FIELD Notes

Photo: Killpecker Sand Dunes, Bureau of Land Management lands, Rock Springs region.


By Nathan Maxon

THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT HAS BEGUN the process of revising its plan for managing public lands in the Rock Springs area and western Red Desert.

The agency is currently asking for comments and input from the public to help it identify such things as special places and important wildlife areas, and to help it determine how best to manage the natural resources in the region.

The deadline to comment is April 4, 2011.

The land use plan that is being revised is known as a resource management plan, or RMP. Once complete, the revised plan will guide how the federal government manages public lands in the Rock Springs region and western Red Desert for the next 15 to 20 years.

The BLM calls the first step in the planning process “scoping,” where the agency asks the public to identify management issues of concern and how those issues might be resolved.

We are encouraging people to identify the places they value most for wildlife, recreation, hunting, and fishing; and the places and landscapes they believe are too important or special to be industrialized by energy development.

The new plan, when finalized, will guide the management of such things as livestock grazing, recreation and access to recreational opportunities, wildlife habitat, forests and sensitive plants, archeological and paleontological resources, viewsheds, historic trails, wilderness quality lands, weeds, land reclamation, mining, oil and gas development, the use of off-road vehicles, and the siting and availability of wind energy development.


WHY PARTICIPATE?

It is important for members of the public to submit scoping comments to help the BLM understand the issues that are important to local citizens, and help the agency come up with potential solutions to those issues.

It is critical that we weigh in during this first step in the plan revision process to ensure that our issues and solutions are considered throughout the RMP revision process.

Our ideas, local knowledge, values, and suggestions are highly valued by the BLM—so please take the time to help guide the future of our public lands.


HOW TO PARTICIPATE

• You can send your comments to this email address:

RockSpringsRMP_WY@blm.gov

• You can send comments to the Rock Springs BLM mailing address:

Vera-Lynn Harrison, RMP Project Manager, 280 Highway 191 North, Rock Springs, Wyoming 82901.

• You can attend the BLM “scoping” meetings:

(ALL MEETINGS WILL BE HELD FROM 4—7 p.m.)

Lander—February 28—Best Western, The Inn at Lander, 260 Grand View Drive Lander, Wyoming

Rock Springs—March 1—White Mountain Library, 2935 Sweetwater Drive Rock Springs, Wyoming

Lyman—March 2—Lyman Town Hall Courtroom, 100 East Sage Street Lyman, Wyoming

Farson—March 3—Farson Branch Library, 30 Highway 28 E Farson, Wyoming

For more information:

• See the map of the Rock Springs Field Office to see what BLM lands are managed under the Rock Springs RMP.

• See BLM’s scoping notice and RMP website for more information.

• Contact Nathan Maxon at nathan@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org; 307-332-7031 ext. 11 with any questions.