BLM meeting with public to collect comments May 15
Organization
Media Contact:
Mark Jacobsen)
(BELLE FOURCHE, S.D.) --- The Bureau of Land Management South Dakota Field Office would like to get your input on Fort Meade Recreation Area forest fuels management.
A public scoping meeting will be held May 15, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Commission Meeting Room located on the second floor of the Erskine Office Building located at 1300 Sherman Street in Sturgis.
The BLM is planning projects intended to reduce ladder fuels and lessen severe wildfire threat and stimulate forage growth. The end result would be an improvement in overall rangeland conditions, wildlife habitat and forest health. Project planning would be long-term and treatment methods would likely include prescribed burning and mechanical thinning. The desired effect would be a mosaic pattern of vegetation types and age classes on Fort Meade.
“We would like the public who are interested in this unique area to come meet with us and tell us what they consider important as we look to plan projects to address forest and range health,” said Field Manager Chip Kimball. “We get a better end product when the community and stakeholders get involved.”
Public comments are most useful when they are specific, cite additional relevant issues and/or determine the extent of those issues, said Kimball.
Written scoping comments should be received by June 5, 2018. These may be submitted by mail or hand-delivered during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) to:
BLM Project Manager Nate Wiedow, Attn: Fort Meade EA, BLM South Dakota Field Office, 309 Bonanza Street, Belle Fourche, SD 57717
Comments also can be sent electronically to: nwiedow@blm.gov. Please include “Fort Meade EA” in the subject line. Call Nate Wiedow at 605-892-7030 for more information.
Persons providing comments are advised that before including address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information, their entire comment may be made publicly available at any time. While those who comment can ask in their comments that they wish the BLM to withhold personal identifying information from public review, the BLM cannot guarantee that they will be able to do so.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.