| Contacts: | Erin Curtis, Public Information Officer, (970) 244-3097 |
BLM Signs Vandalized in North Fruita Desert Recreation Area
Grand Junction, Colo. -- The Bureau of Land Management is seeking the public’s help in finding the people responsible for about $5,000 worth of vandalism at 18 Road last week.
Two BLM kiosks were apparently run down by vehicles, and a third was torn out of the ground and rendered into pieces sometime late last week. The vandalism at the entrance to the popular mountain biking area was reported on Thursday, March 18.
Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact the BLM Grand Junction Field Office at (970) 244-3000.
Vandalism to federal property is punishable by fines. Vandals can also be required to pay restitution for damages.
If you see anyone damaging facilities on public lands, BLM encourages you to write down a license number, a description of the vehicle, the date, time and location, and report this information to the nearest BLM Field Office. If it’s safe to do so, a photo of a vehicle involved in the activity is also helpful. Tips from the public greatly increase BLM’s ability to track down violators.
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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.
2815 H Road Grand Junction, CO 81506