[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 14, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8214-8215]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-3342]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board

AGENCY: USDA Forest Service.

ACTION: Notice of intent to re-establish the Black Hills National 
Forest Advisory Board and call for nominations.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service intends to 
re-establish the Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board (Board). 
The purpose is to obtain advice and recommendations on a broad range of 
forest issues such as forest plan revisions or amendments, forest 
health including fire management and mountain pine beetle infestations, 
travel management, forest monitoring and evaluation, recreation fees, 
and site-specific projects having forest wide implications. The Forest 
Service is also seeking nominations for individuals to be considered as 
committee members. The public is invited to submit nominations for 
membership.

DATES: Written nominations must be received by March 15, 2012. 
Instructions for submitting a nomination package may be found in the 
section below entitled, ``Advisory Committee Organization''.

ADDRESSES: Send nominations and applications to Frances Reynolds, USDA 
Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, 720 Simms Street Golden, 
Colorado 80401.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Craig Bobzien, Forest Supervisor, 
USDA, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, telephone: 605-673-9201, 
fax: 605-673-9208, or email: [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 8:00 a.m. 
and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: USDA 16565-Black Hills National Forest 
Advisory Board is a non-scientific program advisory Board established 
by the Secretary of Agriculture in 2003 to provide advice and counsel 
to the U. S. Forest Service, Black Hills National Forest, in the wake 
of increasingly severe and intense wild fires and mountain pine beetle 
epidemics.
    The purpose of the Board is to provide advice and recommendations 
on a broad range of forest issues such as forest plan revisions or 
amendments, travel management, forest monitoring and evaluation, and 
site-specific projects having forest-wide implications. The Board also 
serves to meet the needs of the Recreation Enhancement Act of 2005 as a 
recreation resource advisory board (RRAC) for the Black Hills of South 
Dakota. The Board provides timely advice and recommendations to the 
Secretary through the forest supervisor regarding programmatic forest 
issues and project-level issues that have forest-wide implications for 
the Black Hills National Forest.
    The Board meets approximately ten times a year, with one month 
being a field trip, held in August and focusing on both current issues 
and the educational value of seeing management strategies and outcomes 
on the ground. This Board has been established as a truly credible 
entity and a trusted voice on forest management issues and is doing 
often astonishing work in helping to develop informed consent for 
forest management.
    For years, the demands made on the Black Hills National Forest have 
resulted in conflicts among interest groups resulting in both forest-
wide and site-specific programs being delayed due to appeals and 
litigation. The Board provides a forum to resolve these issues to allow 
for the Black Hills National Forest to move forward in its management 
activities. The Board is believed to be one of the few groups with 
broad enough scope to address all of the issues and include all of the 
jurisdictional boundaries.

Significant Contributions

    The Board's most significant accomplishments include:
    1. A 2004 report on the Black Hills Fuels Reduction Plan, a 
priority following the major fires including the 86,000 acre Jasper 
Fire in 2000;
    2. A 2004 initial Off-Highway Vehicle Travel Management 
Subcommittee report;
    3. A report on their findings regarding the thesis, direction, and 
assumptions of Phase II of our Forest Plan produced in 2005;
    4. The Invasive Species Subcommittee Report in 2005 covering 
recommendations to better stop invasive species from infiltrating the 
Forest;
    5. A final Travel Management Subcommittee Report in 2006 in which 
the Board made 11 recommendations regarding characteristics of a 
designated motor vehicle trail system, the basis for our initial work 
to prepare our Motor Vehicle Use Map in 2010-2011;
    6. The Board's annual work to attract funding through grants based 
on the Collaborative Landscape Forest Restoration Program (CFLRP), a 
program of the Secretary of Agriculture CFLR Program to encourage the 
collaborative, science-based ecosystem restoration of priority forest 
landscapes;
    7. A letter to the Secretary and the Chief of the Forest Service to 
work, restore and maintain open space for wildlife habitat and 
recreation needs like snowmobile trails; and
    8. The annual reports to the Secretary detailing the Board's 
activities, issues, and accomplishments.
    The Board is deemed to be among the most effective public 
involvement strategies in the Forest Service and continues to lead by 
example for Federal, State, and local government agencies working to 
coordinate and

[[Page 8215]]

cooperate in the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming.

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 re-
establish the charter of the Black Hills National Forest Advisory 
Board. The Board provides advice and recommendations on a broad range 
of forest planning issues and, in accordance with the Federal Lands 
Recreation Enhancement Act (Pub. L. 108-447 (REA)), more specifically 
will provide advice and recommendations on Black Hills National Forest 
recreation fee issues (serving as the RRAC for the Black Hills National 
Forest). The Board membership consists of individuals representing 
commodity interests, amenity interests, and State and local government.
    The Board has been determined to be in the public interest in 
connection with the duties and responsibilities of the Black Hills 
National Forest. National forest management requires improved 
coordination among the interests and governmental entities responsible 
for land management decisions and the public that the agency serves.

Advisory Committee Organization

    The Board consists of 16 members that are representative of the 
following interests (this membership is similar to the membership 
outlined by the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination 
Act for Resource Advisory Committees (16 U.S.C. 500, et seq.)):
    1. Economic development;
    2. Developed outdoor recreation, off-highway vehicle users, or 
commercial recreation;
    3. Energy and mineral development;
    4. Commercial timber industry;
    5. Permittee (grazing or other land use within the Black Hills 
area);
    6. Nationally recognized environmental organizations;
    7. Regionally or locally recognized environmental organizations;
    8. Dispersed recreation;
    9. Archeology or history;
    10. Nationally or regionally recognized sportsmen's groups, such as 
anglers or hunters;
    11. South Dakota State-elected offices;
    12. Wyoming State-elected offices;
    13. South Dakota or Wyoming county-or local-elected officials;
    14. Tribal government elected or- appointed officials;
    15. South Dakota State natural resource agency official; and
    16. Wyoming State natural resource agency officials.
    No individual who is currently registered as a Federal lobbyist is 
eligible to serve as a member of the Committee. The Committee will meet 
approximately nine times, and will attend at least one summer field 
tour as designated by the Designated Federal Officer (DFO).
    The appointment of members to the Board will be made by the 
Secretary of Agriculture. Any individual or organization may nominate 
one or more qualified persons to serve on the Board. Individuals may 
also nominate themselves. To be considered for membership, nominees 
must submit a:
    1. Resume describing qualifications for membership to the 
Committee;
    2. Cover letter with rationale for serving on the committee and 
what you can contribute; and
    3. Complete form AD-755, Advisory Committee Membership Background 
Information.
    Letters of recommendations are welcome. The AD-755 may be obtained 
from Forest Service contact person or from the following Web site: 
http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/ad755.pdf. All nominations 
will be vetted by USDA. The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint 
committee members to the Board from the list of qualified applicants.
    The members of the Board will elect and determine the 
responsibilities of the Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson. In 
absence of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson will act in the 
Chairperson's stead. The Forest Supervisor of the Black Hills National 
Forest serves as the Designated Federal Official under sections 10(e) 
and (f) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. II).
    Members will serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for 
travel expenses while performing duties on behalf of the Board, subject 
to approval by the DFO.
    Equal opportunity practices are followed in all appointments to the 
Board in accordance with USDA policies. To ensure that the 
recommendations of the Board have been taken into account the needs of 
diverse groups, served by the Black Hills National Forest, membership 
shall include, to the extent practicable, individuals with demonstrated 
ability to represent minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.

    Dated: February 2, 2012.
Pearlie S. Reed,
Assistant Secretary of Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-3342 Filed 2-13-12; 8:45 am]
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