[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 115 (Thursday, June 14, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35663-35664]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-14553]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Army Corps of Engineers


Notice of Solicitation of Applications for Stakeholder 
Representative Members of the Missouri River Recovery Implementation 
Committee

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Commander of the Northwestern Division of the U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers (Corps) is soliciting applications to fill vacant 
stakeholder representative member positions on the Missouri River 
Recovery Implementation Committee (MRRIC). Members are sought to fill 
vacancies on a committee to represent various categories of interests 
within the Missouri River basin. The MRRIC was formed to advise the 
Corps on a study of the Missouri River and its tributaries and to 
provide guidance to the Corps with respect to the Missouri River 
recovery and mitigation activities currently underway. The Corps 
established the MRRIC as required by the U.S. Congress through the 
Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (WRDA), Section 5018.

DATES: The agency must receive completed applications and endorsement 
letters no later than July 16, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Mail completed applications and endorsement letters to U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District (Attn: MRRIC), 1616 Capitol 
Avenue, Omaha, NE 68102-4901 or email completed applications to 
[email protected]. Please put ``MRRIC'' in the subject line.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary S. Roth, 402-995-2919.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The operation of the MRRIC is in the public 
interest and provides support to the Corps in performing its duties and 
responsibilities under the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.; Sec. 601(a) of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 
1986, Public Law 99-662; Sec. 334(a) of WRDA 1999, Public Law 106-53, 
and Sec. 5018 of WRDA 2007, Public Law 110-114. The Federal Advisory 
Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, does not apply to the MRRIC.
    A Charter for the MRRIC has been developed and should be reviewed 
prior to applying for a stakeholder representative membership position 
on the Committee. The Charter, operating procedures, and stakeholder 
application forms are available electronically at www.MRRIC.org.
    Purpose and Scope of the Committee. The duties of the MRRIC cover 
two areas:
    1. The Committee provides guidance to the Corps, and affected 
Federal agencies, State agencies, or Native American Indian Tribes on a 
study of the Missouri River and its tributaries to determine the 
actions required to mitigate losses of aquatic and terrestrial habitat, 
to recover federally listed species protected under the Endangered 
Species Act, and to restore the river's ecosystem to prevent further 
declines among other native species. This study is identified in 
Section 5018 (a) of the WRDA. It will result in a single, comprehensive 
plan to guide the implementation of mitigation, recovery, and 
restoration activities in the Missouri River Basin. This plan is 
referred to as the Missouri River Ecosystem Restoration Plan (MRERP). 
For more information about the MRERP go to www.MRERP.org.

[[Page 35664]]

    2. The MRRIC also provides guidance to the Corps with respect to 
the Missouri River recovery and mitigation plan currently in existence, 
including recommendations relating to changes to the implementation 
strategy from the use of adaptive management; coordination of the 
development of consistent policies, strategies, plans, programs, 
projects, activities, and priorities for the Missouri River recovery 
and mitigation plan. Information about the Missouri River Recovery 
Program is available at www.MoRiverRecovery.org.
    3. Other duties of MRRIC include exchange of information regarding 
programs, projects, and activities of the agencies and entities 
represented on the Committee to promote the goals of the Missouri River 
recovery and mitigation plan; establishment of such working groups as 
the Committee determines to be necessary to assist in carrying out the 
duties of the Committee, including duties relating to public policy and 
scientific issues; facilitating the resolution of interagency and 
intergovernmental conflicts between entities represented on the 
Committee associated with the Missouri River recovery and mitigation 
plan; coordination of scientific and other research associated with the 
Missouri River recovery and mitigation plan; and annual preparation of 
a work plan and associated budget requests.
    Administrative Support. To the extent authorized by law and subject 
to the availability of appropriations, the Corps provides funding and 
administrative support for the Committee.
    Committee Membership. Federal agencies with programs affecting the 
Missouri River may be members of the MRRIC through a separate process 
with the Corps. States and Federally recognized Native American Indian 
tribes, as described in the Charter, are eligible for Committee 
membership through an appointment process. Interested State and Tribal 
government representatives should contact the Corps for information 
about the appointment process.
    This Notice is for individuals interested in serving as a 
stakeholder member on the Committee. In accordance with the Charter for 
the MRRIC, stakeholder membership is limited to 28 people, with each 
member having an alternate. Members and alternates must be able to 
demonstrate that they meet the definition of ``stakeholder'' found in 
the Charter of the MRRIC. Applications are currently being accepted for 
representation in the stakeholder interest categories listed below:
    a. Environmental/Conservation Organizations;
    b. Hydropower;
    c. Irrigation;
    d. Local Government;
    e. Navigation;
    f. Thermal Power;
    g. Water Quality;
    h. Water Supply;
    i. Waterway Industries; and
    j. At Large.
    Terms of stakeholder representative members of the MRRIC are three 
years. There is no limit to the number of terms a member may serve. 
Incumbent Committee members seeking reappointment do not need to re-
submit an application. However, they must submit a renewal letter and 
related materials as outlined in the ``Streamlined Process for Existing 
Members'' portion of the document Process for Filling MRRIC Stakeholder 
Vacancies (www.MRRIC.org).
    Members and alternates of the Committee will not receive any 
compensation from the federal government for carrying out the duties of 
the MRRIC. Travel expenses incurred by members of the Committee will 
not be reimbursed by the federal government.
    Application for Stakeholder Membership. Persons who believe that 
they are or will be affected by the Missouri River recovery and 
mitigation activities and are not employees of federal agencies, 
tribes, or state agencies, may apply for stakeholder membership on the 
MRRIC. Applications for stakeholder membership may be obtained 
electronically at www.MRRIC.org. Applications may be emailed or mailed 
to the location listed (see ADDRESSES). In order to be considered, each 
application must include:
    1. The name of the applicant and the primary stakeholder interest 
category that person is qualified to represent;
    2. A written statement describing the applicant's area of expertise 
and why the applicant believes he or she should be appointed to 
represent that area of expertise on the MRRIC;
    3. A written statement describing how the applicant's participation 
as a Stakeholder Representative will fulfill the roles and 
responsibilities of MRRIC;
    4. A written description of the applicant's past experience(s) 
working collaboratively with a group of individuals representing varied 
interests towards achieving a mutual goal, and the outcome of the 
effort(s);
    5. A written description of the communication network that the 
applicant plans to use to inform his or her constituents and to gather 
their feedback, and
    6. A written endorsement letter from an organization, local 
government body, or formal constituency, which demonstrates that the 
applicant represents an interest group(s) in the Missouri River basin.
    To be considered, the application must be complete and received by 
the close of business on July 16, 2012, at the location indicated (see 
ADDRESSES). Applications must include an endorsement letter to be 
considered complete. Full consideration will be given to all complete 
applications received by the specified due date.
    Application Review Process. Committee stakeholder applications will 
be forwarded to the current members of the MRRIC. The MRRIC will 
provide membership recommendations to the Corps as described in 
Attachment A of the Process for Filling MRRIC Stakeholder Vacancies 
document (www.MRRIC.org). The Corps is responsible for appointing 
stakeholder members. The Corps will consider applications using the 
following criteria:
     Ability to commit the time required.
     Commitment to make a good faith (as defined in the 
Charter) effort to seek balanced solutions that address multiple 
interests and concerns.
     Agreement to support and adhere to the approved MRRIC 
Charter and Operating Procedures.
     Demonstration of a formal designation or endorsement by an 
organization, local government, or constituency as its preferred 
representative.
     Demonstrations of an established communication network to 
keep constituents informed and efficiently seek their input when 
needed.
     Agreement to participate in collaboration training as a 
condition of membership.
    All applicants will be notified in writing as to the final decision 
about their application.
    Certification. I hereby certify that the establishment of the MRRIC 
is necessary and in the public interest in connection with the 
performance of duties imposed on the Corps by the Endangered Species 
Act and other statutes.

Mary S. Roth,
Project Manager for the Missouri River Recovery Implementation 
Committee (MRRIC).
[FR Doc. 2012-14553 Filed 6-13-12; 8:45 am]
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