| Contacts: | Christopher B. Joyner (970) 210-2126 |
Public Meeting Scheduled for DeBeque Citizens (07-11-12)
GRAND JUNCTION – Colo. The Bureau of Land Management will host a public meeting at 5:30 p.m. on July 11 at the DeBeque Community Center in DeBeque.
According to BLM Manager Catherine Robertson of the Grand Junction Field Office, BLM leadership wants to hear from the citizens of DeBeque about how things are going after the fire and to discuss specific concerns moving forward. Robertson ordered a Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation team that recently began rehabilitation work in the burned area. Some members of the rehabilitation team will attend the public meeting to field questions.
Robertson and others are concerned that lands affected by the blaze now pose a huge hazard for mud slides, rock slides and significant erosion. Matters concerning the fire; the fire’s aftermath and the closure of some public land will be discussed. Those attending will have ample opportunity to ask questions or make comments.
The meeting is open to the public and concerned citizens are encouraged to attend. Members of the media are also welcome to attend.
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