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[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 151 (Tuesday, August 5, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45391-45392]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-17781]

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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. 73, No. 151 / Tuesday, August 5, 2008 / 
Notices

[[Page 45391]]

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Eastern Recreation Resource Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of request for nominations for Eastern Region Recreation 
Resource Advisory Committee.

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SUMMARY: Nominations are being sought for certain positions to serve on 
the Recreation Resource Advisory Committee (Recreation RAC) operating 
in the Eastern Region of the Forest Service. New members will be 
appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) and serve three-
year terms. Appointments will begin in February 2009 when current 
member appointments expire.
    One member is being sought to represent each of the following 
interests: (1) Summer Motorized Recreation, (2) Hunting/Fishing, (3) 
Non-motorized Outfitters/Guides, (4) Motorized Outfitters/Guides or 
Local Environmental Groups, (5) Affected Indian Tribes, and (6) 
Affected Local Governments.
    The public is invited to submit nominations for membership on the 
Recreation RAC. Current members who have only served one term may also 
apply. Application packets for Recreation RACs can be obtained from the 
Forest Service Eastern Regional Office listed below or on the Web at 
http://www.fs.fed.us/passespermits/rrac-application.shtml. All 
nominations must include a completed application packet that includes 
background information and other details that address a nominee's 
qualifications.

DATES: All applications must be received by the Eastern Regional Office 
on or before September 30, 2008. This timeframe may be extended if 
officials do not receive applications for needed positions.

ADDRESSES: You may submit nominations to the Eastern Region Recreation 
RAC to: Marcia Heymen, Eastern Regional Office, 626 E. Wisconsin Ave., 
Milwaukee, WI 53202, (414) 297-3662.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Anyone wanting further information regarding 
this request for nominations may contact the designated federal 
official: Cheryl Chatham, Recreation RAC DFO, PO Box 1270, Hot Springs, 
AR 71902, (501) 321-5277.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (REA), signed December 
2004, requires that the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM) provide Recreation RACs with an opportunity to make 
recommendations to the two agencies on certain types of proposed 
recreation fee changes.
    REA allows the agencies to use existing advisory councils, such as 
BLM Resource Advisory Councils (RACs), or to establish new committees 
as appropriate. The Forest Service and BLM elected to jointly use 
existing BLM RACs in the states of Arizona, Idaho, the Dakotas, 
Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. In 2006, the Forest Service 
chartered new Recreation RACs for the states of California and 
Colorado, and for the Forest Service Pacific Northwest, Eastern and 
Southern Regions. The Forest Service is using an existing advisory 
board for the Black Hills National Forest in South Dakota. In addition, 
the Governors of three states--Alaska, Nebraska and Wyoming--requested 
that their State be exempt from the REA-R/RAC requirement, and the two 
Departments concurred with the exemptions.
    Members were appointed to the Eastern Recreation RAC in February 
2007 for either two year or three-year terms. The terms for the two-
year members will expire February 2009.
    The Eastern Recreation RAC provides recreation fee recommendations 
to the Forest Service. The Recreation RAC makes recreation fee program 
recommendations on implementing or eliminating standard amenity fees; 
expanded amenity fees; and noncommercial, individual special recreation 
permit fees; expanding or limiting the recreation fee program; and fee-
level changes.

Recreation RAC Composition

    The Recreation RAC consists of 11 members appointed by the 
Secretary. For purposes to better serve public recreation activities in 
the Eastern Region, two members were selected to serve in the Local 
Environmental Group category and no members were appointed for 
Motorized Outfitters and Guides. These members provide a broad and 
balanced representation from the recreation community as follows:
    (1) Five persons who represent recreation users and that include, 
as appropriate, the following:
    a. Winter motorized recreation, such as snowmobiling;
    b. Winter non-motorized recreation, such as snowshoeing, cross-
country and downhill skiing, and snowboarding;
    c. Summer motorized recreation, such as motorcycles, boats, and 
off-highway vehicles;
    d. Summer non-motorized recreation, such as backpacking, horseback 
riding, mountain biking, canoeing, and rafting; and
    e. Hunting and fishing;
    (2) Three persons who represent interest groups that include, as 
appropriate, the following:
    a. Motorized outfitters and guides;
    b. Non-motorized outfitters and guides; and
    c. Local environmental groups.
    (3) Three persons, as follows:
    a. State tourism official to represent the State;
    b. A person who represents affected Indian tribes; and
    c. A person who represents affected local government interests.

Nomination Information

    Any individual or organization may nominate one or more qualified 
persons to represent the interests listed above to serve on the 
Recreation RAC. To be considered for membership, nominees must:
     Identify what interest group they would represent and how 
they are qualified to represent that group;
     State why they want to serve on the committee and what 
they can contribute;
     Show their past experience in working successfully as part 
of a collaborative group; and

[[Page 45392]]

     Complete Form AD-755, Advisory Committee or Research and 
Promotion Background Information.
    Letters of recommendation are welcome, but not required. 
Individuals may also nominate themselves. Nominees do not need to live 
in a state within a particular Recreation RAC's area of jurisdiction 
nor live in a state in which Forest Service-managed lands are located.
    Application packets, including evaluation criteria and the AD-755 
form, are available at http://www.fs.fed.us/passespermits/rrac-application.shtml or by contacting the Eastern Region. Nominees must 
submit all documents to the appropriate regional contact. Additional 
information about recreation fees and REA is available at http://www.fs.fed.us/passespermits/about-rec-fees.shtml.
    The Forest Service will also work with Governors and county 
officials to identify potential nominees.
    The Forest Service will review the applications and prepare a list 
of qualified applicants from which the Secretary shall appoint both 
members and alternates. An alternate will become a participating member 
of the Recreation RAC only if the member for whom the alternate is 
appointed to replace leaves the committee permanently.
    Recreation RAC members serve without pay but are reimbursed for 
travel and per diem expenses for regularly scheduled committee 
meetings. All Recreation RAC meetings are open to the public aid an 
open public forum is part of each meeting. Meeting dates and times will 
be determined by agency officials in consultation with the Recreation 
RAC members.

    Dated: July 29, 2008.
Cheryl Chatham,
Designated Federal Official.
[FR Doc. E8-17781 Filed 8-4-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
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