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Effective Date: 2/22/82

Series: Organization

Part 110: Office of the Secretary

Chapter 3: Field Special Assistant to the Secretary

Originating Office: Immediate Office of the Secretary

3.1 Duties and Responsibilities. From time to time the Secretary may establish one or more Field Special Assistants to the Secretary to provide a direct Secretarial conduit to the Department=s field activities; to assure fast response on field matters requiring Secretarial review; and to provide expertise, leadership, and assistance in the coordination of programs and policies of the Secretary. The functions of a Field Special Assistant are to:

A. Maintain active liaison with appropriate Federal, State, Inter-State and private interests.

B. Alert the Secretary to State and local legislative proposals, public opinion, and interest group participations which affect or could potentially affect programs in the field.

C. Represent the Department and coordinate Department participation in major interagency and inter-governmental efforts when directed by the Secretary.

D. Chair the Department=s field committees and coordinate matters of program and policy in the field where more than one bureau or program is involved. The functions of the Department=s field committees are described in 110 DM 3.2.

E. Serve as Departmental Defense Liaison Officer (DDLO) to coordinate with other Departments and Interior organizations matters pertaining to Emergency Preparedness.

F. Serve as the Secretary=s representative on Federal Regional Councils.

3.2 Field Committees.

A. Field committees serving appropriate geographic areas are established to serve as an instrument for achieving Department policy objectives in coordination at field level. Field committees are composed of regional directors or other ranking officials appointed by the heads of bureaus and offices, and the Regional Solicitor in each respective geographic area. Under the general direction of appropriate bureau officials, field committee members are responsible for participating and assisting in field committee activities.

B. The Departmental field committees promote the development and execution of coordinated regional natural resource programs for the Department and facilitate the coordination of field activities which involve two or more bureaus, or which have special significance to the Department=s overall objectives. In carrying out these responsibilities the field committees develop and submit periodic reports to the Office of the Secretary; prepare Departmental reports on special problems; and serve as focal points for exchange of information among bureaus within the Department and with other Federal, State and local agencies, and public and private groups on matters of mutual concern. The field committees have no supervisory relationship or responsibility with respect to bureau programs and operations.

3.3 Emergency Preparedness. A Field Special Assistant to the Secretary serves as Departmental Defense Liaison Officer (DDLO) and in such capacity maintains a regional emergency operations plan for continuity of Departmental programs in those areas assigned to the Secretary of the Interior by Executive Order 11490. Liaison with Bureau Defense Liaison Officers (BDLOs) is maintained for possible diversion of personnel and equipment to accomplish pre-attack, trans-attack, and post-attack operations.

2/22/82 #2389

Replaces 9/7/79 #2201