BLM White River Field Office employees receive Director's Superior Service Award
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DENVER – On Oct. 20, three Meeker-based employees received the Director’s Award for Superior Service. Wildlife Biologist Edward Hollowed, Planning and Environmental Coordinator Heather Sauls and Mining Engineer Paul Daggett were members of the interdisciplinary team that developed the White River Field Office Oil and Gas Development RMP Amendment, which was approved in 2015.
The Amendment addresses development of the Uinta-Piceance Basin, which is one of five basins in the West that contain the bulk of the federal onshore natural gas resource.
“It takes significant time and energy to make sure the BLM engages diverse stakeholders and the public through the planning process,” said Linda Lance, BLM Deputy Director of Programs and Policy. “This team collaborated with 13 Cooperating Agencies, interest groups and the public to develop innovative management solutions that addressed development and mitigation at the landscape scale.”
As members of the interdisciplinary team, Hollowed, Sauls and Daggett were challenged to consider not only the importance of this energy reserve for the Nation but also potential impacts on spectacular natural resources including 300,000 acres of lands with wilderness characteristics, one of the largest migratory mule deer herds in the country, and visitors’ experiences in Dinosaur National Monument.
The approved plan includes a three-tiered approach to lands with wilderness characteristics, adaptive management to address impacts to mule deer populations, a threshold strategy for year-round development to reduce surface disturbance, and the Dinosaur Trail Master Leasing Plan that considers how adjacent development might impact Dinosaur National Monument.
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.