Recreation Resource Advisory Committees, 55416-55419 [06-8096]
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55416
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 71, No. 184
Friday, September 22, 2006
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains documents other than rules or
proposed rules that are applicable to the
public. Notices of hearings and investigations,
committee meetings, agency decisions and
rulings, delegations of authority, filing of
petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are
examples of documents appearing in this
section.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
September 15, 2006.
The Department of Agriculture has
submitted the following information
collection requirement(s) to OMB for
review and clearance under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
Public Law 104–13. Comments
regarding (a) whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
of burden including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility and
clarity of the information to be
collected; (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on those who are to respond, including
through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology should be addressed to: Desk
Officer for Agriculture, Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB),
OIRA_Submission@OMB.EOP.GOV or
fax (202) 395–5806 and to Departmental
Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail
Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250–
7602. Comments regarding these
information collections are best assured
of having their full effect if received
within 30 days of this notification.
Copies of the submission(s) may be
obtained by calling (202) 720–8681.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor a collection of information
unless the collection of information
displays a currently valid OMB control
number and the agency informs
potential persons who are to respond to
the collection of information that such
persons are not required to respond to
VerDate Aug<31>2005
20:37 Sep 21, 2006
Jkt 208001
the collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Title: Bid for advertised timber.
OMB Control Number: 0596–0066.
Summary of Collection: Individuals,
large and small businesses, and
corporations who wish to purchase
timber or forest products from the
National Forest must enter into a timber
sale contract or Forest product contract
with the Forest Service (FS).
Information must be collected by FS in
order to ensure that: National Forest
System timber is sold at not less than
appraised value; bidders meet specific
criteria when submitting a bid; and antitrust violations do not occur during the
bidding process. Several statutes,
regulations, and policies impose
requirements on the Government and
purchasers in the bidding process. The
FS will collect information using several
forms.
Need and Use of the Information: FS
will collect information to determine
bid responsiveness. The sale officer will
ensure: The bidder has signed the bid
form; provided a tax identification
number; completed the unit rate,
weighted average, or total sale value bid;
entered the bid guarantee amount, type,
and ensure the bid guarantee is enclosed
with the bid, the bidder has provided
the required information concerning
Small Business Administration size and
Equal Opportunity compliance on
previous sales. The Timber Sale
Contracting Officers will use the
information to complete the contract
prior to award to the highest bidder.
Failure to include the required
information may result in the bid being
declared non-responsive or the
Contracting Officer may be unable to
make an affirmative finding of
purchaser responsibility and not able to
award the contract.
Description of Respondents: Business
or other for-profit; Individuals or
households.
Number of Respondents: 1,560.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting:
On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 58,055.
Recreation Resource Advisory
Committees
Charlene Parker,
Departmental Information Collection
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 06–7871 Filed 9–21–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–P
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Forest Service
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to establish
Recreation Resource Advisory
Committees and a call for nominations.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Secretary of Agriculture
intends to establish five Forest Service
Recreation Resource Advisory
Committees (Recreation RACs) pursuant
to Section 4 of the Federal Lands
Recreation Enhancement Act (REA) that
was passed into law as part of the 2005
Consolidated Appropriations Act (Pub.
L. 108–447) on December 8, 2004. The
Recreation RACs will operate in the
Pacific Northwest, Pacific Southwest,
Eastern, and Southern Regions and the
State of Colorado and will provide
recommendations regarding recreation
fees to both the Forest Service and the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as
appropriate. The public is invited to
submit nominations for membership on
the Recreation RACs.
DATES: All nominations should be
received by the appropriate Regional
Office by October 23, 2006. If necessary,
managers in each region may continue
accepting applications beyond this date
to ensure broad and balanced
representation on the Recreation RAC.
Nominations must contain a completed
application packet that includes
background information and other
information that addresses a nominee’s
qualifications. Application packets for
Recreation RACs can be obtained from
the Forest Service Regional Offices
listed below or on the Web at
www.fs.fed.us/passespermits/rrac.
ADDRESSES:
Regional Contacts for Recreation
RACs:
1. Pacific Northwest Regional Office:
Shandra Terry, Regional Public
Involvement Coordinator, Public
Affairs, 333 SW. 1st Ave., Portland, OR
97208, (503) 808–2242.
2. Pacific Southwest Regional Office:
Frances Enkoji, Recreation RAC
Coordinator, 1323 Club Drive, Vallejo,
CA 94592, (707) 562–8846.
3. Rocky Mountain Regional Office:
Pam DeVore, Recreation RAC
Coordinator, Recreation, Heritage, and
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 184 / Friday, September 22, 2006 / Notices
Wilderness, 740 Simms Street, Golden,
CO 80401, (303) 275–5043.
4. Eastern Regional Office: Marcia
Heymen, Recreation RAC Coordinator,
626 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI
53202, (414) 297–3662.
5. Southern Regional Office: Caroline
Mitchell, Planning and Recreation,
Forest Service, 100 Reserve Street, Hot
Springs, AR 71901, (501) 321–5318.
Julie
Cox, National Recreation RAC
Coordinator, 333 SW. 1st Avenue,
Portland, OR 97208, (503) 808–2984.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The REA directs the Secretary of
Agriculture, the Secretary of the
Interior, or both to establish Recreation
RACs in each State or region for Federal
recreation lands and waters managed by
the Forest Service or the BLM. These
committees will make recommendations
regarding the recreation fee program
implementing or eliminating standard
amenity fees; expanded amenity fees;
and noncommercial, individual special
recreation permit fees; expanding or
limiting the recreation fee program; and
fee-level changes.
The REA grants flexibility in the
establishment of Recreation RACs by
stating that the Secretaries:
1. May have as many additional
Recreation RACs in a State or region as
the Secretaries consider necessary;
2. Shall not establish a Recreation
RAC in a State if the Secretaries
determine, in consultation with the
Governor of the State, that sufficient
interest does not exist to ensure that
participation on the committee is
balanced in terms of the points of view
represented and the functions to be
performed; or
3. May use a resource advisory
committee established pursuant to
another provision of law and in
accordance with that law.
To help determine the appropriate
configuration of Recreation RACs, the
Forest Service and BLM held 11
listening sessions in Idaho; Oregon;
California; Colorado; Arizona; Nevada;
Georgia; and Washington, DC; in June
and July of 2005. Attendees included
key partners, organizations with an
interest in recreation management on
Federal lands, and existing BLM and
Forest Service advisory council
members.
After the public meetings,
conversations with congressional staff,
internal Agency analysis, and legal
55417
review, the Forest Service and BLM
developed the following advisory
organization that has been approved by
both the Departments of Agriculture and
the Interior:
1. Establishment of five new
Recreation RACs for the Forest Service’s
Pacific Northwest, Pacific Southwest,
Eastern, and Southern Regions, and the
State of Colorado.
2. Use of existing BLM Resource
Advisory Councils (RACs) where
appropriate;
3. Use of the existing Forest Service
Black Hills National Forest Advisory
Board; and
4. Does not establish Recreation RACs
where the Secretaries, in consultation
with the Governor of each State, have
determined that sufficient interest does
not exist as allowed in REA.
The Secretaries have signed an
Interagency Agreement that authorizes
the Forest Service to using existing BLM
RACs and the BLM to use Forest
Service-established Recreation RACs for
the purposes stated in REA.
Advisory Committee Organization
The organizational structure agreed to
by the Secretaries is listed below by
State for the Forest Service (FS) and the
BLM:
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State
BLM RAC(s)
FS recreation RAC
Existing FS advisory board
Alabama ............
Alaska ...............
Arizona ..............
Arkansas ...........
California ...........
Colorado ............
Connecticut .......
Delaware ...........
Florida ...............
Georgia .............
Idaho .................
Illinois ................
Indiana ..............
Iowa ...................
Kansas ..............
Kentucky ...........
Louisiana ...........
Maine ................
Maryland ...........
Massachusetts ..
Michigan ............
Minnesota ..........
Mississippi .........
Missouri .............
Montana ............
Nebraska ...........
Nevada ..............
New Hampshire
New Jersey .......
New Mexico ......
New York ..........
North Carolina ...
North Dakota .....
...........................
Southern Region—FS.
....................................................................................................
...........................
Governor’s request.
...........................
Governor’s request.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
BLM and FS.
...........................
...........................
...........................
...........................
...........................
...........................
...........................
BLM and FS.
...........................
...........................
...........................
...........................
...........................
...........................
...........................
...........................
...........................
...........................
...........................
...........................
...........................
BLM and FS.
...........................
BLM and FS.
...........................
...........................
BLM and FS.
...........................
...........................
BLM and FS will
use the Dakotas BLM RAC..
20:37 Sep 21, 2006
No recreation RAC
Southern Region—FS.
Pacific Southwest Region—BLM and FS.
Colorado—FS.
No FS or BLM lands.
No FS or BLM lands.
Southern Region—FS.
Southern Region—FS.
Eastern Region—FS.
Eastern Region—FS.
No FS or BLM lands.
Colorado—FS.
Southern Region—FS.
Southern Region—FS.
Eastern Region—FS.
No FS or BLM lands.
No FS or BLM lands.
Eastern Region—FS.
Eastern Region—FS.
Southern Region—FS.
Eastern Region—FS.
....................................................................................................
Jkt 208001
Eastern Region—FS.
No FS or BLM lands.
Eastern Region—FS.
Southern Region—FS.
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 184 / Friday, September 22, 2006 / Notices
State
BLM RAC(s)
Ohio ...................
Oklahoma ..........
...........................
Black Kettle and
Rita Blanca
National
Grasslands
will use a New
Mexico BLM
RAC.
...........................
...........................
...........................
...........................
...........................
BLM and Dakota
Prairie National Grassland will use
the Dakotas
BLM RAC.
...........................
Black Kettle,
Rita Blanca,
and McClellen
Creek National
Grasslands
will use a New
Mexico BLM
RAC.
...........................
...........................
BLM and FS.
...........................
...........................
...........................
...........................
Oregon ..............
Pennsylvania .....
Puerto Rico .......
Rhode Island .....
South Carolina ..
South Dakota ....
Tennessee ........
Texas ................
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Vermont .............
Virginia ..............
Utah ...................
Washington .......
West Virginia .....
Wisconsin ..........
Wyoming ...........
20:37 Sep 21, 2006
No recreation RAC
Eastern Region—FS.
Southern Region—FS Ouachita National Forest will use the
Southern Region Recreation RAC.
Pacific Northwest Region—BLM and FS.
Eastern Region—FS.
Southern Region—FS.
Eastern Region—FS.
Southern Region—FS.
....................................................................................................
Black Hills National Forest
will use its Advisory Board.
Southern Region—FS.
Southern Region—FS National Forests of Texas will use the
Southern Region Recreation RAC.
Eastern Region—FS.
Southern Region—BLM and FS.
Pacific Northwest Region—BLM and FS.
Eastern Region—FS.
Eastern Region—FS.
....................................................................................................
Nomination and Application
Information for Recreation RACs
Each Forest Service Recreation RAC
shall consist of 11 members appointed
by the Secretary of Agriculture. These
members shall provide a broad and
balanced representation from the
recreation community as follows:
1. Five persons who represent
recreation users and that include, as
appropriate, the following:
a. Winter motorized recreation, such
as snowmobiling;
b. Winter nonmotorized recreation,
such as snowshoeing, cross-country and
downhill skiing, and snowboarding;
c. Summer motorized recreation, such
as motorcycles, boaters, and off-highway
vehicles;
d. Summer nonmotorized recreation,
such as backpacking, horseback riding,
mountain biking, canoeing, and rafting;
and
e. Hunting and fishing.
2. Three persons who represent
interest groups that include, as
appropriate, the following:
a. Motorized outfitters and guides;
b. Nonmotorized outfitters and
guides; and
c. Local environmental groups.
3. Three persons, as follows:
VerDate Aug<31>2005
Existing FS advisory board
FS recreation RAC
Jkt 208001
a. A State tourism official to represent
the State;
b. A person who represents affected
Indian tribes; and
c. A person who represents affected
local government interests.
Any individual or organization may
nominate one or more qualified persons
to represent the interests listed above to
serve on the Recreation RAC. To be
considered for membership, nominees
must—
1. Identify what interest group they
would represent and how they are
qualified to represent that group;
2. State why they want to serve on the
committee and what they can
contribute;
3. Show their past experience in
working successfully as part of a
collaborative group; and
4. Complete Form AD–755, Advisory
Committee or Research and Promotion
Background Information.
Letters of recommendation are
welcome. Individuals may also
nominate themselves. Nominees do not
need to live in a State within a
particular Recreation RAC area of
jurisdiction nor live in a State in which
Forest Service-managed lands are
located.
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...........................
Governor’s request.
Application packets, including
evaluation criteria and the AD–755
form, are available at https://
www.fs.fed.us/passespermits/rrac or by
contacting the respective regions
identified in this notice. Nominees must
submit all documents to the appropriate
regional contact. Additional information
about recreation fees and REA is
available at https://www.fs.fed.us/
passespermits/about-rec-fees.shtml.
The Agency will also work with
Governors and county officials to
identify potential nominees.
The Agency will review the
applications and prepare a list of
qualified applicants from which the
Secretary of Agriculture shall appoint
both committee members and alternates.
An alternate will become a participating
member of the Recreation RACs only if
the member for whom the alternate is
appointed to replace leaves the
committee permanently.
Recreation RAC members serve
without pay but are reimbursed for
travel and per diem expenses for
regularly scheduled committee
meetings. All Recreation RAC meetings
are open to the public and an open
public forum is part of each meeting.
Meeting dates and times will be
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 184 / Friday, September 22, 2006 / Notices
NM 88345; (2) telephone—(406) 752–
6400; or (3) e-mail—pklug@fs.fed.us. If
you choose to comment by e-mail,
please include your name and regular
mailing address with the scoping
comment.
determined by Agency officials in
consultation with the Recreation RAC
members, when the committee is
formed.
Dated: August 31, 2006.
Boyd K. Rutherford,
Assistant Secretary for Administration.
[FR Doc. 06–8096 Filed 9–19–06; 3:07 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–U
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Lincoln National Forest; New Mexico;
Perk-Grindstone III Hazardous Fuel
Reduction Project
Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Smokey Bear Ranger
District of the Lincoln National Forest
intends to prepare an environmental
impact statement to address the PerkGrindstone III Hazardous Fuel
Reduction Project on National Forest
System lands in Lincoln County, New
Mexico. The proposed project is located
adjacent to or in the immediate vicinity
of the Village of Ruidoso. The project
area is bounded on the west and south
by the Mescalero Apache Indian
Reservation.
The Village of Ruidoso is listed as a
community at high risk from wildfire, as
defined by the National Fire Plan of
2000 (NFP). The proposed project
addresses this problem through
hazardous fuel reduction and related
forest health objectives, as directed by
the NFP and as governed by all
applicable laws and public policies. The
project has been developed through
local collaborative processes, continual
public participation, and
interdisciplinary design. It would
involve up to approximately 4,730 acres
of forest management treatments and
integrated conservation measures within
a gross project area of approximately
5,920 acres.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis are requested within 14
days following the publication of this
notice in the Federal Register. The draft
EIS is expected to be available for public
review in February 2007 and the final
EIS is expected to be published in May
2007.
ADDRESSES: Send written, oral, or e-mail
scoping comments to the project leader
by: (1) mail—Perk-Grindstone III
Hazardous Fuel Reduction Project, Attn:
Paul Klug—Project Leader, c/o USDA
Forest Service—Smokey Bear Ranger
District, 901 Mechem Drive, Ruidoso,
VerDate Aug<31>2005
20:37 Sep 21, 2006
Jkt 208001
Paul
Klug, Forester, TEAMS Planning
Enterprise, USDA Forest Service, (406)
752–6400. 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 8 p.m., Eastern
Standard Time, Monday through Friday.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
This proposal is being prepared to
meet the intent of the Healthy Forests
Restoration Act of 2003 for authorized
hazardous fuel reduction projects. The
purpose of the Perk-Grindstone III
Hazardous Fuel Reduction Project is to
moderate potential wildfire intensity on
National Forest System lands
surrounding the Village of Ruidoso,
New Mexico, an area that local
cooperative planning has identified and
prioritized for treatment: The project
area is immediately adjacent to the
community, which is listed as being at
high risk from wildfire as defined by the
National Fire Plan of 2000. The
surrounding area is a topographically
complex, densely forested landscape
with current and future potential for
high intensity wildfire. Although
portions of the area received fuel
reduction treatments between 1994 and
2004, a high-intensity wildfire in
untreated areas could exceed the
capability of ground-based crews and
equipment to use direct-attack
firefighting methods, and could put at
risk the lives of community residents
and firefighters, private property, public
facilities, and natural-resource values of
the area targeted for conservation by the
Forest Plan—including recreation,
scenery, and wildlife habitat.
To serve the purpose of moderating
potential wildfire intensity in this area
and thereby reduce the risk of severe
impacts from wildfire, particular forest
management needs are indicated, to
change current conditions toward
desired conditions. These needs are as
follows:
• Reduce the tonnage and continuity
of woody debris on the forest floor that
provides the basic fuel for wildfires.
• Reduce the density of lower- and
mid-level trees that can help wildfires
climb and torch the crowns of upperlevel trees.
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55419
• In selected stands, reduce the
density and continuity of upper-level
trees that can help sustain a crown fire.
• Interrupt forest insect and disease
trends that are currently killing large
trees and adding to the fuel hazard.
• Create forest conditions that would
allow the health and vigor of surviving
large trees to improve and become more
fire-resilient.
• Implement standards of resource
management and environmental
protection applicable to the area.
Proposed Action
Proposed forest management work
includes noncommercial thinning,
commercial thinning involving removal
of logs and slash by ground-based
skidding or helicopter, ground-based
machine work and hand work to pile
thinning slash, and slash-pile burning or
broadcast burning to dispose of or
reduce woody fuels. On existing roads
used to support these treatments,
maintenance work including forestry
best management practices would be
performed. No new permanent roads are
proposed; however, new temporary
roads would be developed to facilitate
proper ground-based skidding and
access log-landing areas, especially sites
used to receive logs by helicopter. Upon
completion of logging and other
mechanized treatments, temporary
roads would be rehabilitated and closed.
The proposed forest management
treatments and roadwork integrate
various detailed design-features to
conserve cultural or historical sites, air
quality, soil, water quality, wildlife,
native plants and trees, scenery, and
recreation.
To achieve desired conditions for the
area, the proposed action involves some
removal of commercial-size trees from
areas of protected habitat of the Mexican
spotted owl, a threatened species. Under
the current forest plan as amended,
these treatments to reduce fuels near
urban areas are anticipated; nonetheless,
they are a departure from the forestwide
standards and guidelines adopted to
implement the recovery plan for this
species. Therefore, to ensure project
consistency with the forest plan, the
plan would be amended at the same
time as and in conjunction with the
approval of an action alternative, should
one be selected, that involves similar
departure from current standards and
guidelines to conserve the Mexican
spotted owl. The plan amendment
would be limited to apply only to the
Perk-Grindstone III hazardous fuel
reduction project area and its approved
activities (36 CFR 219.8(e)).
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 184 (Friday, September 22, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55416-55419]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-8096]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Recreation Resource Advisory Committees
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to establish Recreation Resource Advisory
Committees and a call for nominations.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Secretary of Agriculture intends to establish five Forest
Service Recreation Resource Advisory Committees (Recreation RACs)
pursuant to Section 4 of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act
(REA) that was passed into law as part of the 2005 Consolidated
Appropriations Act (Pub. L. 108-447) on December 8, 2004. The
Recreation RACs will operate in the Pacific Northwest, Pacific
Southwest, Eastern, and Southern Regions and the State of Colorado and
will provide recommendations regarding recreation fees to both the
Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as appropriate.
The public is invited to submit nominations for membership on the
Recreation RACs.
DATES: All nominations should be received by the appropriate Regional
Office by October 23, 2006. If necessary, managers in each region may
continue accepting applications beyond this date to ensure broad and
balanced representation on the Recreation RAC. Nominations must contain
a completed application packet that includes background information and
other information that addresses a nominee's qualifications.
Application packets for Recreation RACs can be obtained from the Forest
Service Regional Offices listed below or on the Web at www.fs.fed.us/
passespermits/rrac.
ADDRESSES:
Regional Contacts for Recreation RACs:
1. Pacific Northwest Regional Office: Shandra Terry, Regional
Public Involvement Coordinator, Public Affairs, 333 SW. 1st Ave.,
Portland, OR 97208, (503) 808-2242.
2. Pacific Southwest Regional Office: Frances Enkoji, Recreation
RAC Coordinator, 1323 Club Drive, Vallejo, CA 94592, (707) 562-8846.
3. Rocky Mountain Regional Office: Pam DeVore, Recreation RAC
Coordinator, Recreation, Heritage, and
[[Page 55417]]
Wilderness, 740 Simms Street, Golden, CO 80401, (303) 275-5043.
4. Eastern Regional Office: Marcia Heymen, Recreation RAC
Coordinator, 626 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53202, (414) 297-
3662.
5. Southern Regional Office: Caroline Mitchell, Planning and
Recreation, Forest Service, 100 Reserve Street, Hot Springs, AR 71901,
(501) 321-5318.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Cox, National Recreation RAC
Coordinator, 333 SW. 1st Avenue, Portland, OR 97208, (503) 808-2984.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The REA directs the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of the
Interior, or both to establish Recreation RACs in each State or region
for Federal recreation lands and waters managed by the Forest Service
or the BLM. These committees will make recommendations regarding the
recreation fee program implementing or eliminating standard amenity
fees; expanded amenity fees; and noncommercial, individual special
recreation permit fees; expanding or limiting the recreation fee
program; and fee-level changes.
The REA grants flexibility in the establishment of Recreation RACs
by stating that the Secretaries:
1. May have as many additional Recreation RACs in a State or region
as the Secretaries consider necessary;
2. Shall not establish a Recreation RAC in a State if the
Secretaries determine, in consultation with the Governor of the State,
that sufficient interest does not exist to ensure that participation on
the committee is balanced in terms of the points of view represented
and the functions to be performed; or
3. May use a resource advisory committee established pursuant to
another provision of law and in accordance with that law.
To help determine the appropriate configuration of Recreation RACs,
the Forest Service and BLM held 11 listening sessions in Idaho; Oregon;
California; Colorado; Arizona; Nevada; Georgia; and Washington, DC; in
June and July of 2005. Attendees included key partners, organizations
with an interest in recreation management on Federal lands, and
existing BLM and Forest Service advisory council members.
After the public meetings, conversations with congressional staff,
internal Agency analysis, and legal review, the Forest Service and BLM
developed the following advisory organization that has been approved by
both the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior:
1. Establishment of five new Recreation RACs for the Forest
Service's Pacific Northwest, Pacific Southwest, Eastern, and Southern
Regions, and the State of Colorado.
2. Use of existing BLM Resource Advisory Councils (RACs) where
appropriate;
3. Use of the existing Forest Service Black Hills National Forest
Advisory Board; and
4. Does not establish Recreation RACs where the Secretaries, in
consultation with the Governor of each State, have determined that
sufficient interest does not exist as allowed in REA.
The Secretaries have signed an Interagency Agreement that
authorizes the Forest Service to using existing BLM RACs and the BLM to
use Forest Service-established Recreation RACs for the purposes stated
in REA.
Advisory Committee Organization
The organizational structure agreed to by the Secretaries is listed
below by State for the Forest Service (FS) and the BLM:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Existing FS
State BLM RAC(s) FS recreation RAC advisory board No recreation RAC
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama...................... ................ Southern Region--FS. ...........................
Alaska....................... ........................................................ ................ Governor's request.
Arizona...................... BLM and FS. ...........................
Arkansas..................... ................ Southern Region--FS. ...........................
California................... ................ Pacific Southwest Region--BLM and FS. ...........................
Colorado..................... ................ Colorado--FS. ...........................
Connecticut.................. ................ No FS or BLM lands. ...........................
Delaware..................... ................ No FS or BLM lands. ...........................
Florida...................... ................ Southern Region--FS. ...........................
Georgia...................... ................ Southern Region--FS. ...........................
Idaho........................ BLM and FS. ...........................
Illinois..................... ................ Eastern Region--FS. ...........................
Indiana...................... ................ Eastern Region--FS. ...........................
Iowa......................... ................ No FS or BLM lands. ...........................
Kansas....................... ................ Colorado--FS. ...........................
Kentucky..................... ................ Southern Region--FS. ...........................
Louisiana.................... ................ Southern Region--FS. ...........................
Maine........................ ................ Eastern Region--FS. ...........................
Maryland..................... ................ No FS or BLM lands. ...........................
Massachusetts................ ................ No FS or BLM lands. ...........................
Michigan..................... ................ Eastern Region--FS. ...........................
Minnesota.................... ................ Eastern Region--FS. ...........................
Mississippi.................. ................ Southern Region--FS. ...........................
Missouri..................... ................ Eastern Region--FS. ...........................
Montana...................... BLM and FS. ...........................
Nebraska..................... ................ ........................................................ ................ Governor's request.
Nevada....................... BLM and FS. ...........................
New Hampshire................ ................ Eastern Region--FS. ...........................
New Jersey................... ................ No FS or BLM lands. ...........................
New Mexico................... BLM and FS. ...........................
New York..................... ................ Eastern Region--FS. ...........................
North Carolina............... ................ Southern Region--FS. ...........................
North Dakota................. BLM and FS will ...........................
use the Dakotas
BLM RAC..
[[Page 55418]]
Ohio......................... ................ Eastern Region--FS. ...........................
Oklahoma..................... Black Kettle and Southern Region--FS Ouachita National Forest will use ...........................
Rita Blanca the Southern Region Recreation RAC.
National
Grasslands will
use a New
Mexico BLM RAC.
Oregon....................... ................ Pacific Northwest Region--BLM and FS. ...........................
Pennsylvania................. ................ Eastern Region--FS. ...........................
Puerto Rico.................. ................ Southern Region--FS. ...........................
Rhode Island................. ................ Eastern Region--FS. ...........................
South Carolina............... ................ Southern Region--FS. ...........................
South Dakota................. BLM and Dakota ........................................................ Black Hills ...........................
Prairie National Forest
National will use its
Grassland will Advisory Board.
use the Dakotas
BLM RAC.
Tennessee.................... ................ Southern Region--FS.
Texas........................ Black Kettle, Southern Region--FS National Forests of Texas will use
Rita Blanca, the Southern Region Recreation RAC.
and McClellen
Creek National
Grasslands will
use a New
Mexico BLM RAC.
Vermont...................... ................ Eastern Region--FS.
Virginia..................... ................ Southern Region--BLM and FS. ...........................
Utah......................... BLM and FS. ...........................
Washington................... ................ Pacific Northwest Region--BLM and FS. ...........................
West Virginia................ ................ Eastern Region--FS. ...........................
Wisconsin.................... ................ Eastern Region--FS. ...........................
Wyoming...................... ................ ........................................................ ................ Governor's request.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nomination and Application Information for Recreation RACs
Each Forest Service Recreation RAC shall consist of 11 members
appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. These members shall provide
a broad and balanced representation from the recreation community as
follows:
1. Five persons who represent recreation users and that include, as
appropriate, the following:
a. Winter motorized recreation, such as snowmobiling;
b. Winter nonmotorized recreation, such as snowshoeing, cross-
country and downhill skiing, and snowboarding;
c. Summer motorized recreation, such as motorcycles, boaters, and
off-highway vehicles;
d. Summer nonmotorized recreation, such as backpacking, horseback
riding, mountain biking, canoeing, and rafting; and
e. Hunting and fishing.
2. Three persons who represent interest groups that include, as
appropriate, the following:
a. Motorized outfitters and guides;
b. Nonmotorized outfitters and guides; and
c. Local environmental groups.
3. Three persons, as follows:
a. A State tourism official to represent the State;
b. A person who represents affected Indian tribes; and
c. A person who represents affected local government interests.
Any individual or organization may nominate one or more qualified
persons to represent the interests listed above to serve on the
Recreation RAC. To be considered for membership, nominees must--
1. Identify what interest group they would represent and how they
are qualified to represent that group;
2. State why they want to serve on the committee and what they can
contribute;
3. Show their past experience in working successfully as part of a
collaborative group; and
4. Complete Form AD-755, Advisory Committee or Research and
Promotion Background Information.
Letters of recommendation are welcome. Individuals may also
nominate themselves. Nominees do not need to live in a State within a
particular Recreation RAC area of jurisdiction nor live in a State in
which Forest Service-managed lands are located.
Application packets, including evaluation criteria and the AD-755
form, are available at https://www.fs.fed.us/passespermits/rrac or by
contacting the respective regions identified in this notice. Nominees
must submit all documents to the appropriate regional contact.
Additional information about recreation fees and REA is available at
https://www.fs.fed.us/passespermits/about-rec-fees.shtml.
The Agency will also work with Governors and county officials to
identify potential nominees.
The Agency will review the applications and prepare a list of
qualified applicants from which the Secretary of Agriculture shall
appoint both committee members and alternates. An alternate will become
a participating member of the Recreation RACs only if the member for
whom the alternate is appointed to replace leaves the committee
permanently.
Recreation RAC members serve without pay but are reimbursed for
travel and per diem expenses for regularly scheduled committee
meetings. All Recreation RAC meetings are open to the public and an
open public forum is part of each meeting. Meeting dates and times will
be
[[Page 55419]]
determined by Agency officials in consultation with the Recreation RAC
members, when the committee is formed.
Dated: August 31, 2006.
Boyd K. Rutherford,
Assistant Secretary for Administration.
[FR Doc. 06-8096 Filed 9-19-06; 3:07 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-U
