The BLM Anchorage Field Office has released the Proposed Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Bay planning area in southwest Alaska. The Bay Proposed RMP/Final EIS will provide management guidance for 1.9 million acres of BLM-administered public land and resources in the Bristol Bay and Goodnews Bay areas of Alaska.

When the BLM initiated land use planning for this area in 2004, BLM-administered lands in the region totaled 3.6 million acres. Due to land transfer to the State and Alaska Native corporations, the BLM now manages 1.9 million acres in this region.

A 30-day protest period for the Bay Proposed RMP/Final EIS began December 14, 2007, the date the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The protest period ended January 14, 2008. 

During this period, the BLM received five protest letters cumulatively containing approximately 50 issues. The BLM is now addressing those issues. Upon resolution of protest responses, the BLM will prepare the Bay Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan.

Use the links below to learn more about protest procedures or to access the document online.

• December 7, 2007, press release and instructions regarding protest procedures.
• Bay Proposed RMP and Final EIS in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.
• Bay Draft RMP and EIS (September 2006) in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.
• How you can participate in BLM land use planning.
• Bay RMP-EIS Newsletter No. 1 May 2006 in Adobe PDF format (424 KB)
• Bay RMP-EIS Newsletter No. 2 April 2007 in Adobe PDF format (351 KB)
• Bay RMP-EIS Scoping Report June 2005 in Adobe PDF format (1,180 KB)
• Notice of Intent December 2004 in Adobe PDF format
• Summary of 1982 Southwest MFP for the Goodnews Bay Area in Adobe PDF format (85 KB) 

For more information about the Bay RMP/EIS or to request a copy of the plan on CD, contact the BLM at (907) 267-1246 or (800) 478-1263.