Secretary Salazar Appoints Members to the U.S.Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Committee

WASHINGTON – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today appointed 21 primary and 20 alternate members to an advisory committee that will guide and oversee implementation of the United States Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (USEITI). Convened under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the committee will serve as the initial USEITI Multi-Stakeholder Group and includes representatives from federal and state government agencies, companies and public stakeholders. The names of those appointed to the Committee can be found at the USEITI web site at: www.doi.gov/eiti.

“Today marks another significant step in USEITI implementation, and underscores the Administration's continued commitment to lead by example in promoting global transparency and accountability under the Open Government Partnership,” said Secretary Salazar, who serves as the senior U.S. official designated by the President in September 2011 to oversee USEITI implementation. “I look forward to working with this group in the new year as we work to forge open governments and institutions that are accountable to the people.”

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative is a voluntary, global effort designed to increase transparency, strengthen the accountability of natural resource revenue reporting, and build public trust for the governance of these vital activities. Participating countries publicly disclose revenues received by the government for oil, gas, and mining development, while companies make corresponding disclosures regarding these same payments to the government, and both sets of data are reviewed and reconciled by a mutually agreed upon independent third party. Results are then released in a public report.

The design of each nation's EITI reporting requirements is country-specific and developed jointly by a Multi-Stakeholder Group comprised of members of the public, government, and companies through a multi-year, consensus-based process. The USEITI Advisory Committee will serve as the initial Multi-Stakeholder Group for USEITI implementation.

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