§ 1784.6-2 - Resource advisory councils - optional features.

§ 1784.6-2 Resource advisory councils - optional features.

(a) Resource advisory councils must be established consistent with any 1 of the 3 models in paragraphs (a)(1), (a)(2), and (a)(3) of this section. The model type and boundaries for resource advisory councils shall be established by the BLM State Director(s) in consultation with the Governors of the affected States and other interested parties.

(1) Model A

(i) Council jurisdiction. The geographic jurisdiction of a council shall coincide with BLM District or ecoregion boundaries. The Governor of the affected States or existing resource advisory councils may petition the Secretary to establish a resource advisory council for a specified Bureau of Land Management resource area. The councils will provide advice to the Bureau of Land Management official to whom they report regarding the preparation, amendment and implementation of land use plans. The councils will also assist in establishing other long-range plans and resource management priorities in an advisory capacity, including providing advice on the development of plans for range improvement or development programs.

(ii) Membership. Each council shall have 15 members, distributed equally among the 3 interest groups specified in § 1784.6-1(c).

(iii) Quorum and voting requirements. At least 3 council members from each of the 3 categories of interest from which appointments are made pursuant to § 1784.6-1(c) must be present to constitute an official meeting of the council. Formal recommendations shall require agreement of at least 3 council members from each of the 3 categories of interest from which appointments are made.

(iv) Subgroups. Local rangeland resource teams may be formed within the geographical area for which a resource advisory council provides advice, down to the level of a single allotment. These teams may be formed by a resource advisory council on its own motion or in response to a petition by local citizens. Rangeland resource teams will be formed for the purpose of providing local level input to the resource advisory council regarding issues pertaining to the administration of grazing on public land within the area for which the rangeland resource team is formed.

(A) Rangeland resource teams will consist of 5 members selected by the resource advisory council. Membership will include 2 persons holding Federal grazing permits or leases. Additional members will include 1 person representing the public-at-large, 1 person representing a nationally or regionally recognized environmental organization, and 1 person representing national, regional, or local wildlife or recreation interests. Persons selected by the council to represent the public-at-large, environmental, and wildlife or recreation interests may not hold Federal grazing permits or leases. At least 1 member must be selected from the membership of the resource advisory council.

(B) The resource advisory council will be required to select rangeland resource team members from nominees who qualify by virtue of their knowledge or experience of the lands, resources, and communities that fall within the area for which the team is formed. All nominations must be accompanied by letters of recommendation from the groups or interests to be represented.

(C) All members of rangeland resource teams will attend a course of instruction in the management of rangeland ecosystems that has been approved by the BLM State Director. Rangeland resource teams will have opportunities to raise any matter of concern with the resource advisory council and to request that BLM form a technical review team, as described below, to provide information and options to the council for their consideration.

(D) Technical review teams can be formed by the BLM authorized officer on the motion of BLM or in response to a request by the resource advisory council or a rangeland resource team. The purpose of such teams is to gather and analyze data and develop recommendations to aid the decisionmaking process, and functions will be limited to tasks assigned by the authorized officer. Membership will be limited to Federal employees and paid consultants. Members will be selected based upon their knowledge of resource management or their familiarity with the specific issues for which the technical review team has been formed. Technical review teams will terminate upon completion of the assigned task.

(2) Model B

(i) Council jurisdiction. The jurisdiction of the council shall be Statewide, or on an ecoregion basis. The purpose of the council is to promote federal, state, and local cooperation in the management of natural resources on public lands, and to coordinate the development of sound resource management plans and activities with other states. It will provide an opportunity for meaningful public participation in land management decisions at the state level and will foster conflict resolution through open dialogue and collaboration.

(ii) Membership. The council shall have 15 members, distributed equally among the 3 interest groups specified in § 1784.6-1(c), and will include at least one representative from wildlife interest groups, grazing interests, minerals and energy interests, and established environmental/conservation interests. The Governor shall chair the council.

(iii) Quorum and voting requirements. The charter of the council shall specify that 80% or 12 members must be present to constitute a quorum and conduct official business, and that 80% or 12 members of the council must vote affirmatively to refer an issue to BLM Federal officer.

(iv) Subgroups. Local rangeland resource teams may be formed by the Statewide council, down to the level of a 4th order watershed. Rangeland resource teams will be formed for the purpose of providing local level input to the resource advisory council. They will meet at least quarterly and will promote a decentralized administrative approach, encourage good stewardship, emphasize coordination and cooperation among agencies, permittees and the interested public, develop proposed solutions and management plans for local resources on public lands, promote renewable rangeland resource values, develop proposed standards to address sustainable resource uses and rangeland health, address renewable rangeland resource values, propose and participate in the development of area-specific National Environmental Policy Act documents, and develop range and wildlife education and training programs. As with the resource advisory council, an 80% affirmative vote will be required to send a recommendation to the resource advisory council.

(A) Rangeland resource teams will not exceed 10 members and will include at least 2 persons from environmental or wildlife groups, 2 grazing permittees, 1 elected official, 1 game and fish district representative, 2 members of the public or other interest groups, and a Federal officer from BLM. Members will be appointed for 2 year terms by the resource advisory council and may be reappointed. No member may serve on more than 1 rangeland resource team.

(B) Technical review teams can be formed by the BLM authorized officer on the motion of BLM or in response to a request by the resource advisory council or a rangeland resource team. The purpose of such teams is to gather and analyze data and develop recommendations to aid the decisionmaking process, and functions will be limited to tasks assigned by the authorized officer. Membership will be limited to Federal employees and paid consultants. Members will be selected based upon their knowledge of resource management or their familiarity with the specific issues for which the technical review team has been formed. Technical review teams will terminate upon completion of the assigned task.

(3) Model C

(i) Council jurisdiction. The jurisdiction of the council shall be on the basis of ecoregion, State, or BLM district boundaries.

(ii) Membership. Membership of the council shall be 10 to 15 members, distributed in a balanced fashion among the 3 interest groups defined in § 1784.6-1(c).

(iii) Quorum and voting requirements. The charter of each council shall specify that a majority of each interest group must be present to constitute a quorum and conduct official business, and that a majority of each interest group must vote affirmatively to refer an issue to BLM Federal officer.

(iv) Subgroups. Resource advisory councils may form more local teams to provide general local level input to the resource advisory council on issues necessary to the successful functioning of the council. Such subgroups can be formed in response to a petition from local citizens or on the motion of the resource advisory council. Membership in any subgroup formed for the purpose of providing general input to the resource advisory council on grazing administration should be constituted in accordance with provisions for membership in § 1784.6-1(c).

(A) Technical review teams can be formed by the BLM authorized officer on the motion of BLM or in response to a request by the resource advisory council or a local team. The purpose of such technical review teams is to gather and analyze data and develop recommendations to aid the decisionmaking process, and functions will be limited to tasks assigned by the authorized officer. Membership will be limited to Federal employees and paid consultants. Members will be selected based upon their knowledge of resource management or their familiarity with the specific issues for which the technical review team has been formed. Technical review teams will terminate upon completion of the assigned task.

(B) [Reserved]

[60 FR 9959, Feb. 22, 1995]