BLM publishes environmental assessment for site in Calf Creek Recreation Area
Thirty-day public comment period begins today
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KANAB, Utah — The Bureau of Land Management has initiated a 30-day public comment period for the Calf Creek Recreation Site Deferred Maintenance and Improvements Project Environmental Assessment to evaluate proposed improvements to the developed recreation site within Calf Creek Recreation Area in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Garfield County, Utah. The comment period runs today through Nov. 26, 2022, and is intended to solicit public input on issues and potential impacts described in the environmental assessment.
The completion of deferred-maintenance and capital-improvement projects could help improve visitor experience in keeping with the Administration priority to expand visitor access to recreation opportunities on public lands.
“The demand for day use, overnight camping and hiking at Calf Creek has increased exponentially in recent years,” said Paria River District Manager Harry Barber. “Our goal is to address deferred maintenance needs and upgraded site improvements to enhance the visitor experience and improve public access and safety, while also addressing resource degradation concerns and prioritizing the long-term protection of the Monument’s objects and values.”
Two virtual webinars scheduled on Nov. 9 at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. MST will help instruct the public on how to provide substantive comments. To improve efficiency of these webinars, the public is asked to register and to forward questions to the BLM by noon on Nov. 7. To register for either of these webinars please click here.
If implemented, this proposal would address both deferred maintenance needs and allow for site improvements within one of the most popular recreation sites within the Monument.
Proposed improvements include:
- Reconfiguring and expanding the existing main parking area and constructing additional parking areas.
- Widening the access road.
- Modernizing and adding additional camping units.
- Replacing old infrastructure (creek crossing structures, shade shelters, restrooms, and a fee station.)
- Installing a communication fiber line.
- Rerouting the beginning of the Lower Calf Creek Trail around (rather than through) the campground.
Please contact Allysia Angus by Nov. 3 at BLM_UT_PRD_GSENM_Planning@blm.gov to request reasonable accommodations for the webinars. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services.
The environmental assessment and all associated documents can be viewed on ePlanning. Public comments may be submitted to the same email above, on the BLM’s ePlanning website at https://bit.ly/3DzOJQV or mailed to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Attn: Allysia Angus, 669 S. Highway 89-A, Kanab, UT 84741. To be considered, comments must be received by 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 26, 2022.
Please note that your entire comment, including your personal identifying information, may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, it is not guaranteed.
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.