Forest Resource Coordinating Committee, 37219-37220 [2015-15991]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Forest Service

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 125 (Tuesday, June 30, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37219-37220]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-15991]


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Notices
                                                Federal Register
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 125 / Tuesday, June 30, 2015 / 
Notices

[[Page 37219]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Forest Resource Coordinating Committee

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to renew the charter for the Forest Resource 
Coordinating Committee and call for nominations.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) intends to renew the 
charter for the Forest Resource Coordinating Committee (Committee) 
pursuant to section 8005 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 
2008 (Act) (Pub. L. 110-246), and the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(FACA), (5 U.S.C. App. 2). The Act passed into law as an amendment to 
the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 on June 18, 2008. The 
Committee is being renewed to continue coordinating non-industrial 
private forestry activities within the U.S. Department of Agriculture 
(USDA), State Agencies, and the private sector. The Secretary has 
determined that the work of the Committee is in the public interest and 
relevant to the duties of the USDA. Therefore, the Secretary is seeking 
nominations to fill vacancies on the Committee. Additional information 
concerning the Committee can be found on the Committee's Web site at: 
https://www.fs.fed.us/spf/coop/frcc/.

DATES: Written nominations must be received on or before August 14, 
2015. Nominations must contain a completed application packet that 
includes the nominee's name, resume, and a completed Form AD-755 
(Advisory Committee or Research and Promotion Background Information). 
The package must be sent to the address below.

ADDRESSES: Laurie Schoonhoven, USDA Forest Service, Cooperative 
Forestry Staff, 201 14th Street SW., Mail Stop 1123, Washington, DC 
20024; by express mail or overnight courier service. Nominations sent 
via the U.S. Postal Service must be sent to the following address: USDA 
Forest Service; Cooperative Forestry Staff, State & Private Forestry; 
Mail Stop 1123; 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-
1123.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laurie Schoonhoven, Committee 
Coordinator, by phone at 202-205-0929 or Andrea Bedell-Loucks, 
Designated Federal Officer (DFO), by phone at 202-205-1190. Individuals 
who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the 
Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    In accordance with the provisions of the FACA, the Secretary is 
renewing the Committee to continue providing direction and coordination 
of actions within the USDA, State Agencies, and the private sector; to 
effectively address the national priorities for private forest 
conservation, with specific focus on owners of non-industrial private 
forest land, as described in section 8005 of the Act. These priorities 
include:
    1. Conserving and managing working forest landscapes for multiple 
values and use;
    2. Protecting forests from threats, including catastrophic 
wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, windstorms, snow or ice storms, 
flooding, drought, invasive species, insect or disease outbreak, or 
development, and restoring appropriate forest types in response to such 
threats; and
    3. Enhancing public benefits from private forests, including air 
and water quality, soil conservation, biological diversity, carbon 
storage, forest products, forestry-related jobs, production of 
renewable energy, wildlife, wildlife corridors and wildlife habitat, 
and recreation.
    The Committee will continue meeting on an annual basis and its 
primary duties will include:
    1. Providing direction and coordination of actions within the USDA, 
State Agencies, and the private sector; to effectively address the 
national priorities, with specific focus on non-industrial private 
forest land;
    2. Clarifying individual agency responsibilities of each 
represented on the Committee concerning the national priorities with 
specific focus on non-industrial private forest land;
    3. Providing advice on the allocation of funds, including the 
competitive funds set-aside for Competitive Allocation of Funds 
Innovation Projects (sections 8007 and 8008 of the Act); and
    4. Assisting the Secretary in developing and reviewing the report 
to Congress required by section 8001(d) of the Act.

Advisory Committee Organization

    The Committee is comprised of not more than 20 members. The members 
appointed to the Committee will be fairly balanced in terms of points 
of view represented, functions to be performed, and will represent a 
broad array of expertise and relevancy to a membership category. The 
Committee composition is as follows:
    (a) Chief of the Forest Service;
    (b) Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service;
    (c) Director of the Farm Service Agency;
    (d) Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture;
    (e) Three State foresters or equivalent State officials from 
geographically diverse regions of the United States;
    (f) A representative of a State Fish and Wildlife Agency;
    (g) Three owners of non-industrial private forest land;
    (h) A forest industry representative;
    (i) Three representatives from conservation organizations;
    (j) A land-grant university or college representative;
    (k) A private forestry consultant;
    (l) A representative from a State Technical Committee;
    (m) A representative of an Indian Tribe; and
    (n) A representative from a Conservation District.
    The Committee members will serve staggered terms up to three years 
and will meet annually, or as often as necessary, at the times 
designated by the DFO. The appointment of members to the Committee will 
be made by the Secretary.

Vacancies

    Representatives from the following categories will be appointed by 
the Secretary with staggered terms up to 3 years:
    1. Conservation Organization;

[[Page 37220]]

    2. State Fish and Wildlife agency;
    3. Tribal; and
    4. Non-industrial Private Forest Landowner.
    The nominees must be associated with such an organization and be 
willing to represent that sector as it relates to non-industrial 
private forestry. Vacancies will be filled in the manner in which the 
original appointment was made.

Nomination and Application Instructions

    The appointment of members to the Committee is made by the 
Secretary. Any individual or organization may nominate one or more 
qualified persons to represent the above vacancy on the Committee. To 
be considered for membership, nominees must submit:
    1. Resume describing your qualifications to represent the vacancy;
    2. Cover letter with a rationale for serving on the Committee and 
what you can contribute; and
    3. A completed Form AD-755, Advisory Committee or Research and 
Promotion Background Information. The form AD-755 may be obtained from 
the Forest Service contacts or from the following Web site: https://www.usda.gov/documents/OCIO_AD_755_Master_2012.pdf.
    4. Letters of recommendation are welcome.
    All nominations will be vetted by the USDA. Individuals may also 
nominate themselves. A list of qualified applicants from which the 
Secretary shall appoint to the Committee will be prepared. Applicants 
are strongly encouraged to submit nominations via overnight mail or 
delivery to ensure timely receipt by the USDA.
    Members of the Committee will serve without compensation, but may 
be reimbursed for travel expenses while performing duties on behalf of 
the Committee, subject to approval by the DFO.
    Equal opportunity practices, in line with USDA policies, will be 
followed in all appointments to the Committee. To ensure that the 
recommendation of the Committee have taken into account the needs of 
the diverse groups served by the Department, membership includes to the 
extent practicable, individuals with demonstrated ability to represent 
the needs of all racial and ethnic groups, women and men, and persons 
with disabilities.

    Dated: June 22, 2015.
Gregory L. Parham,
Assistant Secretary for Administration.
[FR Doc. 2015-15991 Filed 6-29-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3411-15-P