16 U.S.C. § 460nnn–51 — Establishment of advisory council

(a) Establishment. The Secretary must create the Steens Mountain Advisory Council. Its job is to advise the Secretary on managing the Cooperative Management and Protection Area and on promoting cooperative management. (b) Members. The council has 12 voting members, all appointed by the Secretary, each representing a different interest: (1) a private landowner in the area, nominated by the Harney County court; (2) two grazing permittees on federal land in the area, also nominated by the county court; (3) someone interested in fish and recreational fishing, nominated by Oregon's Governor; (4) a member of the Burns Paiute Tribe, nominated by the tribe; (5) two recognized environmental representatives — one representing the whole state, one from the local area — nominated by the Governor; (6) someone who does "dispersed recreation" like hiking, camping, nature viewing, photography, bird watching, horseback riding, or trail walking, nominated by the BLM's Oregon State Director; (7) a recreational permit holder or commercial recreation representative in the area, nominated jointly by the BLM's Oregon State Director and the county court; (8) someone who does mechanized or "consumptive" recreation like hunting, fishing, off-road driving, hang gliding, or parasailing, nominated by the BLM's Oregon State Director; (9) someone with expertise and interest in wild horse management on Steens Mountain, nominated by the BLM's Oregon State Director; and (10) someone with no financial stake in the area, to represent statewide interests, nominated by the Governor. (c) Consultation. When reviewing nominees for any of these seats, the Secretary must consult with the community of interest each nominee would represent, to make sure that community actually supports them. (d) Terms. Members normally serve three-year terms. For the very first group appointed, though, four members served just one year and four served two years, so the terms would end up staggered. A member can be reappointed. If a seat becomes vacant, it's filled the same way the original appointment was made. (d) Chairperson and procedures. The council elects its own chairperson and sets whatever rules and procedures it thinks it needs. (e) Service without compensation. Members don't get paid for serving, but the Secretary must reimburse their reasonable expenses for official council business. (f) Administrative support. The Secretary must give the council the administrative support it needs, and must name a Bureau of Land Management officer to act as the Secretary's liaison to the council. (g) State liaison. The Secretary must also appoint one person, nominated by Oregon's Governor, to act as the state government's liaison to the council. (h) Applicable law. The council must follow the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and chapter 10 of title 5.