For Immediate Release: January 31, 2008
Contact: John Dow BLM 719-269-8559 or 719-429-6589(cell)
 

BLM MAKES AVAILABLE “OVER THE RIVER”  DESIGN PROPOSAL

CANON CITY, Colo. --- The Royal Gorge Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management has made available the Over the River design proposal at the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Over the River™ link on the BLM’s website: www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/rgfo.html.  The 2000-page proposal seeks permission to create and display a public art project primarily on BLM land in the Arkansas River Valley between Canon City and Salida. Before any decision on the project is made, BLM will complete an Environmental Impact Statement as required by the National Environmental Policy Act.

In June of 2006, BLM requested a detailed design proposal from the project proponent, including plans for engineering and construction as well as traffic, event, safety and exhibit removal.  In response to this request, the artists submitted their Over the River Design and Planning Report in April 2007.  The BLM has reviewed this proposal for completeness and met with the artists’ team to discuss the necessary additional data BLM needs to move forward with conducting an EIS. 

“The BLM is looking forward to receiving the necessary additional proposal information so that we can move ahead with the third party contracting for the Environmental Impact Statement,” said Royal Gorge Field Office Manager Roy Masinton.

BLM continues to work with its cooperating agencies in reviewing the proposal and anticipates beginning the EIS this spring.

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