BLM to hold route inventory meetings and solicit public comments for Palacio and Sombrillo Travel Management Area

Organization:

Bureau of Land Management

BLM Office:

Taos Field Office

Media Contact:

TAOS, N.M. - The Bureau of Land Management today announced it will hold two public meetings regarding public access needs on an area of public lands located about 20 miles north of Santa Fe, known as the Palacio and Sombrillo Travel Management Area.  The meetings will be held on Feb. 21 from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Pojoaque Middle School, Sixth Grade Academy Conference Room, located at 1797 NM-502, Santa Fe, New Mexico, and on Feb. 22 from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. at La Arboleda Community Center, located at 705 NM-76, Chimayo, New Mexico.

Travel management on public lands addresses all forms of transportation, including travel by foot, horseback, and mechanized vehicles, such as bicycles, as well as the numerous forms of motorized vehicles, ranging from motorcycles and four-wheeled all-terrain vehicles to cars and trucks.  As stewards, the BLM manages public lands for the benefit of current and future generations, supporting shared conservation as we pursue our multiple-use mission.

The Travel Management Area is approximately 20 miles north of Santa Fe, east of US-84/Hwy 285 and NM-68, extending north to Embudo and Dixon, and extending east to the Santa Fe and Carson National Forests.

The planned agenda items for the meetings include a discussion of the travel and transportation evaluation process to address public access needs within the Travel Management Area and an overview of the route inventory.  There will also be a discussion and identification of key issues and access opportunities that should be evaluated during the travel management process. 

The public may submit written comments to the BLM Taos Field Office between Feb. 21 and March 30, by emailing comments to BLM_NM_TAFO_routes@blm.gov or by mailing comments to the BLM Taos Field Office, Attn: Outdoor Recreation Planner, 226 Cruz Alta Road, Taos, NM, 87571.  Comments are encouraged to be completed by downloading the comment form available at www.blm.gov/new-mexico.  For individuals who cannot attend, meeting materials will be available online by February 26 and in hard copy at the BLM Taos Field Office.

For more information about the upcoming meetings or the Travel Management Area, please contact Outdoor Recreation Planner Tami Torres at 575-751-4757 or ttorres@blm.gov.


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.