| Contacts: | David Boyd, Public Affairs Specialist, (970) 876-9008 |
BLM issues proposed supplementary rules for Emerald Mountain (08-27-10)
CRAIG, Colo. — Proposed supplementary rules designed to protect natural resources and provide for safe public recreation at the Emerald Mountain Special Recreation Area west of Steamboat Springs are available for public review.
The Bureau of Land Management will accept public comments on the proposed rules through Sept. 17, 2010.
These specific rules were developed as BLM worked with the public and partners on the management plan implementation for the Emerald Mountain SRMA, a process that included six community meetings over five months in 2008.
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The proposals include specific rules covering a wide variety of public uses including use of motor vehicles and bicycles, building fires, and keeping dogs on leashes. They supplement the regulations BLM enforces to protect resources and public safety.
“These proposed rules would not significantly change our management of these public lands,” said David Blackstun, Acting Field Manager. “They simply give us better ability to enforce the commitments we made with the public as we developed the Emerald Mountain Management Plan. We want to ensure a positive and safe outdoor recreation experience for all visitors to Emerald Mountain.”
The supplementary rules are available online at http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/lsfo.html or by visiting the Little Snake Field Office at 455 Emerson St. in Craig.
Comments on the supplementary rules may be mailed to Gina Robison, Little Snake Field Office, 455 Emerson St., Craig, CO 81625.
For more information, please contact the BLM Little Snake Field Office at 970-826-5000.
The public gained access to the 4,138-acre Emerald Mountain parcel in February 2007 after BLM formally closed on a land exchange that brought the parcel under its management.
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.
455 Emerson Street Craig, CO 81625