BLM Releases Tres Rios Field Office Resource Management Plan Amendment for Areas of Critical Environmental Concern in Southwest Colorado
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DOLORES, Colo. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Tres Rios Field Office released today its Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) and Final Environmental Assessment (EA) to designate three Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) in San Miguel and Montezuma counties.
The amendment designates the Mesa Verde Escarpment ACEC in San Miguel County and the Ancestral Puebloan and Gypsum Valley ACECs in Montezuma County, which together cover approximately 14,335 acres.
“The input from the public and our partners was vital in designating the ACECs,” said Tres Rios Field Manager Connie Clementson. “These are special places and the plan amendment will allow us to provide special management protection for the important historical, cultural and natural resources contained within them.”
The Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) directs the BLM to give priority to the identification and potential designation of ACECs during the land use planning process. ACEC designations highlight areas where special management attention is needed to protect important historical, cultural, and scenic values, or fish and wildlife or other natural resources. ACECs can also be designated to protect human life and safety from natural hazards. Potential areas for ACEC consideration are evaluated using the best available information and incorporate extensive public involvement.
The three proposed ACEC designations provide a more appropriately designated area and additional management actions for important cultural resources in the Ancestral Puebloan (formerly Anasazi Culture) and Mesa Verde Escarpment areas; and focus additional management actions for rare plant species within the Gypsum Valley area, with a more deliberate identification of those soils that specifically provide habitat for rare plants found there.
The Final EA/Proposed RMPA is being released for a 30-day protest period which will close October 16, 2019. The RMPA, EA and its associated documents, as well as instructions for submitting comments are available online at https://go.usa.gov/xnU6U.
Annually, the Tres Rios Field Office contributes over $94 million to the local economy with more than 3,000 jobs tied to public land management in Southwest Colorado.
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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.