| Contacts: | Erin Curtis, Public Information Officer, (970) 244-3097 |
Deadline July 1 to Comment on BLM’s Colorado River Permit Proposals (06-14-10)
Grand Junction, CO -- The Bureau of Land Management is still looking for public input on alternatives developed for managing visitor use in the Ruby-Horsethief section of the Colorado River.
The public has until July 1 to provide comments.
Four alternatives have been proposed for the stretch of river that runs through the BLM’s McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area, including different scenarios for fees and permits.
The BLM is seeking the public’s feedback on four possible alternatives for potential permit systems. This public input will be used to prepare an Environmental Assessment to analyze options for managing public use, minimizing impacts to boaters’ experiences and protecting natural resources.
The BLM has spent the last year exploring options for future management direction for the river stretch to keep up with increased boating and camping use. Alternatives range from continuing to manage the river as is to instituting a registration system that would limit the number of campers each night on the river, and potentially including a $7 per person, per night overnight camping fee to help support the delivery of enhanced visitor services on the river.
An open house was held June 1 to provide information and gather input from members of the public.
The alternatives are available to review on the BLM website, and the public can submit comments online. To review the alternatives, go to http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/nca/mcnca/Ruby_Horsethief.html. A comment form is posted at this same address. Comments may be submitted in hard copy or by emailing to rubyhorsethief@blm.gov.
For more information, contact Katie Stevens, NCA manager, at (970) 244-3049.
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