Idaho Falls BLM
| Contacts: | Sarah Wheeler (208) 524-7550 |
BLM Pocatello Temporary Closes North Bull Canyon Road to Ensure Improvements Last
POCATELLO, ID – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Pocatello Field Office (PFO) recently rebuilt North Bull Canyon road and will be implementing a temporary closure to ensure the road bed is not compromised. “Due to weather and high usage, the North Bull Canyon road was severely rutted, making some portions of the road difficult to drive,” said Chuck Patterson, outdoor recreation planner, for the PFO. “We were fortunate enough to have funds this year to reshape, contour and place culverts along the road.”
Blaine Newman, supervisory resource management specialist, explained that since the road has recently been repaired, it needs time for the road bed to firm up. Having wheeled motorized travel on the road when wet will create the same damaging effects the BLM just repaired. A temporary closure will be in effect beginning November 30, 2012 through May 15, 2013.
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.