Resource Advisory Council Meetings, Montana Councils and Dakotas Council; Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[MT-910-1820-00]

Resource Advisory Council Meetings, Montana Councils and Dakotas

Council; Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act

and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), 5 U.S.C.

Appendix, the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management

(BLM), has established four Resource Advisory Councils for the State of

Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

The Montana Councils are: Butte Resource Advisory Council,

Lewistown Resource Advisory Council and Miles City Advisory Council;

North Dakota and South Dakota: Dakotas Resource Advisory Council.

These Councils provide representative counsel and advice to BLM on

the planning and management of public lands. Members of these Councils

were appointed by the Secretary of the Interior.

Members of the Montana and Dakotas Councils will gather to share

common issues including travel management, land exchanges, weeds and

access beginning at 1:00 p.m. September 15 through the afternoon of

September 16. On September 17, the Montana Councils will hold their

official meetings. The Dakotas Council will hold its official meeting

the morning of September 15 and the morning of September 17. The four

Councils will have their joint discussions at the GranTree Inn, 1325 N.

7th Ave., Bozeman, Montana. The individual Montana Councils will hold

their official meetings at the Holiday Inn--Bozeman, 5 Baxter Lane,

Bozeman, Montana. The September 15 portion of the Dakotas Council

official meeting will be held at the GranTree and the September 17

portion of the meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn. The agendas for

the Council meetings are as follows:

Butte Resource Advisory Council

The council will convene at 8:00 a.m. Thursday, September 17 at the

Holiday Inn--Bozeman, 5 Baxter Lane, Bozeman, Montana. The main agenda

topic will be travel management. The public comment period will begin

at 11:00 a.m.

[[Page 42433]]

Lewistown Resource Advisory Council

The council will convene at 7:45 a.m. Thursday, September 17 at the

Holiday Inn--Bozeman, 5 Baxter Lane. Agenda items include prairie dog

issues, management issues on the Upper Missouri Wild and Scenic River,

Standards and Guidelines, range improvements, Devil's Kitchen and

tracts designated for disposal. The meeting will conclude at 3:00 p.m.

The public comment period will begin at 11:30 a.m.

Miles City Resource Advisory Council

The council will convene from 8:00 a.m. until 12 noon Thursday,

September 17 at the Holiday Inn--Bozeman, 5 Baxter Lane, Bozeman,

Montana. The main agenda topic will be travel management. The public

comment period will begin at 10:00 a.m.

Dakotas Resource Advisory Council

The council will meet Tuesday at the GranTree Inn, 1325 N. 7th

Ave., Bozeman, Montana, September 15 from 8:00 a.m. until 12 noon. The

council will reconvene at 8:00 a.m. Thursday, September 17 at the

Holiday Inn--Bozeman, 5 Baxter Lane, Bozeman, Montana. Agenda items

include travel management, land exchanges, weeds, joint Resource

Advisory Council with the Forest Service. Public comment period will

begin at 9:00 a.m., September 17.

All meetings are open to the public. The public may present written

comments to any Council. Each Council meeting will also have time

allocated for hearing public comments. The public comment period for

each meeting is listed above. Depending on the number of persons

wishing to comment and the time available, the time for individual

comments may be limited. Individuals who plan to attend and need

further information about the meetings, or need special assistance,

such as sign language interpretations or other reasonable

accommodations, should contact the Montana State Office, External

Affairs, 222 N. 32nd Street, P.O. Box 36800, Billings, Montana 59107-

6800, telephone, 406-255-2913. Seating at the meetings will be on a

first-come basis.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jody Weil, Public Affairs Specialist,

Office of External Affairs, Montana State Office, Bureau of Land

Management, 222 N. 32nd Street, P.O. Box 36800, Billings, Montana,

59107, telephone (406) 255-2913.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the Councils is to advise the

Secretary of the Interior, through the BLM, on a variety of planning

and management issues associated with the management of public lands.

The Councils' responsibilities include providing advice to BLM

regarding the preparation, amendment and implementation of land use

plans; providing advice on long-range planning and establishing

resource management priorities; and assisting the BLM to identify State

of regional standards for ecological health and guidelines for grazing.

Council members represent various industries and interests

concerned with the management, protection and utilization of the public

lands. These include (a) holders of Federal grazing permits and

representatives of energy and mining development, the timber industry,

rights-of-way interests, off-road vehicle use and developed recreation;

(b) representatives of environmental and resource conservation

organizations, archaeological and historic interests, and wild horse

and burro groups; and (c) representatives of State and local

government, Native American tribes, academia involved in the natural

sciences, and the public at large.

Membership includes individuals who have expertise, education,

training or practical experience in the planning and management of

public lands and their resources and who have a knowledge of the

geographical jurisdiction of the respective Councils.

Dated: July 31, 1998.

Janet Singer,

Acting State Director.

[FR Doc. 98-21219 Filed 8-6-98; 8:45 am]

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