots for the Northwest RAC, the BLM is seeking nominations for 10 positions on Colorado’s two other RACs, according to the agency. The BLM will consider the nominations for 45 days after Thursday, when the agency published its formal call for nominations in the Federal Register.
Garfield County Commissioner Larry McCown, who is a member of the Northwest RAC, said participating on the council gives “everyone a whole new perspective” on the planning that goes into BLM land use decisions.
“Anyone who has not been involved with it seems to think that (BLM decisions) are conducted in a vacuum,” McCown. “There is a tremendous amount of time and effort that goes into their planning efforts.”
RAC members are chosen for their “expertise in natural resource issues and to help the BLM carry out its stewardship of 258 million acres of public lands,” according to the agency.
“RAC members represent a broad array of backgrounds, interests and experience,” BLM Colorado State Director Sally Wisely said in prepared statement. “With BLM’s diverse responsibilities, RAC members have opportunities to advise us on challenging and complex issues.”
The 15 members of the Northwest RAC represent a broad range of interests, including environmental protection, energy and mineral interests, along with elected officials. The Bureau of Land Management has three Resource Advisory Councils (RACs) in Colorado: the Northwest RAC, the Southwest RAC and the Front Range RAC.
Earlier this month, the Northwest RAC had a day-long meeting in Glenwood Springs during which possible oil shale development in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming was the focus of a long debate among the council’s members.
During that meeting, RAC members heard and offered comments on the BLM’s draft programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS), which has designated about 2 million acres in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming as possible areas for oil shale
development.
Individuals may nominate themselves or others to serve on the councils. Nominees must be residents of the state where the RAC has jurisdiction and they will be judged on the basis of their training, education and “knowledge of the council’s geographic area,” the BLM said.
All nominations must include letters of reference from any “represented interests or
organizations, a completed background information nomination form and any other information that speaks to the nominee’s qualifications.
The nominations are for three categories. One category is for representatives that include interests such as energy and mineral development and the timber industry, another category is for groups that include environmental and historical organizations. The third category is for elected officials and employees of a government agencies responsible for the management of natural resources.
Nominations for the Northwest RAC should be sent by April 14. Send nominations to David Boyd, 50629 Highway 6 & 24, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601. Boyd’s office phone number is 970-947-2832 and his e-mail is david_boyd@blm.gov.
Contact Phillip Yates: 384-9117pyates@postindependent.com
Post Independent, Glenwood Springs, Colorado CO
Along with the five open spots for the Northwest RAC, the BLM is seeking nominations for 10 positions on Colorado’s two other RACs, according to the agency. The BLM will consider the nominations for 45 days after Thursday, when the agency published its formal call for nominations in the Federal Register.
Garfield County Commissioner Larry McCown, who is a member of the Northwest RAC, said participating on the council gives “everyone a whole new perspective” on the planning that goes into BLM land use decisions.
“Anyone who has not been involved with it seems to think that (BLM decisions) are conducted in a vacuum,” McCown. “There is a tremendous amount of time and effort that goes into their planning efforts.”
RAC members are chosen for their “expertise in natural resource issues and to help the BLM carry out its stewardship of 258 million acres of public lands,” according to the agency.
“RAC members represent a broad array of backgrounds, interests and experience,” BLM Colorado State Director Sally Wisely said in prepared statement. “With BLM’s diverse responsibilities, RAC members have opportunities to advise us on challenging and complex issues.”
The 15 members of the Northwest RAC represent a broad range of interests, including environmental protection, energy and mineral interests, along with elected officials. The Bureau of Land Management has three Resource Advisory Councils (RACs) in Colorado: the Northwest RAC, the Southwest RAC and the Front Range RAC.
Earlier this month, the Northwest RAC had a day-long meeting in Glenwood Springs during which possible oil shale development in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming was the focus of a long debate among the council’s members.
During that meeting, RAC members heard and offered comments on the BLM’s draft programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS), which has designated about 2 million acres in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming as possible areas for oil shale
development.
Individuals may nominate themselves or others to serve on the councils. Nominees must be residents of the state where the RAC has jurisdiction and they will be judged on the basis of their training, education and “knowledge of the council’s geographic area,” the BLM said.
All nominations must include letters of reference from any “represented interests or
organizations, a completed background information nomination form and any other information that speaks to the nominee’s qualifications.
The nominations are for three categories. One category is for representatives that include interests such as energy and mineral development and the timber industry, another category is for groups that include environmental and historical organizations. The third category is for elected officials and employees of a government agencies responsible for the management of natural resources.
Nominations for the Northwest RAC should be sent by April 14. Send nominations to David Boyd, 50629 Highway 6 & 24, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601. Boyd’s office phone number is 970-947-2832 and his e-mail is david_boyd@blm.gov.
Contact Phillip Yates: 384-9117pyates@postindependent.com
Post Independent, Glenwood Springs, Colorado CO
