Section 7125 · Resource advisory committees

(a) Establishment and purpose of resource advisory committees (1) Establishment The Secretary concerned shall establish and maintain resource advisory committees to perform the duties in subsection (b), except as provided in paragraph (4). (2) Purpose The purpose of a resource advisory committee shall be— (A) to improve collaborative relationships; and (B) to provide advice and recommendations to the land management agencies consistent with the purposes of this subchapter. (3) Access to resource advisory committees To ensure that each unit of Federal land has access to a resource advisory committee, and that there is sufficient interest in participation on a committee to ensure that membership can be balanced in terms of the points of view represented and the functions to be performed, the Secretary concerned may,1 establish resource advisory committees for part of, or 1 or more, units of Federal land. (4) Existing advisory committees (A) In general An advisory committee that meets the requirements of this section, a resource advisory committee established before December 20, 2023, or an advisory committee determined by the Secretary concerned before December 20, 2023, to meet the requirements of this section may be deemed by the Secretary concerned to be a resource advisory committee for the purposes of this subchapter. (B) Charter A charter for a committee described in subparagraph (A) that was filed on or before December 20, 2023, shall be considered to be filed for purposes of this chapter. (C) Bureau of land management advisory committees The Secretary of the Interior may deem a resource advisory committee meeting the requirements of subpart 1784 of part 1780 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations, as a resource advisory committee for the purposes of this subchapter.

(c) Appointment by the Secretary (1) Appointment and term (A) In general The Secretary concerned shall appoint the members of resource advisory committees for a term of 4 years beginning on the date of appointment. (B) Reappointment The Secretary concerned may reappoint members to subsequent 4-year terms. (2) Basic requirements The Secretary concerned shall ensure that each resource advisory committee established meets the requirements of subsection (d). (3) Initial appointment Not later than 180 days after October 3, 2008, the Secretary concerned shall make initial appointments to the resource advisory committees. (4) Vacancies The Secretary concerned shall make appointments to fill vacancies on any resource advisory committee as soon as practicable after the vacancy has occurred. (5) Compensation Members of the resource advisory committees shall not receive any compensation.

(d) Composition of advisory committee (1) Number Except as provided in paragraph (6), each resource advisory committee shall be comprised of 15 members. (2) Community interests represented Except as provided in paragraph (6), committee members shall be representative of the interests of the following 3 categories: (A) 5 persons that— (i) represent organized labor or non-timber forest product harvester groups; (ii) represent developed outdoor recreation, off highway vehicle users, or commercial recreation activities; (iii) represent— (I) energy and mineral development interests; or (II) commercial or recreational fishing interests; (iv) represent the commercial timber industry; or (v) hold Federal grazing or other land use permits, or represent nonindustrial private forest land owners, within the area for which the committee is organized. (B) 5 persons that represent— (i) nationally recognized environmental organizations; (ii) regionally or locally recognized environmental organizations; (iii) dispersed recreational activities; (iv) archaeological and historical interests; or (v) nationally or regionally recognized wild horse and burro interest groups, wildlife or hunting organizations, or watershed associations. (C) 5 persons that— (i) hold State elected office (or a designee); (ii) hold county or local elected office; (iii) represent American Indian tribes within or adjacent to the area for which the committee is organized; (iv) are school officials or teachers; or (v) represent the affected public at large. (3) Balanced representation In appointing committee members from the 3 categories in paragraph (2), the Secretary concerned shall provide for balanced and broad representation from within each category. (4) Geographic distribution The members of a resource advisory committee shall reside within the State in which the committee has jurisdiction and, to the extent practicable, the Secretary concerned shall ensure local representation in each category in paragraph (2). (5) Chairperson A majority on each resource advisory committee shall select the chairperson of the committee. (6) Committee composition waiver authority (A) Notice On notice from the applicable regional forester that an adequate number of qualified candidates are not interested or available to serve on a resource advisory committee, the Secretary concerned shall publish a notice in the Federal Register seeking candidates for the resource advisory committee. (B) Modification of membership requirements If, by the date that is 30 days after the date of publication of notice under subparagraph (A), an inadequate number of qualified candidates have applied to serve on a resource advisory committee, the Secretary concerned may reduce— (i) the membership requirement under paragraph (1) to not fewer than 9; and (ii) the membership requirements under subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (2) to 3 in each category described in that paragraph, except that where a vacancy exists on a resource advisory committee, the Secretary concerned may not reject a qualified applicant from any category. (C) Termination of authority The authority provided under this paragraph terminates on October 1, 2026.

1 So in original. The comma probably should not appear.