BLM seeks public input on Mill Canyon Dinosaur Tracksite walkway replacement
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MOAB, Utah — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is seeking public input on the environmental assessment to install a new walkway to replace the aging infrastructure at the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Tracksite, located 15 miles north of Moab, in Grand County. The BLM is committed to including public comment and engaging the paleontology community in this project. We appreciate our immense obligation to be good stewards of paleontological resources under our care and recognize the international significance of this site.
BLM halted construction on the boardwalk replacement project in late January, after public concerns that the work was damaging the site. The Moab Field Office requested a BLM regional paleontologist visit the site in early February to conduct a paleontological assessment with recommendations for the BLM to move forward. That assessment can be found on the BLM website.
“The maintenance and restoration of these interpretive walkways are necessary to properly protect and manage the paleontological resources at this important site,” said BLM Moab Field Manager Nicollee Gaddis-Wyatt. “We are committed to meaningful public engagement on this project moving forward.”
The boardwalk replacement project is necessary to provide a safe and durable walking surface, so the public can continue to enjoy this paleontological resource by not treading directly on the tracks. The new surface would also improve safety from the previous wooden boardwalk that warped and presented a serious tripping hazard. Work of any type would proceed only in the presence of a qualified paleontologist authorized to oversee the project. A BLM paleontologist from the Paria River District has also surveyed the site, reviewed the environmental assessment and helped develop the proposed action.
Written comments will be accepted by letter or ePlanning until July 26, 2022. Please note that the most useful comments are specific and contain new technical or scientific information relevant to the proposed action. Comments which contain only opinions or preferences will not receive a formal response, but these may be considered in the BLM decision-making process. Please reference “Mill Canyon Dinosaur Tracksite” when submitting comments.
Mail: Bureau of Land Management, 82 Dogwood Avenue, Moab, Utah 84532
ePlanning: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2015048/510
Before including an address, phone number, email address, or other personally identifiable information in any comments, be aware that the entire comment—including personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. Requests to withhold personal identifying information from public review may be submitted, but the BLM cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.
The tracksite includes approximately 112-million-year-old Early Cretaceous dinosaur footprints. First reported in 2009, the site contains more than 200 tracks and traces that represent at least 10 different types of animals, including non-avian theropods, sauropods, ornithopods, ankylosaurs, birds and crocodiles. These well-preserved trace fossils preserve the movements and activities of a unique and diverse Mesozoic fauna. Although the site is a short walk from the parking area and the road is accessible by most vehicles, access is currently restricted until the walkway replacement project is completed.
For additional information, please contact the BLM Moab Field Office at BLM_UT_MB_Comments@blm.gov or 435-259-2100. Photos of the tracksite can be found on the BLM Utah Flickr website.
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.