BLM releases draft recreation business plans for public review
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SALT LAKE CITY –Today, the Bureau of Land Management released five draft recreation business plans for a 30-day public comment period. The plans will determine if existing recreation fees should be increased and/or if any new recreation fees should be established. Areas covered by the plans include sites within the Cedar City, Moab, Monticello, Salt Lake, and Vernal Field Offices.
“These plans serve the American family by enhancing access to traditional and new outdoor recreation activities,” said Abbie Jossie, BLM Utah’s Deputy State Director for Resources and Planning. “As urban areas expand, outdoor recreation opportunities are increasingly vital to the quality of life enjoyed by residents, as well as the backbone of a growing tourism sector.”
The recreation business plans include campgrounds, day-use sites and specialized off-highway vehicle areas. Recreation fees are used to maintain necessary infrastructure, such as fire rings, picnic tables, and outhouses, within the field office where the fees are collected.
To comment on the draft BLM-Utah Recreation Business Plans, please visit: https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/permits-and-fees/business-plans. Detailed instructions on how to submit input for each Business Plan is included in the “Dear Reader” letter at the beginning of each document. The comment period is open through May 11. Please note that the business plans are not analyzed under the National Environmental Policy Act, although any proposed infrastructure or surface disturbance will be analyzed in a separate process to disclose potential environmental consequences.
- Cedar City Field Office Draft Recreation Sites Business Plan
- Moab Field Office Draft Campground Business Plan
- Monticello Field Office Draft Campground Business Plan
- Salt Lake Field Office Draft Knolls Off-Highway Vehicle Area Business Plan
- Vernal Field Office Draft Recreation Sites Business Plan
While 95 percent of BLM-Utah public lands are fee-free, the BLM currently manages 77 developed recreation fee sites and areas across Utah. BLM-Utah has seen an increase in recreation visitors, with over 7.9 million visitors in 2017. In addition, recreation activities on public lands contributed $551 million to the state’s economy in 2016.
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.