< All Press Releases

ST. GEORGE, UTAH – Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is releasing the proposed resource management plans (RMP) for the Red Cliffs and the Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Areas (NCA) after years of collaboration and review with the public and local, state, and federal stakeholders.  The BLM is also releasing a proposed amendment to the St. George Field Office RMP.

Resource management plans form the basis for every on-the-ground action the BLM takes and, through these plans, the BLM has established a blueprint for how these areas will be managed in the future. “The new plans provide certainty to local communities while protecting the unique national resources that make Washington County such a desirable place to live,” said Jenna Whitlock, BLM-Utah Acting State Director.

Between the draft plans and these proposals, changes were made because of public comments, consultation with Washington County officials, and information provided by state and federal agencies. Those changes addressed wildlife, recreation, grazing, and many other issues. “The people and organizations that care about these lands let us know what was important to them and helped us make the plans stronger and more complete,” noted Whitlock.

The two NCAs are the first in Utah and were created by the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (OPLMA) to "conserve, protect, and enhance…the ecological, scenic, wildlife, recreational, cultural, historical, natural, educational, and scientific resources" of the public lands.  The Red Cliffs NCA comprises 44,859 acres and is just out the back door for many residents of St. George. Red Cliffs provides important habitat to the threatened desert tortoise and many unusual plant species that take advantage of the intersection of the Colorado Plateau, the Great Basin, and the Mojave Desert. This area includes a stretch of the Virgin River and a number of hikes suitable for kids who want to explore dinosaur tracks and natural arches.

The Beaver Dam Wash NCA covers 63,478 acres and is located in the southwest corner of Utah.  Within this area, many native plants and animals have evolved into unique species, some found nowhere else on earth.  The NCA includes the northern extreme of the range of Joshua trees and riparian areas that are important stops for migratory birds. This area is also known for remote recreation opportunities such as hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding, and wildlife viewing.

A proposed amendment to the St. George Field Office resource management plan is also being released. As directed by OPLMA, the proposed amendment addresses two primary management issues: identification of areas where biological conservation is a priority and modifications of the off-highway vehicle area designations to prepare for the development of a comprehensive travel management plan. 

The publication in the Federal Register of the Notice of Availability by the Environmental Protection Agency of the proposed plans will initiate a 30-day protest period. Any person who participated in the planning process and who has an interest that is or may be adversely affected by the planning decisions may file a protest within 30 days of that publication.

The proposed plans and amendment, along with a final environmental impact statement are available to view or download at: 

http://bit.ly/2bAjcOF. 

Copies of the documents are available for inspection at the Interagency Public Lands Information Center, 345 East Riverside Drive, St. George, UT 84790, and the BLM Utah State Office Public Room, 440 West 200 South, Suite 500, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101 during normal business hours (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.

All protests must be in writing and mailed to one of the following addresses: U.S. Postal Service: BLM Director (210), Attention: Protest Coordinator, P.O. Box 71383, Washington, DC 20024–1383. Overnight Delivery: BLM Director (210), Attention: Protest Coordinator, 20 M Street SE, Room 2134LM, Washington, DC 20003.

Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your protest, you should be aware that your entire protest—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you may ask us in your protest to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

For additional information, please contact Keith Rigtrup at 435-865-3000. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to leave a message or question for the above individual. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Replies are provided during normal business hours.