[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 142 (Wednesday, July 24, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44519-44520]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-17706]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary


Forest Resource Coordinating Committee

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; Re-establishment of the Forest Resource Coordinating 
Committee and call for nominations.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Agriculture re-established the Forest 
Resource Coordinating Committee (Committee) pursuant to Section 8005 of 
the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Act) (Pub. L. 110-246), 
and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), (5 U.S.C. App. 2). The 
Act passed into law as an amendment to the Cooperative Forestry 
Assistance Act of 1978 on June 18, 2008. The Committee has been re-
established to continue coordinating non-industrial private forestry 
activities within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the 
private sector. The Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) has determined 
that the work of the Committee is in the public's interest and relevant 
to the duties of the USDA. Therefore, the Secretary is seeking 
nominations to fill a vacancy and three expiring positions, with terms 
of 3 years, in the Conservation Organization, Forest Industry, 
Nonindustrial Private Forest Landowner, and Conservation District 
categories. The nominees must be associated with such organizations and 
be willing to represent that sector as it relates to non-industrial 
private forestry. The public is invited to submit nominations for 
membership on the Committee, either as a self-nomination or a 
nomination of any qualified and interested person.

DATES: Written nominations must be received by August 23, 2013. 
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: The address to submit nominations will vary based upon 
delivery method. Nomination packages must be sent to the addresses 
below:
     Nominations sent via express mail or overnight courier 
service: Maya Solomon, USDA Forest Service, Cooperative Forestry Staff, 
1621 North

[[Page 44520]]

Kent Street, RPE-9, mail stop 1123, Arlington, Virginia 22209.
     Nominations sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be sent 
to the following address: USDA Forest Service; Cooperative Forestry 
Staff, State & Private Forestry; mail stop 1123; 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-1123.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maya Solomon, Forest Resource 
Coordinating Committee Program Coordinator, Telephone: 202-205-1376 or 
Ted Beauvais, Designated Federal Officer, Telephone: 202-205-1190. 
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 5 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through 
Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    In accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee 
Act (FACA), as amended (5 U.S.C., App. 2), the Secretary of Agriculture 
re-established the Committee. The purpose of the Committee is to 
continue providing direction and coordination of actions within the 
USDA, 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). These priorities include:
    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 will continue meeting on at least an annual basis and 
its primary duties will include:
    1. Providing direction and coordination of actions within the USDA, 
and coordination with State agencies and the private sector, to 
effectively address the national priorities, with specific focus on 
non-industrial private forest land;
    2. Clarifying responsibilities of each agency represented on the 
Committee concerning the national priorities with specific focus on 
non-industrial private forest land;
    3. Providing 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)).

Advisory Committee Organization

    The Committee is comprised of not more than 20 members. The members 
appointed to the Committee will be fair and balanced in terms of points 
of view represented, functions to be performed, and will represent a 
broad array of expertise and relevance to a membership category. The 
Committee members will serve staggered terms of up to 3 terms and meet 
annually, or as often as necessary at times as designated by the 
Designated Federal Officer (DFO). No individual who is currently 
registered as a Federal lobbyist is eligible to serve as a member of 
the Committee. The appointment of members to the Committee will be made 
by the Secretary. The Committee composition is as follows:
    (a) Chief of the Forest Service;
    (b) Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service;
    (c) Director 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) Three owners of non-industrial private forest land;
    (h) A forest industry representative;
    (i) Three representatives from conservation organizations;
    (j) A land-grant university or college representative;
    (k) A private forestry consultant;
    (l) A representative from a State Technical Committee;
    (m) A representative of an Indian Tribe; and
    (n) A representative from a Conservation District.

Vacancy

    Representatives from the following categories will be appointed by 
the Secretary with terms of 3 years; Conservation Organization, 
Forestry Industry, Nonindustrial Private Forest Landowner, and 
Conservation District. Vacancies will be filled in the manner in which 
the original appointment was made.

Nomination and Application Instructions

    The appointment of members to the Committee is made by the 
Secretary of Agriculture. Any individual or organization may nominate 
one or more qualified persons to represent the above vacancy on the 
Forest Resource Coordinating Committee. To be considered for 
membership, nominees must provide the following--
    1. R[eacute]sum[eacute] describing qualifications on how they are 
qualified to represent the unoccupied 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. The form AD-755 may be obtained from the Forest Service 
contacts or from the following Web site: http://www.usda.gov/documents/OCIO_AD_755_Master_2012.pdf.
    5. Letters of recommendation are welcome.
    All nominations will be vetted by USDA. Individuals may also 
nominate themselves. A list of qualified applicants from which the 
Secretary of Agriculture shall appoint members to the Forest Resource 
Coordinating Committee will be prepared. Applicants are strongly 
encouraged to submit nominations via overnight mail or delivery to 
ensure timely receipt by the USDA. Members of the Committee will serve 
without compensation; however, the DFO may approve the reimbursement 
for travel expenses for the performance of duties on behalf of the 
Committee.
    All appointments to the Committee will follow equal opportunity 
practices in accordance with USDA policies. Membership will include, to 
the extent practicable, individuals with demonstrated ability to 
represent minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and senior 
citizen to ensure that the recommendations of the FRCC have taken into 
account the needs of the diverse groups served by the USDA.

    Dated: July 16, 2013.
Gregory Parham,
Assistant Secretary for Administration, U. S. Department of 
Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 2013-17706 Filed 7-23-13; 8:45 am]
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