Boise District Office
| Contacts: | Tricia Roller | , 208-383-3336 | ||
| MJ Byrne | , 208-384-3393, 208-871-1992 (cell) |
BLM Closes Disturbed Area to Motorized Vehicles
BOISE, ID – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has temporarily closed 65 acres of public land to all motorized use. The land is located in the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (NCA), approximately eight miles east of Murphy, Idaho. Closure signs are posted at key access points. The temporary closure is for two years.
The BLM temporarily closed the area because of resource damage to public land from a pipeline repair and construction project on a one-half mile pipeline. The pipeline runs one-half mile from a pumping station on the Snake River up a steep area of public land to a fence line. The closure includes 600 feet on each side of the pipeline. The project and resultant damage are currently under investigation by BLM.
“The closure will prevent continued soil erosion on both sides of the pipeline and sediment flow into the Snake River caused from the recent ground disturbance,” said Patricia Roller, manager for the NCA. “The BLM is replanting the area to restore lost and damaged vegetation. The temporary closure will enable these plantings to become established, reducing further soil erosion and the spread of invasive weeds.”
The temporary closure will also protect habitat for nesting raptors and other wildlife populations in the area. The NCA is home to over 800 pairs of raptor species, including golden eagles and prairie falcons nesting in the vicinity. “In addition to allowing the damaged lands to be rehabilitated, the public is also being asked to stop all motorized access in the closed area for their safety,” Roller said.
Exempt from this closure are contractors hired by the BLM to work in the area; search and rescue personnel; Federal, State and local officials and employees in the performance of their official duties; and persons with written authorization from the BLM. Non-motorized recreation is authorized.
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.