BLM seeking public comment on wild and scenic river suitability in northwest California
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REDDING, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management is welcoming public comments on a Wild and Scenic River Eligibility Report, which identifies segments of northwest California rivers and streams that might be eligible for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The BLM will use the eligibility report in developing the Northwest California Integrated Resource Management Plan (NCIP), a land use plan that will guide management of BLM public lands in northwest California for the next 20 years.
“This comment period focuses only on the wild and scenic river eligibility report,” said Jennifer Mata, manager of the BLM Redding Field Office. “We have already accepted scoping comments on the entire NCIP, and that comment period is closed.”
The BLM currently manages 2,700 miles of wild and scenic rivers in the United States, protecting values including free flow, water quality and other outstandingly remarkable values such as scenic quality, recreation access, fish and wildlife habitat and others. Protecting these rivers helps protect biodiversity and resilience to the impacts of climate change. These conservation goals are consistent with the Biden-Harris Administration’s “America the Beautiful” initiative, a locally led and voluntary, nationwide effort to conserve and restore the lands, waters, and wildlife that support and sustain the nation.
The eligibility report completed in 2018 focuses on public lands managed by the BLM’s Arcata and Redding field offices in Shasta, Trinity, Butte, Siskiyou, Tehama, Del Norte, Humboldt and northern Mendocino counties. It is available for review on the BLM’s ePlanning website at https://bit.ly/3PgW7nX. The BLM will accept comments through August 18.
Anyone interested can provide comments through the above referenced website, by emailing BLM Planning and Environmental Specialist Chad Endicott at cendicott@blm.gov, or by mailing to the BLM Redding Field Office, 6640 Lockheed Dr. Redding, CA 96002. More information is available by contacting Endicott at 530-224-2140.
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.