U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
| Contacts: | Cassandra Cairns 719-269-8553 |
BLM launches Over The River EIS Web site
ñCañon City, Colo. – The BLM has launched its new Web site for the Over The River™ Environmental Impact Statement (OTR EIS). The URL address for the Web site is http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/rgfo/planning/otr.html.
Over The River™ is a proposed work of art by artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude and OTR Corporation (collectively referred to as “applicant”). The proposal involves the installation of approximately 5.9 miles of fabric panels suspended above the Arkansas River in eight select areas along a 42-mile stretch of river between the towns of Salida and Cañon City, Colorado.
Through the initial land use application process, the BLM determined an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) would be required in order to proceed with the project proposal due to the project complexity, concerns regarding public safety, and the potential for significant impacts. The EIS will identify a reasonable range of alternatives (including the no action alternative), assess impacts, and provide opportunities for the public and other agencies to comment.
The BLM is the lead Federal agency with the final authority of determining whether, where, when, and under what terms and conditions, a BLM land use permit would be issued. The new Web site is designed to keep the public informed on the progress of the OTR EIS and how they can participate in this process.
The public may submit a request to be added to the OTR EIS mailing list via email at co_otr_comments@blm.gov or hard copy mail to BLM RGFO/OTR Comments, 3028 E. Main St., Cañon City, CO 81212.
For more information contact Cass Cairns, Royal Gorge Field Office Public Affairs Officer at 719-269-8553.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
3028 E. Main St., Cañon City, CO 81212