BLM invites public to participate in socioeconomic workshops
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Monte Vista, Colo. - The Bureau of Land Management San Luis Valley Field Office (SLVFO) welcomes the public’s input on the current social and economic conditions in areas managed by the field office. Covering approximately 520,677 acres of federal surface and 621,000 acres of federal subsurface mineral estate the SLVFO manages public land in Saguache, Alamosa, Rio Grande, Conejos, and Costilla counties.
Virtual workshops will be held on the following dates:
- Workshop 1 – Tuesday, March 15, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
- Workshop 2 – Wednesday, March 16, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
The March 15 meeting will be presented in English only. To participate, register by March 1 at https://empsi.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0rcOuupzwiG91DzpSvBgtEWaJAQfW8NvCI
The March 16 meeting will be presented in English and Spanish. To participate in that date, register by March 1 at https://empsi.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAudu-rpj4rEtxoXNNniXm9abQigVSzUo9C
“We are looking forward to hearing directly from members of our local communities about changes to the area, current economic conditions, and your visions for the future and the role of public lands” said Melissa Garcia, San Luis Valley Field Manager. “We hope to hear from as many of you as possible during these two virtual meetings.”
The same material will be presented at both meetings. Phone and internet participation options will be available – there is no option for in-person participation. Workshop materials will be available on March 14 for download and in printed format available for pick-up at the SLVFO.
Issues for discussion at the workshops include but are not limited to:
1) How social and economic conditions have changed since the last land use planning effort in 1991;
2) The current social and economic conditions in the planning area;
3) The current role of public lands and federal mineral resources in the local economy;
4) Visions for the future of the regional economy and for local communities, and the role of public lands and federal resources in this vision.
The information gathered will provide a foundation for analysis of socioeconomic impacts for various alternatives for public land management when the SLVFO begins a revision of its land use plan in the coming years. The land use plan revision, once approved, will guide management decisions on BLM public lands within SLVFO for the next two or more decades.
Third-party neutral facilitators from Environmental Management and Planning Solutions Inc. (EMPSi) have been hired to organize and facilitate the workshops. Representatives from the BLM will be in attendance, and EMPSi will document and summarize the information gained from workshops. For more information or to submit comments, contact Zoe Ghali at 303-495-5094, and Zoe.ghali@empsi.com.
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.