BLM publishes proposed management plan to expand public access for the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area
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TUCSON, Ariz. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has published the Proposed Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement (RMP/EIS) for the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (NCA), located near Sierra Vista. The plan expands public access and enables responsible use of natural resources while fostering conservation stewardship and ensuring protection of the NCA for generations to come.
Highlights of the proposed plan include continued grazing on existing allotments, expansion of areas open to licensed hunting, and provisions for a diverse mix of recreation opportunities for families to safely enjoy. The plan prioritizes active resource management and allows for a broad array of management tools for ecosystem restoration and conservation stewardship.
“This plan culminates more than two years of public involvement and robust environmental analysis,” said BLM Gila District Manager Scott Feldhausen. “We incorporated significant stakeholder input into our plan, which will provide the public with a clear framework for how the BLM will manage the area into the future.”
The BLM worked with federal, state, local, tribal cooperators, and the public to develop a range of alternatives, including the BLM Preferred Alternative, in a Draft RMP/EIS. Based on analysis and public input on the Draft document, the BLM has developed the Proposed RMP/Final EIS. The Notice of Availability in the Federal Register for the publication of the Proposed RMP/Final EIS initiates a formal 30-day protest period before a Record of Decision is signed.
The Proposed RMP/Final EIS is available on the BLM ePlanning website at https://go.usa.gov/xQKFU.
The San Pedro Riparian NCA, part of the BLM’s National Landscape Conservation System, was established by Congress in 1988. It is located in southeastern Arizona, about 70 miles southeast of Tucson. The southern boundary of the NCA borders Mexico; the northern boundary is just south of Benson. The NCA contains about 40 miles of the upper San Pedro River and approximately 55,990 acres of public lands located within Cochise County, Arizona.
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.