NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: November 3, 2003 CA-N-04-9
Contact: Eric Ritter (530) 224-2100 or Jeff Fontana (530) 252-5332

BLM RELEASES DRAFT PLAN FOR SWASEY DRIVE PUBLIC LANDS
Public Meeting Set for November 19

The U. S. Bureau of Land Management has released for public review and comment a draft management plan and environmental assessment for public lands in the Swasey Drive area west of Redding.

The documents describe proposed recreation uses and resource protection measures for the two-square-mile area that includes lands designated by the BLM as an "Area of Critical Environmental Concern."

Copies of the draft plan will be mailed to requesters. It is also available by contacting the BLM Redding Field Office, 355 Hemsted Dr., Redding, CA 96101, or by calling the office at 224-2100. The draft plan and EA are available on the Redding Field Office homepage at www.ca.blm.gov/redding. Written comments will be accepted by the Redding Field Office by Monday, Dec. 8.

Anyone interested can also provide comments at a public meeting set for Wednesday, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m. in the Conference Room of the BLM Redding Field Office.

The plan describes several alternatives. All emphasize the need to protect vestiges of early human uses and historic mining in the area while providing recreation opportunities such as hiking, mountain biking, hunting, and off-road vehicle use.
Under the preferred alternative, the BLM would allow off highway vehicles on designated roads and trails, and would develop trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. Interpretive signs and kiosks would be developed to help people learn more about early Native American uses and history of the area. Vehicles would be kept out of heritage resource and historical sites, and steps would be taken to minimize soil erosion.

The proposed action also calls for closing the area at night. It allows for maintaining an existing target shooting area for two years, then closing the range, preferably when a new shooting range is developed in the Redding area. Hunting would be allowed, even after the range closure.
"In developing this draft plan, we listened to concerns and comments from people who use the Swasey Drive public lands and from people who live nearby," said Chuck Schultz, manager of the BLM Redding Field Office. "We believe the proposed alternative will provide for protection of heritage and historic resources, provide for a variety of recreation uses, and address public safety concerns."

-BLM-

Redding Field Office 355 Hemsted Drive Redding, CA 96101