Citizen Advisory Groups
Resource Advisory meetings help BLM plan projects.

Citizen panels in Oregon and Washington help the BLM to accomplish its mission. These groups, chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, represent the many interests involved in federal resource management. Group charters determine the role they play in project development, planning, funding, and oversight.

Three Resource Advisory Councils (RACs) were formed in 1995 to advise BLM and US Forest Service managers on the planning and management of public lands east of the Cascade Mountains. Each RAC consists of local residents who represent three broad interest categories: commodity interests, non-commodity interests, and community interests. RAC members are chosen by the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Governor(s) of the State(s) in which they serve.

The Eastern Washington, John Day-Snake, and Southeast Oregon RACs, as well as the Steens Mountain Advisory Council (SMAC), consider issues that affect BLM and Forest Service lands in eastern Oregon and Washington.

Five County Payment Resource Advisory Committees were formed in 2000 through the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. They review proposals and advise the BLM on projects that benefit resources in their area.

The Steens Mountain Advisory Council was formed in 2000, a product of the law which established the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Act (CMPA). The Council recommends management options for the CMPA. They are focused on the human, ecologic, and economic integrity of the area.

Please contact the Oregon/Washington RAC Coordinator for further information.

The National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center Advisory Board was formed in 1999 to plan for the management, use, and further development of the site at Baker City.

General Information