| Contacts: | Erin Curtis, Public Information Officer, (970) 244-3097 |
BLM Uncompahgre Extends Public Scoping for Resource Management Plan Revision
Montrose, CO -- The Bureau of Land Management Uncompahgre Field Office has extended a public scoping period for the revision of its Resource Management Plans (RMP).
The new RMP will provide overall management direction for the next two decades for the almost 700,000 surface acres of public lands and 2 million subsurface acres of federal mineral estate in Mesa, Montrose, Ouray, San Miguel, Gunnison and Delta counties managed by the BLM.
A scoping period that began in January has now been extended through March 29, 2010.
During this first opportunity for public comment, the BLM is asking the public to help identify issues to be addressed in the plan revisions, as well as offer potential solutions. The BLM will use the information it receives during scoping as it prepares the Draft RMP revisions and associated Draft EIS.
“Public involvement is critical to crafting a land use plan that reflects local, regional and national values,” said Uncompahgre Field Manager Barb Sharrow. “Scoping is only the first of many instances that we’ll seek public input as part of this planning effort.”
BLM held six open house meetings in January in local communities to gather comments. The comments received at the open house meetings will also be incorporated into the RMP revision process.
For further information about the planning process, visit the Uncompahgre Field Office Land Use Planning webpage at www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/ufo/uncompahgre_rmp.html, or contact the project manager, Bruce Krickbaum, at (970) 240-5300.
Comments may be: Mailed to BLM Uncompahgre RMP, 2465 S Townsend Ave, Montrose, CO 81401
Faxed to 1-970-240-5367
Emailed to uformp@blm.gov
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.
2465 South Townsend Avenue Montrose, CO 81401