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Crook County natural resources program outlines liaison role, limited staffing and priority areas
Summary
Tim DeBooth, Crook County natural resources program lead, described the program’s origin, advisory structure and core activities — liaison work with federal and state land managers, monitoring rule makings, and rapid response on wildfire, water and grazing issues — noting the program operates with roughly half of a full‑time equivalent and aims to keep the county ahead of public‑notice deadlines.
Tim DeBooth, Crook County natural resources program lead, told commissioners the program was created after the county adopted a natural resources policy in 2017 and staffed in 2018 to advance local interests on public and federal land management.
"The purpose of the program is to advance the county's adopted policy of 2017," DeBooth said, explaining the office acts as a liaison with federal and state land managers and produces white‑paper management options for the commission.
Why it matters: DeBooth framed the office as the county’s point of contact for issues that affect local access, the economy and quality of life — topics that include forest management, water and grazing. He said the program champions coordination defined in statutes such as the National Environmental Policy Act and other federal planning laws and aims to protect the county’s "custom and culture" in land‑use decisions.
What the program does: DeBooth listed recurring responsibilities: representing Crook County on regional collaboratives, tracking state and federal rulemakings and planning documents, convening public input, supporting an 11‑member Natural Resources Advisory Committee, and advising commissioners on required responses. "We can't force them to do anything, but being at the table gives the county the opportunity to... negotiate changes that need to be made," he said.
Staffing and timing: DeBooth said the function is run with about a half FTE and a lean budget, and he emphasized the difficulty of meeting some public‑notice timelines. The program tries to work ahead of statutory public‑notice windows, which DeBooth said can be as short as 45 days.
Partnerships and scope: He named federal partners (Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior), state agencies and a broad list of local collaborators. The office also provides support to the county’s grazing advisory board and engages on wildfire response and NEPA project reviews.
Next steps: Staff will incorporate feedback from today’s presentation into updated core service descriptions and include the natural resources entry in the commission’s package due in January 2026.
