Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area Council to Meet
Organization
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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area Advisory Council will meet on July 13 from 3-6 p.m. at the Mesa County Courthouse Annex to discuss the Proposed Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement.
The Advisory Council provides guidance to the BLM in its management of the NCA through open meeting format with an opportunity for the public to comment. This meeting will be held downstairs at the Mesa County Courthouse Annex at 544 Rood Avenue, Grand Junction. Each meeting is open to the public and the public will have opportunities to provide oral comments.
The Bureau of Land Management released the proposed plan on July 1 that will guide management in the 210,000-acre NCA. The plan provides long-term management goals for the area’s cultural and historic sites along with ecological, geological and paleontological resources spanning 600 million years. Located in Delta, Montrose and Mesa counties south of Grand Junction, the NCA provides hiking, horseback riding and wilderness recreation opportunities. Approximately 137,000 recreational visitors contribute $2.1 million in labor income to the surrounding communities annually.
The Proposed RMP/Final EIS is currently out for a 30-day public protest period and 60-day Governor’s consistency review. The Proposed RMP documents can be found online at http://1.usa.gov/1qKkMVi.
Dominguez-Escalante NCA was designated by the 2009 Omnibus Public Lands Management Act and is part of the BLM’s National Conservation Lands. The area is known for its breathtaking beauty, characterized by red-rock canyons and sandstone bluffs. Within the boundary of the NCA, the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness provides outstanding hiking and exploring opportunities. It includes scenic canyons and mesas carved in sandstone, and features two cascading streams, waterfalls, spectacular geologic features, ecological diversity, and archaeological and paleontological sites. The wilderness is home to desert bighorn sheep as well as rock art and historic remnants of the area’s ranching roots.
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.