Southern Nevada District Office
| Contacts: | Kirsten Cannon | , 702-515-5057 | , kirsten_cannon@blm.gov |
BLM Las Vegas and Pahrump Field Offices to Hold Public Scoping Open House Meetings on Resource Management Plan Revision
Scoping meetings will be held in the following locations:
- Tuesday, February 2, 2010 – Las Vegas
BLM Las Vegas Field Office – 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, NV - Wednesday, February 3, 2010 – Henderson
Henderson Convention Center – 200 South Water Street, Henderson, NV - Thursday, February 4, 2010 – Mesquite
City Hall, Council Chambers – 10 E. Mesquite Blvd., Mesquite, NV - Monday, February 8, 2010 – Pahrump
Bob Ruud Community Center – 150 S. Highway 160, Pahrump, NV - Tuesday, February 9, 2010 – Beatty
Beatty Community Center – 100 A. Avenue S, Beatty, NV - Wednesday, February 10, 2010 – Laughlin
Regional Government Center – 101 Civic Way, Laughlin, NV - Thursday, February 11, 2010 – Overton
Overton Community Center – 320 North Moapa Valley Blvd., Overton, NV
Each open house will begin at 5 p.m. and last until 8 p.m., with 10 minute informational presentations at 5, 6, and 7 p.m. The remainder of the meeting will follow an open house format, where participants can ask questions and visit various resource stations. Open houses will have several information stations that present information on key issues and the planning process. Attendees can learn about the RMP revision, ask questions, or provide written comments. A court reporter will be available to document verbal comments, if individuals want to comment in that manner.
The overall objective of the Las Vegas RMP planning effort is to provide a collaborative planning approach that assists the BLM in revising the management decisions of the current RMP. As such, early public input is crucial to identify various RMP-level issues that should be addressed in through the revision. The scoping period provides the public an opportunity to learn about the RMP revision and to help identify issues, provide data/information, and propose alternatives to be addressed in the EIS.
The RMP will establish consolidated guidance and updated objectives and management actions for the public lands in the decision area. It will be comprehensive in nature and will address issue categories applicable within the decision area that have been identified through agency, interagency, and public scoping efforts. Preliminary issues for the planning area have been identified by BLM personnel, other State and Federal agencies, and other stakeholders. These issues include:
- Renewable energy development for solar, wind, and geothermal power;
- Management of site-type rights-of-way for renewable energy and other uses;
- Visual Resources Management (VRM) Classes;
- Land tenure adjustments to meet community growth needs;
- Management of split estate lands;
- Evaluation of existing and potential new Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC);
- Wild and Scenic River designation;
- Off-Highway Vehicle designations and Special Recreation Management Areas; and
- Fluid mineral management stipulations to protect sensitive resources.
The public scoping period for the RMP revision began with the publication of the Notice of Intent in the Federal Register on January 5, 2010 and will last until February 28, 2010. Public comments must be provided to the BLM by February 28th in order to be formally analyzed and included in the Scoping Report.
The public may submit comments, request additional information, or request to be put on the mailing list by sending such information to the Las Vegas Field Office, Attn: Carolyn Ronning, RMP Project Lead, Bureau of Land Management, 4701 N. Torrey Pines Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89130, by submitting comments to SNDO_RMP_Revision@blm.gov, or by visiting the RMP Revision website at www.nv.blm.gov/vegas.
The BLM manages more land - over 245 million acres - than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. 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.
Southern Nevada District Office 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive Las Vegas, NV 89130