U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
Idaho Falls BLM
Idaho Falls BLM
| Contacts: | Sarah Wheeler (208) 524-7550 |
Citations to be Issued for Illegal Burning in Sand Dune Area
REXBURG, ID – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will no longer be issuing warnings for illegal campfires and pallet burning in the St. Anthony Sand Dune area. Continual violations and increased resource damage is forcing the BLM to crack down on individuals not adhering to this rule. Individuals found violating this regulation will be issued a citation, which is punishable by a maximum fine of $1,000 and/or up to one year in jail.
“We are becoming increasingly concerned with the mess left behind when people burn pallets, plastics and other inappropriate materials,” said Jeff Long, Idaho Falls District Law Enforcement Ranger. “I am troubled that people don’t recognize the damage they cause when they continually violate these rules.”
Last Saturday, law enforcement officers found six illegal bonfires occurring in the area.
The BLM would like to remind the public that campfires are allowed in designated areas so long as people are burning clean fuels and are burning within a campfire ring. Materials such as pallets (which leave behind nails), plastics, rubber, treated timber, railroad ties or furniture such as couches, etc., are not appropriate campfire materials. A map of the designated campfire area is attached. Contact your local BLM office with any questions at 208-524-7500.
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.