[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 43 (Friday, March 5, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10204-10205]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-4686]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 43 / Friday, March 5, 2010 /
Notices
[[Page 10204]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Office of the Secretary
Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Advisory Committee
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to establish the Collaborative Forest
Landscape Restoration Advisory Committee and call for nominations.
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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Agriculture intends to establish the
Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Advisory Committee
(Committee) pursuant to Title IV, Section 4003(e) of Omnibus Public
Land Management Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-11) passed into law on March
30, 2009. The Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Advisory
Committee is being established to evaluate, and provide recommendations
on each project proposal that has been submitted under Section
4003(c)(2) of this act. As required by the Federal Advisory Committee
Act, charters for Federal advisory committees must be renewed every 2
years. The Committee is soliciting nominations to fill no more than 15
vacancies with terms up to 2 years. The public is invited to submit
nominations for membership on the Collaborative Forest Landscape
Restoration Advisory Committee.
DATES: All nominations must be received in writing by March 22, 2010.
Nominations must contain a completed application packet that includes
the nominee's name, resume, and completed form AD-755 (Advisory
Committee Membership Background Information). The package must be sent
to the address below.
ADDRESSES: Send nominations and applications to William Timko, USDA
Forest Service; Forest Management, Room 3NW; 201 14th Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20024 by express mail or overnight courier service. If
sent via the U.S. Postal Service, they must be sent to the following
address: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest
Management, National Forest System, Mail Stop 1103, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-1123.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Peterson, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, National Forest System, Forest Management; telephone 202-
205-0893, fax 202-205-1045, e-mail: [email protected], or contact
William Timko, U.S. Department of Agriculture; National Forest System,
Forest Management, telephone 202-205-0893, fax 202-205-1045, 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 Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration
Advisory Committee (Committee). The purpose of the Committee is to
evaluate, and provide recommendations on, the selection of
collaborative forest landscape restoration proposals to the Secretary
of Agriculture for approval as provided in Title IV, Section 4003(e) of
the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-11).
The purpose of this title is to encourage the collaborative,
science-based ecosystem restoration of priority forest landscapes
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;
(1) Achieve ecological and watershed health objectives; and
(2) 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 Committee is being established in accordance with Section
4003(e) of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-
11). The Secretary has determined that the work of the Committee is in
the public interest and relevant to the duties of the U.S. Department
of Agriculture.
The Committee will meet on an annual basis or as needed; determined
by the Committee, and its primary duties will 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 achieve reductions in long-
term wildfire management costs:
e. Whether the proposal would reduce the relative costs of carrying
out ecological restoration treatments as a result of the use of woody
biomass and small-diameter trees; and
f. Whether an appropriate level of non-Federal investment would be
leveraged in carrying out the proposal.
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 and
fairly balanced in terms of the points of view represented. The
Committee shall include experts in:
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.
Term and Vacancies
Committee members will be appointed by the Secretary to 2-year
terms. Vacancies will be filled in the manner in which the original
appointment was made.
[[Page 10205]]
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 Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Advisory
Committee. To be considered for membership, nominees must:
1. Identify what expertise they would represent and how they are
qualified to represent that skill;
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 Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration
Advisory Committee from the list of qualified applicants. Applicants
are strongly encouraged to submit nominations via overnight mail or
delivery to ensure timely receipt by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
Non-Federal members of the Committee shall serve without pay as
special government employees (SGEs), but will be reimbursed for
reasonable costs incurred while performing duties on behalf of the
Committee. SGEs will be subject to appropriate conflict of interest
statutes and standards of ethical conduct. All SGE nominees who are
selected must complete the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) 450
Confidential Financial Disclosure Report before rendering any advice or
prior to their first meeting. All members will be reviewed for conflict
of interest pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 208 in relation to specific Committee
work charges. Financial disclosure updates will be required annually.
Members must report any changes in financial holdings requiring
additional disclosure. OGE 450 forms are available on-line at: http://www.usoge.gov/forms/form_450.aspx.
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: February 24, 2010.
Pearlie S. Reed,
Assistant Secretary of Administration.
[FR Doc. 2010-4686 Filed 3-4-10; 8:45 am]
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