Date: 08/08/2008 BLUERIBBON COALITION ACTION ALERT!
Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,
Proposed RMP and Final EIS for Richfield Field Office Now Available
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Richfield Field Office has released their Proposed Resource Management Plan (PRMP) and Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for a 30-day review and protest period, beginning August 8, 2008.
This PRMP/FEIS provides a framework for the future management direction and appropriate use of approximately 2.1 million acres of BLM administered lands and resources located in Garfield, Piute, Sanpete, Sevier and Wayne Counties, in central Utah. The document contains both land use planning decisions and implementation decisions to guide the BLM's management of the Richfield Field Office.
The Richfield RMP will provide future broad-scale management direction for land use allocations and allowable uses on public lands within the planning area. Implementation of the decisions of the PRMP/
FEIS would apply only to BLM-administered public lands and Federal mineral estate. In the Draft RMP/EIS (DRMP/DEIS), which was released for public review and comment in October 2007, five alternatives were analyzed, including a No Action alternative. These alternatives were developed through issue identification during the scoping process. Such issues included visual resources, non-WSA lands with wilderness characteristics, livestock grazing, recreation, travel management (OHVs), minerals and energy resources, and special designations (ACECs and WSRs).
An RMP can be compared to a county master plan, where management direction and objectives are defined for specific resources and areas. They address issues including livestock grazing, recreation, wildlife habitat, off-highway vehicle use, camping and even energy and mineral development. In addition, the BLM has been considering nominations for potential Areas of Critical Concern (ACEC) and nominations of rivers for possible inclusion in the Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
The PRMP/FEIS is largely based on Alternative B, the Preferred Alternative in the Draft RMP and EIS, and includes other decisions within the range of alternatives (Alternatives N, A, C and D) in response to public comments and internal review. The No Action Alternative (Alternative N) reflects current management. The BLM has removed the DRMP/DEIS Alternative B (Preferred Alternative) from the PRMP/FEIS. The other DRMP/DEIS Alternatives (Alternatives N, A, C, and D) and analyses are carried forward in the PRMP/FEIS for comparative purposes and correct some mistakes that were identified during the comment period.
Copies of the PRMP/FEIS are available for public inspection at: Richfield Field Office, 150 East 900 North, Richfield, UT 84701 and the Utah State BLM Office, 440 West 200 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84145. Interested persons may also review the PRMP/FEIS online at http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/richfield/planning.html.
E-mailed and faxed protests will not be accepted as valid protests unless the protesting party also provides the original letter by either regular or overnight mail postmarked by the close of the protest period. Under these conditions, the BLM will consider the e-mailed or faxed protest as an advance copy and will afford it full consideration.
If you wish to provide the BLM with such advance notification, please direct faxed protests to the attention of Brenda Williams, BLM Protest Coordinator, at 202-452-5112, and e-mailed protests to: Brenda_Hudgens-Williams@blm.gov.
All protests, including the follow-up letter (if e-mailing or faxing), must be in writing and mailed to the following address:
Regular Mail:
BLM Director (210)Attention: Brenda Williams
P.O. Box 66538
Washington, D.C. 20035
Overnight Mail:
BLM Director (210)Attention: Brenda Williams
1620 L Street, N.W., Suite 1075
Washington, D.C. 20036
All protests must be postmarked on or before September 8, 2008, the end of the 30-day protest period following publication of this notice by the EPA.
For more information, check out the BLM's Richfield Field Office Planning website at http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/richfield/planning.htmlor contact John Russell, Richfield Field Office, 150 East 900 North, Richfield, UT 84701; phone: (435)896-1500; or e-mail at: John_Russell@blm.gov.
JUST REMEMBER, PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IS CRUCIAL TO KEEP RECREATION AREAS OPEN, PLEASE GET INVOLVED!
Thanks in advance for your support,
Brian Hawthorne
Public Lands Policy Director
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 102
Link
Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,
Proposed RMP and Final EIS for Richfield Field Office Now Available
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Richfield Field Office has released their Proposed Resource Management Plan (PRMP) and Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for a 30-day review and protest period, beginning August 8, 2008.
This PRMP/FEIS provides a framework for the future management direction and appropriate use of approximately 2.1 million acres of BLM administered lands and resources located in Garfield, Piute, Sanpete, Sevier and Wayne Counties, in central Utah. The document contains both land use planning decisions and implementation decisions to guide the BLM's management of the Richfield Field Office.
The Richfield RMP will provide future broad-scale management direction for land use allocations and allowable uses on public lands within the planning area. Implementation of the decisions of the PRMP/
FEIS would apply only to BLM-administered public lands and Federal mineral estate. In the Draft RMP/EIS (DRMP/DEIS), which was released for public review and comment in October 2007, five alternatives were analyzed, including a No Action alternative. These alternatives were developed through issue identification during the scoping process. Such issues included visual resources, non-WSA lands with wilderness characteristics, livestock grazing, recreation, travel management (OHVs), minerals and energy resources, and special designations (ACECs and WSRs).
An RMP can be compared to a county master plan, where management direction and objectives are defined for specific resources and areas. They address issues including livestock grazing, recreation, wildlife habitat, off-highway vehicle use, camping and even energy and mineral development. In addition, the BLM has been considering nominations for potential Areas of Critical Concern (ACEC) and nominations of rivers for possible inclusion in the Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
The PRMP/FEIS is largely based on Alternative B, the Preferred Alternative in the Draft RMP and EIS, and includes other decisions within the range of alternatives (Alternatives N, A, C and D) in response to public comments and internal review. The No Action Alternative (Alternative N) reflects current management. The BLM has removed the DRMP/DEIS Alternative B (Preferred Alternative) from the PRMP/FEIS. The other DRMP/DEIS Alternatives (Alternatives N, A, C, and D) and analyses are carried forward in the PRMP/FEIS for comparative purposes and correct some mistakes that were identified during the comment period.
Copies of the PRMP/FEIS are available for public inspection at: Richfield Field Office, 150 East 900 North, Richfield, UT 84701 and the Utah State BLM Office, 440 West 200 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84145. Interested persons may also review the PRMP/FEIS online at http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/richfield/planning.html.
E-mailed and faxed protests will not be accepted as valid protests unless the protesting party also provides the original letter by either regular or overnight mail postmarked by the close of the protest period. Under these conditions, the BLM will consider the e-mailed or faxed protest as an advance copy and will afford it full consideration.
If you wish to provide the BLM with such advance notification, please direct faxed protests to the attention of Brenda Williams, BLM Protest Coordinator, at 202-452-5112, and e-mailed protests to: Brenda_Hudgens-Williams@blm.gov.
All protests, including the follow-up letter (if e-mailing or faxing), must be in writing and mailed to the following address:
Regular Mail:
BLM Director (210)Attention: Brenda Williams
P.O. Box 66538
Washington, D.C. 20035
Overnight Mail:
BLM Director (210)Attention: Brenda Williams
1620 L Street, N.W., Suite 1075
Washington, D.C. 20036
All protests must be postmarked on or before September 8, 2008, the end of the 30-day protest period following publication of this notice by the EPA.
For more information, check out the BLM's Richfield Field Office Planning website at http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/richfield/planning.htmlor contact John Russell, Richfield Field Office, 150 East 900 North, Richfield, UT 84701; phone: (435)896-1500; or e-mail at: John_Russell@blm.gov.
JUST REMEMBER, PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IS CRUCIAL TO KEEP RECREATION AREAS OPEN, PLEASE GET INVOLVED!
Thanks in advance for your support,
Brian Hawthorne
Public Lands Policy Director
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 102
Link