Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Advisory Committee, 10204-10205 [2010-4686]

Agencies

• Office of the Secretary
• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 43 (Friday, March 5, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10204-10205]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-4686]


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Notices
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 43 / Friday, March 5, 2010 / 
Notices

[[Page 10204]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary


Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to establish the Collaborative Forest 
Landscape Restoration Advisory Committee and call for nominations.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Agriculture intends to establish the 
Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Advisory Committee 
(Committee) pursuant to Title IV, Section 4003(e) of Omnibus Public 
Land Management Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-11) passed into law on March 
30, 2009. The Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Advisory 
Committee is being established to evaluate, and provide recommendations 
on each project proposal that has been submitted under Section 
4003(c)(2) of this act. As required by the Federal Advisory Committee 
Act, charters for Federal advisory committees must be renewed every 2 
years. The Committee is soliciting nominations to fill no more than 15 
vacancies with terms up to 2 years. The public is invited to submit 
nominations for membership on the Collaborative Forest Landscape 
Restoration Advisory Committee.

DATES: All nominations must be received in writing by March 22, 2010. 
Nominations must contain a completed application packet that includes 
the nominee's name, resume, and completed form AD-755 (Advisory 
Committee Membership Background Information). The package must be sent 
to the address below.

ADDRESSES: Send nominations and applications to William Timko, USDA 
Forest Service; Forest Management, Room 3NW; 201 14th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20024 by express mail or overnight courier service. If 
sent via the U.S. Postal Service, they must be sent to the following 
address: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest 
Management, National Forest System, Mail Stop 1103, 1400 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-1123.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Peterson, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, National Forest System, Forest Management; telephone 202-
205-0893, fax 202-205-1045, e-mail: tpeterson01@fs.fed.us, or contact 
William Timko, U.S. Department of Agriculture; National Forest System, 
Forest Management, telephone 202-205-0893, fax 202-205-1045, e-mail: 
btimko@fs.fed.us. 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. II), 
notice is hereby given that the Secretary of Agriculture intends to 
establish the charter of the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 
Advisory Committee (Committee). The purpose of the Committee is to 
evaluate, and provide recommendations on, the selection of 
collaborative forest landscape restoration proposals to the Secretary 
of Agriculture for approval as provided in Title IV, Section 4003(e) of 
the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-11).
    The purpose of this title is to encourage the collaborative, 
science-based ecosystem restoration of priority forest landscapes 
through a process that:
    1. Encourages ecological, economic, and social sustainability;
    2. Leverages local resources with national and private resources;
    3. Facilitates the reduction of wildfire management costs, 
including through reestablishing natural fire regimes and reducing the 
risk of uncharacteristic wildfire; and
    4. Demonstrates the degree to which:
    a. Various ecological restoration techniques;
    (1) Achieve ecological and watershed health objectives; and
    (2) Affect wildfire activity and management costs; and
    b. The use of forest restoration byproducts can offset treatment 
costs while benefiting local rural economies and improving forest 
health.
    The Committee is being established in accordance with Section 
4003(e) of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-
11). The Secretary has determined that the work of the Committee is in 
the public interest and relevant to the duties of the U.S. Department 
of Agriculture.
    The Committee will meet on an annual basis or as needed; determined 
by the Committee, and its primary duties will include:
    1. Evaluating Collaborative Forest landscape Restoration project 
proposals with special consideration given to:
    a. The strength of the proposal and strategy;
    b. The strength of the ecological case of the proposal and the 
proposed ecological restoration strategies;
    c. The strength of the collaborative process and the likelihood of 
successful collaboration throughout implementation;
    d. Whether the proposal is likely to achieve reductions in long-
term wildfire management costs:
    e. Whether the proposal would reduce the relative costs of carrying 
out ecological restoration treatments as a result of the use of woody 
biomass and small-diameter trees; and
    f. Whether an appropriate level of non-Federal investment would be 
leveraged in carrying out the proposal.
    2. Provide recommendations on each proposal to the Secretary of 
Agriculture through the Chief of the Forest Service.

Advisory Committee Organization

    The Committee shall be comprised of no more than 15 members and 
fairly balanced in terms of the points of view represented. The 
Committee shall include experts in:
    1. Ecological Restoration,
    2. Fire Ecology,
    3. Fire Management,
    4. Rural Economic Development,
    5. Strategies for Ecological Adaptation to Climate Change,
    6. Fish and Wildlife Ecology, and
    7. Woody Biomass and Small-Diameter Tree Utilization.

Term and Vacancies

    Committee members will be appointed by the Secretary to 2-year 
terms. Vacancies will be filled in the manner in which the original 
appointment was made.

[[Page 10205]]

Nomination and Application Information for the Forest Resource 
Coordinating Committee

    The appointment of members to the Committee will be made by the 
Secretary of Agriculture. Any individual or organization may nominate 
one or more qualified persons to represent the vacancies listed above 
to serve on the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Advisory 
Committee. To be considered for membership, nominees must:
    1. Identify what expertise they would represent and how they are 
qualified to represent that skill;
    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 
coordinating group; and
    4. Complete form AD-755, Advisory Committee Membership Background 
Information.
    Letters of recommendation are welcome. Individuals may also 
nominate themselves. Form AD-755 may be obtained from Forest Service 
contact persons or from the following Web site: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/ad755.pdf. All nominations will be 
vetted by the Agency. The Secretary of Agriculture shall appoint 
committee members to the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 
Advisory Committee from the list of qualified applicants. Applicants 
are strongly encouraged to submit nominations via overnight mail or 
delivery to ensure timely receipt by the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture.
    Non-Federal members of the Committee shall serve without pay as 
special government employees (SGEs), but will be reimbursed for 
reasonable costs incurred while performing duties on behalf of the 
Committee. SGEs will be subject to appropriate conflict of interest 
statutes and standards of ethical conduct. All SGE nominees who are 
selected must complete the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) 450 
Confidential Financial Disclosure Report before rendering any advice or 
prior to their first meeting. All members will be reviewed for conflict 
of interest pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 208 in relation to specific Committee 
work charges. Financial disclosure updates will be required annually. 
Members must report any changes in financial holdings requiring 
additional disclosure. OGE 450 forms are available on-line at: https://www.usoge.gov/forms/form_450.aspx.
    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 has 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 
minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and senior citizens.

    Dated: February 24, 2010.
Pearlie S. Reed,
Assistant Secretary of Administration.
[FR Doc. 2010-4686 Filed 3-4-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P