[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 246 (Monday, December 22, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78288-78289]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-30353]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Forest Resource Coordinating Committee

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Agriculture intends to establish the Forest 
Resource Coordinating Committee (Committee) pursuant to Section 8005 of 
the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-246) passed 
into law as an amendment to the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 
1978 on June 18, 2008. The Forest Resource Coordinating Committee is 
being established to coordinate non-industrial private forestry 
activities within the Department of Agriculture and with the private 
sector. As required by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, charters for 
Federal advisory committees must be renewed every two years. The 
Committee is soliciting nominations to fill eight vacancies with 
staggered terms up to three years. The public is invited to submit 
nominations for membership on the Forest Resource Coordinating 
Committee.

DATES: All nominations must be received in writing by January 6, 2009. 
Nominations must contain a completed application packet that includes 
the nominee's name, resume, and completed form AD-755 (Advisory 
Committee Membership Background Information).

ADDRESSES: Send application to James Melonas, Forest Service, USDA, 
Cooperative Forestry, Room 4SE, 201 14th Street, SW., 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: U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Cooperative Forestry, State 
& Private Forestry, Mail Stop 1123, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-1123.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ted Beauvais, Cooperative Forestry, 
State and Private Forestry, telephone (202) 205-1190, fax (202) 205-
1271, e-mail: [email protected], or James Melonas, Cooperative 
Forestry, State and Private Forestry, telephone (202) 205-1382, fax 
(202) 205-1271, e-mail: [email protected].
    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 Forest Resource Coordinating Committee 
(Committee). The purpose of the Committee is to provide direction and 
coordination of actions within the Department of Agriculture, and 
coordination with 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 Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 
2008 (Pub. L. 110-246):
    1. Conserving and managing working forest landscapes for multiple 
values and uses;
    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 is being established in accordance with Section 8005 
of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-246). 
The Secretary has determined that the work of the Committee is in the 
public interest and relevant to the duties of the Department of 
Agriculture.
    The Committee will meet on an annual basis and its primary duties 
will include:
    1. Provide direction and coordination of actions within the 
Department of Agriculture, and coordination with State agencies and 
private sector, to effectively address the national priorities, with 
specific focus on non-industrial private forest land;
    2. Clarify individual responsibilities of each agency represented 
on the Committee concerning the national priorities with specific focus 
on non-industrial private forest land;
    3. Provide 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 Food, Conservation, 
and Energy Act of 2008 (Pub L. 110-246)); and
    4. Assist the Secretary in developing and reviewing the report to 
Congress required by Section 8001(d) of the Food, Conservation, and 
Energy Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-246).

Advisory Committee Organization

    The Committee structure agreed to by the Secretary follows:
    (a) Chief of the Forest Service;
    (b) Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service;
    (c) Administrator 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) A representative from the Department of Interior; and
    (h) A representative from the Department of Defense.

Vacancies

    Representatives below will be appointed by the Secretary to 3-year 
terms, although initial appointments shall have staggered terms. 
Vacancies will be filled in the manner in which the original 
appointment was made. The representatives are as follows:
    (a) An owner of non-industrial private forest land;
    (b) A forest industry representative;
    (c) A conservation organization representative;
    (d) A land-grant university or college representative;
    (e) A private forestry consultant;
    (f) A representative from a State Technical Committee;
    (g) A representative of an Indian Tribe; and
    (h) A representative from a Conservation District.
    The Committee Chair will be the Chief of the Forest Service, in

[[Page 78289]]

accordance with Section 8005 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act 
of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-246).

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 Forest Resource Coordinating Committee. To be 
considered for membership, nominees must:
    1. Identify what vacancy they would represent and how they are 
qualified to represent that vacancy;
    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: http://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 Forest Resource Coordinating Committee from 
list of qualified applicants. Applicants are strongly encouraged to 
submit nominations via overnight mail or delivery to ensure timely 
receipt by the USDA.
    Non-Federal members of the Committee shall serve without pay, but 
will be reimbursed for reasonable costs incurred while performing 
duties on behalf of the Committee.
    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: December 15, 2008.
Boyd K Rutherford,
Assistant Secretary for Administration.
 [FR Doc. E8-30353 Filed 12-19-08; 8:45 am]
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