FACACLASSIC

Note: An Annual Comprehensive Review, as required by §7 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, is conducted each year on committee data entered for the previous fiscal year (referred to as the reporting year). The data for the reporting year is not considered verified until this review is complete and the data is moved to history for an agency/department. See the Data From Previous Years section at the bottom of this page for the committee’s historical, verified data.

Details on agency responses to committee recommendations can be found under the Performance Measures section for each committee in the fields “Agency Feedback” and “Agency Feedback Comment.”

DOI - 515 - Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area Advisory Committee - Statutory (Congress Created)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area Advisory Committee	Agency Name	Department of the Interior
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	515
Original Establishment Date	11/28/1990	Committee Status	Administratively Inactive
Actual Termination Date		Committee URL	https://www.blm.gov/national-conservation-lands...
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	7 members
Terminated This FY	No	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	Assistant Field Manager for Non-Renewable Resources
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix
Current Charter Date	4/3/2006	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Tom
Date Of Renewal Charter		Designated Federal Officer Middle Name
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Schnell
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix
Specific Termination Authority	Executive Order 13875 "Evaluating and Improving the Utility of Federal Advisory Committees"	Designated Federal Officer Phone*	(928) 348-4420
Establishment Authority*	Statutory (Congress Created)	Designated Federal Officer Fax*	(928) 348-4450
Specific Establishment Authority*	16 U.S.C. 460	Designated Federal Officer Email*	tom_schnell@blm.gov
Effective Date Of Authority*	11/28/2004
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	Non Scientific Program Advisory Board

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Continue
Legislation to Terminate Required	Not Applicable
Legislation Status	Not Applicable
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	The Committee did not meet in Fiscal Year 2024, and hasn't met since 2006. The Gila Box Advisory Committee met, as scheduled by the BLM Safford Field Office, to discuss ongoing projects within the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area (RNCA). They were briefed by managers and staff at these meetings and sometimes taken on a field tour to view specific projects. The BLM welcomed comments and suggestions from the Committee.
How is membership balanced?*	As directed by Congress, the committee include four members with natural and/or cultural resource expertise and three members with political affiliations. Resources represented include watershed, hydrology, fish and wildlife, environmental education, cultural resources and recreation. Politically affiliated positions include the Governor's representative, Greenlee County representative, and Graham County representative. See the attched membership list for committee members (all are technically expired due to the expiration of the Charter).
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	The BLM goal was to host 1-2 meetings per year. This is determined by (a) the need for updates from BLM to the Committee, (b) the need for input from the Committee to the BLM, and (c) requests from the committee to discuss a specific topic or view an ongoing project. The Committee was very active during its early years when they provided great support to the preparation of the Gila Box Management Plan. During the implementation phase, there has been much less input. The issues of the past two years have been the inability to get vacant positions filled. The Charter is currently expired and will need to be renewed and new members appointed before meetings can be held. There isn't much community interest in the committee and it is hard to solicit applications.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	The Committee was mandated by Congress when it created the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area as part of the Arizona Desert Wilderness Act of 1990. Congress specified the cross-section of member backgrounds and regional views to increase public input and advise to the BLM on the Gila Box Management Plan. Advisory Committee members are active in various fields and represent a good mix of the resource expertise needed to provide input on the Gila Box. This regional input is helpful to balance local issues and concerns and ensure the area is managed an developed for its resource values. The fact that the Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public enables the BLM to reach a larger segment of interested publics than can be done with limited staff and budget locally; community turnout at the meetings in generally very low though. Unfortunately, interest in Committee participation has also been low. Sometimes, a Call for Nominations must be issued twice before enough qualified candidates submit applications to fill vacant positions. Each time, the BLM must publish a Federal Register notice which costs additional money. In the past several years, the value of this investment in relation to the input we receive has been discussed.Also, the same type of committee was required by Congress for the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, which is also within our District. That committee has not been active for at least nine years and there has been no pressure to re-energize it. There needs to be a consistent approach so that both committees are handled the same.
Why close or partially close meetings?	Meetings are not closed; all are open to the public. They are well advertised via the Federal Register and, locally, through newspaper and radio stations. All meetings include a public comment period on the agenda.
Recommendation Remarks	No meeting were held in FY 2025. Committee is currently inactive.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	No	Action Reorganize Priorities*	No
Outcome Trust In Government	Yes	Action Reallocate Resources	No
Outcome Major Policy Changes	No	Action Issued New Regulations	No
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	No	Action Proposed Legislation	No
Outcome Effective Grant Making	No	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	No	Action Other	No
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	No	Action Comment	The majority of recommendations were part of the Management Plan and involved overall management of the area and need for future projects.
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	Yes	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	No	Number Of Grants Reviewed	0
Outcome Comment	The Committee did not meet this Fiscal Year.	Number Of Grants Recommended	0
Cost Savings*	Unable to Determine	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended	$0.00
Cost Savings Comment	The Committee did not meet this Fiscal Year.	Grants Review Comment	N/A
Number Of Recommendations*	100	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	The Committee did not meet this Fiscal Year.	Access Agency Website	No
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	100.00%	Access Committee Website	No
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	100% of the Committees consensus-driven recommendations became part of the Plan. 98% of the decisions made in the Plan were a result of recommendations made by the Committee; two items did not reach full agreement and the Committee failed to make a recommendation on these two. In this case, implementation meant that the recommendations were incorporated in the Final Management Plan. The Safford Field Office is still implementating this Plan so not all actions resulting from those recommendation have been implemented but will be completed during the life of the Plan given adequate levels of future funding and staffing.	Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	0.00%	Access Publications	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	The two issues that did not reach consensus in the Committee had opposing viewpoints within the Committee, forcing the BLM to make those decisions. Therefore, these two were not formal recommendations of the Committee. The BLM decision, on these two topics, represented the viewpoints expressed through the Committee, but there was no agreement within the Committee. The BLM incorporated all the formal recommendations of the Committee into the Management Plan.	Access Other	No
Agency Feedback*	Yes	Access Comment	No meetings were held this Fiscal Year. Meeting minutes are available to the public within 30 days following meetings. The public is invited to attend all committee meetings via publicity in local newspapers and a period of time is available for public comments at each meeting.
Agency Feedback Comment*	The Committee did not meet this Fiscal Year. During Gila Box Advisory Committee meetings, BLM managers and staff provide updates on the status of projects and decisions made in the Plan.	Narrative Description*	No meetings were held this Fiscal Year, and the Committee hasn't met since 2006. The Advisory Committee was established by Congress to provide public input to the BLM's management of the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area.

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*	$0.00	1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*	$0.00
2. Payments to Federal Members*	$0.00	2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*	$0.00
3. Payments to Federal Staff*	$126.09	3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*	$135.00
4. Payments to Consultants*	$0.00	4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*	$0.00
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*	$0.00	5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*	$0.00
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*	$0.00	6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*	$0.00
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*	$0.00	7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*	$0.00
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*	$0.00	8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*	$0.00
10. Other Costs	$0.00	10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*	$0.00
11. Total Costs	$126.09	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$135.00
Date Cost Last Modified	4/23/2025 2:41 PM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*	0.01
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*	0.01	Est Cost Remarks
Cost Remarks	The Advisory Committee is administratively inactive and did not meet in FY 2025. Federal staff supports costs incurred preparing and reviewing the FY 2025 Annual Comprehensive Review.

Interest Areas

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