[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 23 (Thursday, February 3, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6135-6136]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02192]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Advisory Panel

AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Call for nominations.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Advisory Panel 
(Panel) was renewed on January 11, 2022, to evaluate and provide 
recommendations on the selection of collaborative forest landscape 
restoration proposals to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) for 
approval as provided in Section 8629 of the Agriculture Improvement Act 
of 2018. The Secretary has determined that the work of the Panel is in 
the public's interest and relevant to the duties of the Department of 
Agriculture. Therefore, the Secretary is seeking nominations to fill 
vacancies on the Panel. The Panel is a statutory committee. Additional 
information concerning the Panel can be found by visiting the Panel's 
website at: https://www.fs.fed.us/restoration/CFLRP/advisory-panel.shtml.

[[Page 6136]]


DATES: Nominations must be received by March 7, 2022. Nominations must 
contain a completed application packet that includes the nominee's 
name, resume, references, and completed Form AD-755 (Advisory Committee 
or Research and Promotion Background Information). The package must be 
sent to the address below.

ADDRESSES: Send nominations and applications to Lindsay Buchanan, 
[email protected], USDA Forest Service, Forest Management, 
Range Management and Vegetation Ecology, 201 14th Street SW, Room 3SW, 
Washington, DC 20024 by express mail or overnight courier service. If 
sent via the U.S. Postal Service, please send to the following address: 
USDA, Forest Service, Forest Management, National Forest System, Mail 
Stop 1103, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-1123.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lindsay Buchanan, USDA, National 
Forest System, Forest Management, Range Management, and Vegetation 
Ecology, by phone at 202-365-2600 or by email at 
[email protected]. Individuals who use telecommunication 
devices for the deaf and hard of hearing (TDD) may call the Federal 
Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339, 24 hours a day, every day of the 
year, including holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The purpose of the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration 
Program is to increase active management to improve forest health, 
reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires, and promote jobs in rural 
economies through a process that:
    (1) Encourages ecological, economic, and social sustainability;
    (2) Leverages local resources with national and private resources;
    (3) Facilitates the reduction of wildfire management costs, 
including through reestablishing natural fire regimes and reducing the 
risk of uncharacteristic wildfire; and
    (4) Demonstrates the degree to which:
    (a) Various ecological restoration techniques
    (i) achieve ecological and watershed health objectives;
    (ii) affect wildfire activity and management costs; and
    (b) The use of forest restoration byproducts can offset treatment 
costs while benefiting local rural economies and improving forest 
health.
    The duties of the Committee include:
    1. Evaluating Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration project 
proposals with special consideration given to:
    a. The strength of the proposal and strategy;
    b. the strength of the ecological case of the proposal and the 
proposed ecological restoration strategies;
    c. the strength of the collaborative process and the likelihood of 
successful collaboration throughout implementation;
    d. whether the proposal is likely to reduce the risk of 
uncharacteristic wildfire and reestablish natural fire regimes;
    e. whether the proposal would use restoration byproducts to reduce 
the relative costs of carrying out ecological restoration treatments 
and benefit local economies; and
    f. whether the proposal is in alignment with a shared stewardship 
approach, including leveraging an appropriate level of non-Federal 
investments.
    2. Provide recommendations on each proposal to the Secretary of 
Agriculture through the Chief of the Forest Service.

Advisory Committee Organization

    The Committee shall be comprised of no more than 15 members 
approved by the Secretary of Agriculture where each will serve a 2-year 
term, although appointments shall have staggered terms. The Committee 
membership will be fairly balanced in terms of the points of view 
represented and functions to be performed. 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, 
subject to approval by the Designated Federal Officer (DFO). The 
Committee shall include representation from experts in the following 
interest areas:
    1. Ecological Restoration,
    2. Fire Ecology,
    3. Fire Management,
    4. Rural Economic Development,
    5. Strategies for Ecological Adaptation to Climate Change,
    6. Fish and Wildlife Ecology, and
    7. Woody Biomass and Small-Diameter Tree Utilization.
    Of these members, one will become the Chairperson who is recognized 
for his/her ability to lead a group in a fair and focused manner and 
who has been briefed on the mission of this Committee. The Committee 
will meet on an annual basis or as needed. This will be determined by 
the Committee. Vacancies will be filled in the manner in which the 
original appointment was made.

Nomination and Application Information

    The appointment of members to the Committee will be made by the 
Secretary of Agriculture. The public is invited to submit nominations 
for membership on the Committee, either self-nomination or nomination 
of any qualified and interested person. Any individual or organization 
may nominate one or more qualified persons to represent the interest 
areas listed above. To be considered for membership, nominees must:
    1. Identify what interest area group listed above they would 
represent and how they are qualified to represent that interest group;
    2. State why they want to serve on the Committee and what they can 
contribute;
    3. Provide 2-3 references that may be contacts about the nominee's 
application;
    4. Provide a resume showing their past experience in working 
successfully as part of a coordinating group; and
    5. Complete Form AD-755, Advisory Committee or Research and 
Promotion Background Information. Form AD-755 may be obtained from the 
listed Forest Service contact persons or from the following website: 
https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-755.pdf.
    Letters of recommendation are welcome. All nominations will be 
vetted by the Agency.
    Equal opportunity practices, in line with USDA policies, will be 
followed in all membership appointments to the RAC. To help ensure that 
recommendations of the RAC have taken into account the needs of the 
diverse groups served by the Department, membership shall include, to 
the extent practicable, individuals with demonstrated ability to 
represent minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.
    The USDA prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and 
activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, 
gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, 
disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, political 
beliefs, income derived from a public assistance program, or reprisal 
or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or 
activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all 
programs).

    Dated: January 28, 2022.
Cikena Reid,
USDA Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-02192 Filed 2-2-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P