RIEC Decision Index 2003-2002

2004-Current | 2003-2002 | 2001 | Meeting Agendas and Notes

November 5, 2003

• Topic: RIEC members accepted the draft updated Northwest Forest Plan display map and requested that the final map be presented at the next IAC meeting. 

October 2, 2003

• Topic:  The new regional Memorandum of Understanding for the Northwest Forest Plan was signed by most executives at the meeting and all signatures were completed by October 6, 2003.
• Topic:  The RIEC agreed to focus the next Northwest Natural Resources Executive Forum on Recovery issues (such as planning and implementation issues, specific issues such as salmon, etc.). 
• Topic:  The RIEC agreed to pursue evaluating several potential improvements to the Northwest Forest Plan implementation.

August 5, 2003

• Topic: REO 2004 Budget - Approved; additional follow-up needed on GIS/IT issues and Monitoring budgets 

April 1, 2003

• No decisions

March 11, 2003

• Topic: Preview of April 1, 2003 IAC
  • The RIEC concurred with the draft IAC meeting agenda as discussed. The goal is to present the IAC with an overarching concept, sharing briefings and presentations, and look for advice on the overall direction for the MOU.
• Topic: Northwest Natural Resources Forum
  • The initial forum should be small, without pre-briefs, encourage information exchange, include broad issues like and involve non-NWFP agencies and their research components (e.g. Bureau of Reclamation and the Bonneville Power Administration). Meeting could involve field trips. Possible outcomes from the first meeting could include a future meeting with the states, tribes and others. Operational details will have to be worked out. It was agreed the presenters should identify the participants for the forum.
• Topic: AMA Interpretive Guidance Assignment
  • RIEC agreed to focus on the #3 option: Encourage PIECs to utilize the new delegation criteria to utilize a much broader interpretation of the AMA S&Gs to allow for more innovative activity in AMAs within their respective provinces and more community involvement and participation. Local Federal land administrators could use the criteria to propose explicitly less stringent S&Gs, and/or increased use of the Research Exemptions for research activities specifically designed to test assumptions and hypotheses of the current S&Gs. In addition, the RIEC agreed to monitor and re-evaluate this decision after the EISs are done; to re-examine this discussion in 12 months; further discussions within REO.
• Topic: FY 03 Agency MOU for Budget Exceptions
  • Provide authorization for signature if you are able to participate and close this issue as of April 1, 2003.

February 12, 2003

• Topic: Managing & Protecting Northwest Forest Plan Records
  • The RIEC unanimously agreed to delegate the authority to determine records ownership for REO's NWFP records to the REO Executive Director and to have the REO move forward on the other recommendations as outlined in the meeting's prework materials.
• Topic: Future RIEC Meetings Schedule
  • Notwithstanding past practice, REO is not responsible for preparing agenda, prework materials, or notes for meetings of RIEC subunits (e.g., Core Group or subcommittees)
  • RIEC will revisit these issues and re-assess its meetings schedule prior to June 2003;
  • - the following schedule modifications would be made to the RIEC's 2003 meetings calendar:

    March 11 - Change the meeting from a NWNRF to a regular RIEC business meeting (with subcommittee meetings if needed)
    April 1 - Keep this date scheduled for a RIEC meeting followed by an IAC meeting
    May 13 - Cancel this meeting date
    June 3 - Keep this date scheduled as an NWNRF meeting

January 7, 2003

• Topic: Executive Session on Future Organizational Support Structure & Operations
  • Near Term/REO Leadership Transitional Needs: The RIEC selected Near-Term Option 3 as laid out in the prework materials, which calls for appointing an interim Acting REO Director. The RIEC also expressed a preference for using a long-term detail to fill the position, which should be graded as a GS-15 with an opportunity for a temporary promotion and pay raise to the extent permissible. The interim position would likely start in late February or early March and continue through execution of the new MOU (scheduled for October 2003).
  • Mid- and long-term: The RIEC confirmed that the workgroup was heading in the correct direction and provided some feedback on the work products presented, as described above. The RIEC also decided to recommend that an ISC meeting be scheduled for May or June 2003.
• Topic: Science Findings of Potential Significance to the NWFP
  • The RIEC directed the REO to work with the RMG and research agency executives on preparing a presentation of recent research findings for the agenda of the next IAC meeting.

December 4, 2002

• Topic: Potential Future Staffing and Support Options
  -- maintaining a co-located office while transitioning (at least until 10/19/03)
  -- wanting the RIEC to be "highly substantive" as defined in the pre-work
  -- envisioning that the RIEC would require a moderate level of staff support

  Follow-up actions/decisions:
  -- begin the development of the new MOU and determine if it can be signed locally
  -- determine the purpose level and staff support needed for the IAC, subgroups, and other entities
  -- determine if there is a more cost effective and efficient way to accomplish at least some of the tasks and service provided by the REO
  -- explore options for meeting the near term when the Executive Director position is vacant
  -- collect advice and comments from the IAC on their preferences. 

October 8, 2002

• The executives have agreed to keep each other abreast of the latest information concerning potential improvements to the NWFP... 
• The RIEC voiced support for the proposed communication and operational enhancements and indicated that they appreciated the increased and more frequent flow of information to IAC members facilitated by the liaison. The RIEC encouraged the REO to continue to pursue the proposed enhancements, but with a reminder that the future role of IAC will depend largely upon the future role and structure of the RIEC and REO. As a result, discussions as to future IAC operations should be conducted in the broader context of potential changes to the organizational structure supporting the NWFP. With respect to the September RIEC/IAC meeting, one REIC member shared that subsequent conversations with IAC members indicated that the IAC members felt that they had been heard. Several RIEC members noted the importance of continued opportunities for candid discussion with the IAC. ...The REO should continue to proceed with implementing the proposed reforms and enhancements described above, but commitments as to their complete and/or more permanent adoption should not be made until the completion of the ongoing deliberations concerning the future of the broader NWFP supporting organizational structure.

September 10, 2002

• Topic: Proposal to Delegate Certain S&M-related Review Responsibilities to the IMG
  • The RIEC unanimously concurred with the proposal presented to delegate the authority and responsibility to conduct all necessary reviews of the S&M-related actions or products set forth above to the IMG, working in conjunction with the REO's S&M Liaison.
• Topic: Potential Future Options for NWFP Supporting Organizational Structure
  • The RIEC concluded that REO should prepare and include in the prework materials for the October 2002 RIEC meeting a document that sets forth the fundamental categories of options for the future roles of RIEC and REO and, for each, and in very broad terms, describes pros and cons, the process to effectuate, and, relative costs of effectuation.
• Topic: Proposed REO FY'03 Budget
  • The RIEC provided unanimous concurrence with the proposal to support a waiver from interagency surcharges for all member agencies and, consequently, directed the REO to prepare a RIEC MOU for executives' signatures. The RIEC also generally lent its support to the proposal for REO to have a "flat-line" budget for FY03, at least at this juncture, meaning that each agency will contribute the same allocation as that provided for FY02.

August 30, 2002

• None (training session)

June 21, 2002

• Topic: Options for Northwest Forest Plan Supporting Organizational Structure
  • The RIEC approved the Draft Concept Paper on the NWFP's supporting organizational structure subject to one change, but decided to take no further action on the matter at this time;
  • The RIEC agreed on responses to several major items of non-Federal IAC input on the future roles, logistics, and operations of the committee received during the May 2002 IAC meeting;
  • The RIEC decided to move forward with plans to implement its pending proposal to reduce to three the number of full IAC meetings a year, subject to the provisos set forth above; and
  • The RIEC postponed the next RIEC/IAC meeting from August 1 to September 10, 2002.
• Topic: Managing Transition to New RIEC Co-Chairs
  • The REO should schedule and make preparations for a RIEC meeting to be held sometime in mid-to-late August that focuses primarily on NWFP orientation and RIEC transition issues.
  • The new BLM OR/WA State Director, Elaine Marquis-Brong, will take over the duties of RIEC and IAC Chair from Elaine Zielinski upon her departure through the end of her current term, which runs through the end of the Fiscal Year. The committee opted to allow for more discussion about how the Chair will be assigned in future years, but noted the present practice would provide for the Chair to shift back over to the Region 6 Regional Forester for FY03.
• Topic: Putting Adaptive Management Into Practice - Proposed Process for RIEC Consideration and Utilization of New Science Information from Multiple Sources
  • The RIEC concurred with the new science information process and revised narrative description as presented.
  • The RIEC agreed that the Research Agency Executives should take the lead in bringing new science findings from research activities to the RIEC;
  • The RIEC agreed that the Interagency Monitoring Program Manager should take the lead and work with the AMA Regional Coordinator to identify new information from the AMA network and Monitoring Program activities for potential presentation to the RIEC.
• Topic: Monitoring Matters: Tribal Monitoring in 2002/Approval of Northern Spotted Owl (NSO) Review Team Charter
  • With respect to Tribal Monitoring, the RIEC delegated responsibility for implementation decisions through the end of 2002 to the MPM. With respect to Northern Spotted Owl monitoring, RIEC approved the NSO monitoring review team charter presented.

May 2, 2002

• Topic: Putting Adaptive Management Into Practice - Proposed Process for RIEC's Consideration and Utilization of New Information from Multiple Sources
  • The RIEC decided to take Elaine up on her offer to have BLM staff produce another, simpler iteration of a proposed process for the RIEC's consideration and utilization of new information, to be presented for concurrence at the next RIEC meeting.
• Topic: Concrete Proposal for RIEC Meetings Schedule Framework
  • The RIEC tentatively concurred with the meetings schedule framework as set forth above subject to the important caveat that it would reserve making a final decision on the schedule and frequency of future IAC meetings until after the May 2002 IAC meeting.

April 2, 2002

• Topic: Putting Adaptive Management into Practice - Proposed Process for the RIEC's Consideration and Utilization of New Information from Multiple Sources
  • The RIEC agreed that REO/RMG staff should make minor modifications to the flowchart depicting the process for the RIEC's consideration and utilization of new information.
  • The RIEC agreed that The process appears to be suitable for dealing with multiple sources of information.
  • The RIEC agreed that Information emanating from research agencies should normally be compiled and evaluated by such agencies prior to evaluation by other agency staff.
  • The RIEC agreed that The delivery of new information to the RIEC should not be constrained to this process.
  • The RIEC agreed that All RIEC members should feel free to continue to bring forward pertinent information in their capacity as members of the executive committee.
• Topic: Updated NWFP Land Allocation Map and Adjustments Process
  • The RIEC concurred with the conceptual foundational premise for the project proffered by the work group as presented at the meeting and in the prework materials.
• Topic: Proposal to Delegate RIEC Survey and Manage Review Responsibilities to REO
  • The RIEC concurred, with one minor adjustment, with the proposal to expressly delegate responsibility to the REO for review of the S&M-related items and products specified above, through formation of a working group to prepare recommended review findings, support and oversight of the reviews, and issuance of final review findings.

March 5, 2002

• Topic: Putting Adaptive Management into Practice
  • The draft letter expressing RIEC support for the Blue River Landscape Management Plan should be finalized and distributed, and include the addition of NMFS and USGS/BRD signatures. Modifications to the proposed process for the RIEC's consideration and utilization of new science findings should be made and a revised process presented for consideration at the April 2002 RIEC meeting. The REO/RMG should continue with developing a proposed framework for cataloging, synthesizing, and presenting new information from multiple sources in light of the input received from RIEC members at the meeting, and present a concrete proposal or options at a future meeting.
• Topic: Survey and Manage Implementation Matters
  • The RIEC delegated review of the initial Strategic Survey Implementation Guide to its S&M Subcommittee (FS, BLM, FWS, and PNW) with recommended review findings to be developed by the IMG (Intermediate Managers Group). USGS-BRD was invited to be on the subcommittee.

February 7, 2002

• No decisions; notes combined with January 22, 2002 below

January 22, 2002

• Topic: Science Findings of Potential Significance to NWFP - Round 2
  • The pilot effort at the Landscape Level (Augusta Creek, Blue River Study) should proceed and this work should be promoted at the current locations.
• Topic: Adaptive Management and Process for Considering New Information
  • The RIEC agreed that the two dimensions of the topic identified above are both appropriate areas for attention. In particular, the Research and Monitoring Group (RMG) was asked to coordinate an examination of alternatives for describing the principal sources and types of new information, and how best to bring it to the attention of relevant agencies.
• Topic: FERC/ACS Long-term Questions and Answers
  • The RIEC concurred with the proposal to provide 30 days to review the interagency work group's final draft document and agreed to distribute it to staff for purposes of this review.
• Topic: CY2001 REO/RMG Annual Accomplishments Report
  • The RIEC asked the REO to continue the tradition of taking the lead in preparing an annual interagency notebook highlighting the background, progress made during the year, and current status of key elements of the NWFP for 2001.
• Topic: Monitoring Issues for Possible IAC Consideration and/or Input
  • The RIEC agreed that the IAC should be utilized as a sounding board and avenue for information exchange about aquatic-riparian monitoring collaboration, but should generally not be considered as the policy-level group to coordinate such efforts. The RIEC also directed that the 5-year IM strategy be presented to the IAC for consideration and feedback at the May 2002 IAC meeting following a review by the Monitoring Program Managers and a briefing presented to the RIEC.