| Contacts: | Erin Curtis 970-244-3097 |
BLM to Finalize Rules for Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area
Montrose, CO -- The BLM Uncompahgre Field Office is preparing to finalize rules for recreation and use of the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area and surrounding recreation areas. The public now has one more opportunity to review and comment on the rules, which visitors have been encouraged to follow for several years.
These rules implement management decisions and actions developed by the BLM Uncompahgre Field Office and the public during the four-year planning process for the Gunnison Gorge Resource Management Plan. The rules were developed with a great deal of public input, and are aimed at protecting the public’s health and safety and preventing resource damage in the area.
“These rules will help us prevent damage to nationally significant and sensitive natural areas, protect public health and safety, reduce user conflicts, and provide outstanding recreational opportunities for visitors to the area,” said Karen Tucker, manager of the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area.
The proposed supplementary rules encompass issues of travel management, off-road vehicle use and safety, hunting, shooting, pets and pack stock use, developed and dispersed recreation site use, camping, firewood collection and camp fires, waste disposal, group size limits, permit requirements, and length of stay limits.
Public comments for the Gunnison Gorge NCA rules will be accepted through Nov. 9, 2009. The rules can be viewed online at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-21659.pdf.
Rules for the area can also be accessed at the Uncompahgre Field Office at 2465 S. Townsend Avenue in Montrose, CO 81401.
Comments on the GGNCA supplementary rules may be mailed to Karen Tucker, Gunnison Gorge NCA, 2465 S. Townsend Avenue in Montrose, CO 81401. For more information, please contact the BLM Uncompahgre Field Office at 970-240-5300.
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.
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