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801RomanSpeedo"âÈ*Œ,†Zhÿÿÿÿÿÿªÿÿÿÿÿÿ^:KN³uÛ¿:YYuÂ:M:?uuuuuuuuuu??ÂÂÂr峟¥¼£¼¿Yf­•ݳ¼¼³€™¿²å³²¦L?Léuur|f€sLr€@>y?¿€€~YYK€iggeuuuéñu:uuuuuuu!uuuuuuu>³r³r³r³r³rô´¥f£s£s£s£sY@Y@Y@Y@³€¼¼¼¼¿€¿€¿€¿€²g³r¼€¼¼²g€Œ€³r³r³r¥f¥f¥f¥f¼€£s£s£s£s¼r¼r¼r¼r¼r¼r¿€¿€Y@Y@Y@Y@´~f>­y•?•`•?Ðy•?³€³ ³€³€¼¼þͳY³Y³Y€Y€Y€Y€Y™m™K™K¿€¿€¿€¿€¿€¿€å²g¦e¦e¦e¼€•?³€³Y€Y™K²g²gÝ ¼¿€£sY@@¼/uuuu/ééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééééN ‰uuKruuuœ¸uV_ººuM`€€ºM:mmuéHH·éuu¿·éÅɃ…éé:mºººººº<éM«¿¿ÍÍÍ|§ÝʘuÂÂééååååhÂÂÂÂÂ'uÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂééuuéuŒŒŒŒL€ÂÂLLu¯ÂyŠŠŠ•éŸ‡‚Š™oe‡²r…žšk²–²‡e‡²`‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡eeeeeee‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡.º ¼(r”$¡¡Ô€ X\*X» ¼ÔÔ€XM\XX X\*ÔÑXXÑÑXXÑÓ  ÓÑ  Ñ ˜Lexmark Optra Rx,ä,,,,,ä0*4\L  p`†0Dutch 801RomanSpeedoÔ¨©@cNc,,¼c£´þÿþÿþÿþÿþÿþÿþÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿþÿÿÿþÿþÿÿÿþÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿþÿþÿþÿþÿþÿþÿÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ(ÖÃ9 Z‹(Times New Roman †|Z*áÝ ƒ ”!ÝÔ€ X»RX» ¼ÔÔ€XõXX X»RÔÑX°ÑÑX°ÑÓ  ÓÑ  ÑÝ  ÝÔ_ÔUnited€States€Department€of€Agriculture€Ð X ÐForest€Service€Washington€OfficeÌÌReply€to€1620/1300à€L(#àDate:€July€12,€1994ˆÐ Ä ÐÌSubject:€€Federal€Advisory€Committee€Act€(Ô_ÔFACAÔ_Ô)ÌÌà  àTo:à0 ` àRegional€Foresters,€Station€Directors,€Area€Directors,€Ô_ÔIITFÔ_Ô€Director,€WO€StaffÐ Ìt ÐDirectorsÐ ` (#` (# ÐÌThe€Federal€Advisory€Committee€Act€(Ô_ÔFACAÔ_Ô)€was€designed€to€help€"level€the€playing€field,"€to€keepÏindividuals€or€groups€from€getting€special€treatment€from€the€Federal€government,€and€to€help€ensureÏequal€access€for€all.€€The€Federal€Advisory€Committee€Act€regulates€the€interactions€between€FederalÏand€non„Federal€entities€and€the€manner€in€which€we€obtain€advice€or€recommendations€aboutÏpending€decisions.ÌÌI€don't€think€any€of€us€can€fault€the€intent€of€this€law.€€We€are€in€the€business€of€making€public€policyÏand€for€that€reason,€we€need€to€be€open,€fair,€and€balanced€in€all€of€our€relationships.ÌÌIn€some€cases,€complying€with€Ô_ÔFACAÔ_Ô€will€require€us€to€adjust€how€we€involve€the€public€in€ourÏprograms.€€In€almost€all€cases,€it's€not€what€we€do€but€how€we€do€it€that€could€create€problems.€€NoÏmatter€what,€I€expect€that€you€will€continue€€to€practice€good€public€involvement€and€to€obey€theÏlaw.€€I€want€you€to€follow€some€public€involvement€principles€in€your€work:ÌÌà0  àMake€It€Timely.€€The€process€allows€enough€time€for€the€public€to€participate€fully,€withÏenough€advance€notice€for€all€activities€and€crucial€points€in€the€process.Ð (#(# ÐÌà0  àMake€Your€Process€"Free."€€Make€sure€the€public€is€able€to€participate€at€minimum€cost€andÏcommitment€of€time,€while€meeting€your€public€involvement€objectives.Ð (#(# ÐÌà0  àEmphasize€Fairness.€€Participants€agree€that€the€process€is€fair,€and€that€all€views€offered€areÏconsidered.Ð (#(# ÐÌà0  àPractice€Openness.€€Dialogue€is€welcome€and€facilitated€among€all€interests.€€Anyone€whoÏwishes€to€participate€can.€€Information€to€the€public€(documents,€etc.)€is€accessible€to€all€andÏis€in€language€that€people€can€understand.Ð (#(# ÐÌà0  àMake€Involvement€Early€and€Continuous.€€The€public€is€involved€from€the€beginning€to€theÏend,€and€relationships€are€built€over€the€long€term.Ð (#(# ÐÌà0  àMake€it€Tangible.€€Results€of€the€public's€input€are€clearly€demonstrated€and€the€publicÏunderstands€how€public€involvement€affected€the€decision€or€outcome.Ð (#(# ÐÌInteractions€with€non„Federal€individuals€or€groups€may,€if€not€properly€structured,€cause€you€toÏviolate€the€committee„formation€requirements€of€Ô_ÔFACAÔ_Ô.€€Follow€the€above„listed€principles€for€goodÏpublic€involvement,€and€look€carefully€at€all€your€activities.€€Make€sure€you€are€not€offering€someÏgroups€better€access€than€others.€€At€the€same€time,€it€is€important€to€remain€mindful€of€the€valueÏof€public,€State,€and€local€government€individual€input€as€an€effective€method€for€educating€FederalÏâ âÔ_ÔdecisionmakersÔ_Ô.€€Remember€though,€Federal€officials€generally€retain€all€Ô_ÔdecisionmakingÔ_ÔÐ ˜.@,0 Ðresponsibility,€which€under€the€Constitution€and€current€statutory€authority€cannot€be€delegated€orÏshared€outside€the€Federal€government.Ìâ âÌThe€scope€of€Ô_ÔFACAÔ_Ô€is€broad.€€Just€looking€at€a€single€factor€such€as€membership,€the€frequency€ofÏmeetings,€or€the€composition€of€groups€may€not€tell€you€if€your€activity€is€going€to€present€aÏproblem.ÌÌSince€the€application€of€Ô_ÔFACAÔ_Ô€hinges€on€the€particular€facts€of€each€situation,€you€should€contactÏyour€regional€or€WO€Ô_ÔFACAÔ_Ô€coordinator€and€the€Office€of€General€Counsel€(Ô_ÔOGCÔ_Ô)€if€you€have€anyÏquestions€or€need€advice.€€They€can€tell€you€the€requirements€for€an€advisory€committee,€and€howÏto€create€a€committee€or€expand€the€role€of€an€existing€one.€€Each€region€should€establish€a€regionalÏÔ_ÔFACAÔ_Ô€coordinator€if€there€isn't€one€already.€€This€person€should€work€closely€with€the€Region'sÏÔ_ÔOGCÔ_Ô€representative.ÌÌI€have€attached€some€guidelines€and€questions€and€answers€to€help€your€overall€understanding€ofÏÔ_ÔFACAÔ_Ô.€€Val€Chambers,€Washington€Office€Public€Affairs€(V.Chambers:W01B),€is€replacing€GordonÏMeyer€as€the€new€WO€Ô_ÔFACAÔ_Ô€Coordinator€and€is€another€resource€for€you.ÌÌI€hope€you€will€bear€with€us€as€we€continue€to€work€with€the€Department€of€Justice€and€Ô_ÔOGCÔ_Ô€onÏsome€areas€of€Ô_ÔFACAÔ_Ô€that€need€some€legal€clarification.€€In€the€meantime,€it's€important€that€we€asÏConservation€Leaders€for€the€21st€Century€continue€to€obey€the€law,€and€to€practice€the€principlesÏof€good€public€involvement.ÌÌ/s/€Jack€Ward€ThomasÌÌJack€Ward€ThomasÌChiefÌÌAttachmentsÌÔ_ÔFACAÔ_Ô€GuidelinesÌQuestions€and€AnswersÌÌcc:ÌV.€ChambersÌJ.€Ô_ÔCaplanÔ_ÔÌS.€Yonts„ShepardÌÔ_ÔOGCÔ_ÔÌJ.€PerryÌREGIONAL€ATTORNEYSññÌÌÌÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àññÐ  )¸&* ÐATTACHMENT€1ÌÌà@~~/ìàÔ_ÔFACAÔ_Ô€GUIDELINESˆÌÌLook€at€all€your€interactions€with€non„Federal€individuals€or€groups€for€possible€problems€withÏÔ_ÔFACAÔ_Ô.€€Also,€consider€the€"totality€of€circumstances,"€which€could€violate€the€committee„formationÏrequirements€of€Ô_ÔFACAÔ_Ô,€such€as€the€purpose€of€any€meeting,€who€attends,€whether€consensual€inputÏfrom€participants€is€an€objective€or€result,€frequency€of€meetings,€etc.€€However,€there€are€situationsÏwhere€you€are€much€less€likely€to€need€a€charted€advisory€committee:ÌÌà  à1.€€òòOccasional€Meetings€with€External€Organizationsóó.€€These€include€unsolicited€requestsÐ  8  Ðfrom€organizations€and€individuals€whose€main€purpose€€is€to€present€the€Forest€Service€their€viewsÏon€a€particular€matter.ÌÌIf€the€Forest€Service€calls€such€meetings,€we€should€do€so€in€an€open€manner€where€everybody€isÏwelcome€to€attend,€and€reaching€consensus€is€not€the€aim€of€the€meeting.€€However,€a€series€ofÏmeetings€with€the€same€people,€particularly€if€one€group€becomes€a€preferred€source€of€information,Ïcould€violate€the€committee€formation€requirements€of€Ô_ÔFACAÔ_Ô.ÌÌNote€that€a€single€meeting€to€discuss€a€particular€topic€is€not€likely€to€be€a€problem,€as€having€aÏseries€of€somewhat€regularly€scheduled€meetings.ÌÌHowever,€the€Forest€Service€may€hold€a€series€of€focus€groups,€fora,€or€roundtable€discussions€toÏlisten€to€people's€individual€views.€€These€sessions€must€be€open€and€structured€in€such€a€way€as€toÏget€a€wide€variety€of€viewpoints€instead€of€consensus€among€groups,€as€in€the€Delphi€process.ÌÌAny€meeting€requested€by€outside€organizations€or€individuals€where€the€Forest€Service€is€promotingÏor€funding€the€activity,€or€is€in€some€way€controlling€the€meeting,€is€more€likely€to€requireÏcompliance€with€the€committee€formation€requirements€of€Ô_ÔFACAÔ_Ô.ÌÌÔ% € Ôà  à2.€€òòMeetings€with€Individualsóó.€€A€single€meeting€between€an€individual€and€a€Forest€ServiceÐ ¨ Ðemployee€for€the€purpose€of€exchanging€information€and€viewpoints€would€not€be€a€problem.ÌÌà@jj+ìà(There€is€no€section€3)ˆÌÌà  à4.€òòPublic€meetingsóó.€€Public€or€town€meetings€that€are€open€to€all€are€generally€not€a€problem.€Ð œ"D # ÐThe€meeting€should€be€widely€advertised€and€should€provide€an€opportunity€for€the€public€to€submitÏwritten€and€verbal€comments.€€Again,€federal€employees€should€not€conduct€or€use€public€meetingsÏto€develop€consensual€advice€from€groups.€€Under€no€circumstances€should€Ô_ÔFACAÔ_Ô€be€cited€as€aÏreason€not€to€attend€an€òòadóó€òòhocóó€meeting€with€a€group€of€concerned€citizens.Ð L&ô#' ÐÌà  à5.€€òòPermit€and€Contract€Administrationóó.€€Meetings€with€Ô_ÔpermitteesÔ_Ô€and€contractorsÐ $(Ì%) Ðconcerning€routine€matters€directly€related€to€the€particular€permit€or€contract€are€normally€not€aÏproblem.€€Ô_ÔFACAÔ_Ô€considerations€would€arise€if€the€meetings€were€used€for€broader€input€on€generalÏmatters€of€policy€or€management€that€may€affect€the€permit€and/or€contract€relationship.