BLM Grand Junction accepting comments on 12 Special Recreation Permits

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.—The Bureau of Land Management Grand Junction Field Office is accepting public comment on 12 Special Recreation Permit (SRP) applications from September 30 through October 31, 2006. Seven of these applications are new proposals, and all 12 SRP applications are available for review at 2815 H Road in Grand Junction. The BLM requires SRPs for commercial activities, as well as for competitive and organized group events, on BLM public lands.

“We are seeking comments from the public on such issues as compliance history, potential conflicts with other users, and health and safety,” SRP Administrator Andy Windsor said. “Comments can also help us determine whether these SRPs support Bureau objectives in recreation management and resource protection.”

Commercial SRP applications for 2007 currently available for public comment are:
Renewing an existing permit:
1. Colorado Backcountry Biker: mountain bike hut system
2. Telluride Academy: climbing and camping
3. Gateway Canyons Resort: kayaking, guided hiking, heritage tours
4. Catfish Canoe Company: river shuttles, river equipment rental and delivery
5. Biggerstaff Guides and Outfitters: lion hunting

New proposals:
1. Trophy Class Outfitters: big game hunting
2. Sky Mesa Aviation: scenic flights
3. Monarch Center for Family Healing: wilderness therapy
4. Rocky Mountain Adventures: mountain biking
5. Outpost Wilderness Adventure: mountain biking
6. Elite Motorcycle Tours: motorcycle tours
7. Innernature: wilderness therapy

The BLM uses a permit system for managing economic aspects of recreation, and to ensure sustainable and diverse recreational opportunities for all visitors. Supporting local economies and providing quality recreation experiences for the public by making public lands available for these activities is integral to BLM’s management objectives. Not only does the BLM collect “fair value” on behalf of the public when any of these types of activities take place on public lands, but the Bureau also manages commercial recreation to protect the natural resources that make recreation on public lands desirable.

For more information on these SRP applications, or to find out whether or not your activity on public lands requires an SRP, contact Andy Windsor at (970) 244-3044 or andy_windsor@blm.gov.

-BLM-