For Immediate Release: March 13, 2006

Contacts:

Mel Lloyd: (970) 244-3097

BLM Grand Junction updates Special Recreation Permit policy

GRAND JUNCTION, CO—The Bureau of Land Management Grand Junction Field Office has issued an updated Special Recreation Permit (SRP) policy, which will guide commercial operations as well as competitive and organized group events on BLM public lands administered by the BLM Grand Junction Field Office and McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area (NCA). The BLM requires SRPs and uses them to manage commercial recreation to ensure a sustainable, quality experience for the public and the diverse recreational opportunities they desire. The last SRP policy was signed in 1995 and focused mainly on upland big game outfitters.

“The updated policy is a tool to not only help us administer all SRPs more consistently but also to use in communicating BLM’s expectations to both existing and potential permittees,” BLM Park Ranger Andy Windsor said. “Multiple-use activities requiring SRPs have grown astronomically in the past 10 years, and the updated policy reflects changes in the use of public lands.”

The new policy ensures consistency in the administration of all SRPs administered by the BLM Grand Junction Field Office, McInnis Canyons NCA, as well as the Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness. Updates incorporate revisions made to both the BLM national and state SRP policies.

The BLM uses a permit system for managing economic aspects of recreation as well as ensuring compliance with resource management goals and objectives. The BLM is required to collect “fair value” on behalf of the public when any of these types of activities take place on public lands. The Bureau works to support local economies by making public lands available for these activities, while managing commercial recreation to protect natural resources that make recreation on public lands possible.

For more information on applying for an SRP, or to find out whether or not your activity on public lands requires an SRP, go to the BLM Grand Junction website at www.co.blm.gov/gjra/srp.htm, or contact Andy Windsor at 970-244-3044 or andy_windsor@blm.gov.

-BLM-