Recreation Resource Advisory Committees, 4120 [2013-01018]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Office of the Secretary

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 13 (Friday, January 18, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 4120]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01018]


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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 13 / Friday, January 18, 2013 / 
Notices

[[Page 4120]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary


Recreation Resource Advisory Committees

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to re-establish the Recreation Resource 
Advisory Committees.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Agriculture intends to re-establish the 
charter for five Forest Service Recreation Resource Advisory Committees 
(Recreation RACs) pursuant to Section 4 of the Federal Lands Recreation 
Enhancement Act, which passed into law as part of the 2005 Consolidated 
Appropriations Act (Pub. L. 108-447) on December 8, 2004. The 
Recreation RACs operate in the Pacific Northwest, Pacific Southwest, 
Eastern, Southern Regions of the Forest Service and the State of 
Colorado. The purpose is to provide advice and recommendations on 
recreation fees to both the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM) as appropriate.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Cox, National Recreation RAC 
Coordinator, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, 333 SW 1st 
Avenue, Portland, OR 97208, (503) 808-2984.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (REA), signed in 
December 2004, directs the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of 
the Interior, or both to establish Recreation RACs, or use existing 
advisory committees to perform the duties of Recreation RACs, in each 
State or region for Federal recreation lands and waters managed by the 
Forest Service or the BLM. These committees make recreation fee program 
recommendations on 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 to Recreation RACs by stating that the 
Secretaries:
     May have as many additional Recreation RACs in a State or 
region as the Secretaries consider necessary;
     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
     May use a resource advisory committee established pursuant 
to another provision of law and in accordance with that law.
The Forest Service and BLM elected to jointly use existing BLM RACs in 
the states of Arizona, Idaho, the Dakotas, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, 
and Utah. The Forest Service also chartered new Recreation RACs for the 
Forest Service Pacific Northwest, Pacific Southwest, Eastern and 
Southern Regions and for the State of Colorado. The Forest Service is 
using an existing advisory board for the Black Hills National Forest in 
South Dakota. In addition, the Governors of three states--Alaska, 
Nebraska and Wyoming--requested that their states be exempt from the 
Recreation RAC requirement, and the Secretary concurred with the 
exemptions.

Membership

    Members were initially appointed to the Forest Service established 
Recreation RACs in February 2007 for the four regions, and July 2007 
for the one state. Each Recreation RAC consists of 11 members that are 
representative of the following interests:
    (1) Five persons who represent recreation users and that include, 
as appropriate, persons representing--
    (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 motorcycling, boating, and 
off-highway vehicle driving;
    (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--
    (a) Motorized outfitters and guides;
    (b) Nonmotorized outfitters and guides; and
    (c) Local environmental groups.
    (3) Three persons who are--
    (a) State tourism official representing the State;
    (b) A representative of affected Indian tribes; and
    (c) A representative of affected local government interests.
The Recreation RAC members elect and determine chair and co-chair 
responsibility. The Forest Service Regional Foresters or designee for 
each identified Recreation RAC shall serve as the designated Federal 
official under sections 10(e) and (f) of the Federal Advisory Committee 
Act (5 U.S.C. App. II).
    Equal opportunity practices in accordance with United States 
Department of Agriculture (USDA) policies shall be followed in all 
appointments to the committee. To help ensure that the recommendations 
of the committee have taken into account the needs of the diverse 
groups served by USDA, membership shall include to the extent possible, 
individuals with demonstrated ability to represent women, men, racial 
and ethnic groups, and persons with disabilities.

    Dated: January 8, 2013.
Gregory Parham,
Acting Assistant Secretary of Administration.
[FR Doc. 2013-01018 Filed 1-17-13; 8:45 am]
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