Forest Service Seeks Applicants For Advisory Committee

The U.S. Forest Service is seeking applicants to serve on a committee to assist in the implementation of the new Land Management Planning Rule for use of the national forests.   According to the web page announcing the creation of this committee, its members "will provide advice and recommendations on issues such as planning rule directives for implementation, best practices, effective monitoring practices and ongoing collaboration efforts."

The announcement further states:

The committee will be comprised of up to 21 members with diverse backgrounds, who represent the full range of public interests in management of the National Forest System lands and who represent geographically diverse locations and communities, within each of the following three categories of interests:

Significant for the small-scale mining community is the inclusion in category 3 of "energy and mineral development."  (Emphasis added.)

The small-scale mining and prospecting community could benefit from having a member on this committee not only from that member's efforts on behalf of miners but also from information provided by that member to the community as to what plans are under consideration that could impact mining activities in the national forests.  A sort of early-warning system, if you will, that could give the rest of us the opportunity to mobilize in support of our rights on forest service administered lands.

Persons interested in applying for the committee should take note of the following information, also from the announcement web page linked above:


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 form AD–755 may be obtained here (pdf version), or here (Microsoft Word version), or from the Forest Service contact person.
The 45-day nomination period closes Feb. 21, 2012.
Completed applications sent through express mail should be sent to:
Jessica Call*
USDA Forest Service
National Forest System
Mail Stop 1106
201 14th Street SW.
Washington, DC 20024
Completed applications sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be
sent to:
Jessica Call*
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
National Forest System
Mail Stop 1106
1400 Independence Avenue SW.
Washington, DC 20250–1106
 
*Note that the Federal Register notice said that applications should be addressed to Angela Gee.  Any applications addressed to Ms. Gee will be received with no problems, but since Ms. Gee is no longer working on the Planning Rule FACA Committee, the current contact is Jessica Call.  Applications addressed to Ms. Gee will automatically be forwarded to Ms. Call, so either contact name works.

 Other facts to note are:

The 45-day nomination period closes Feb. 21, 2012. Additional details on the committee are available in the Federal Register, or by calling 202-205-0830.

 See the web page linked at the beginning of this post for more information.