BLM White River Field Office initiates comprehensive Transportation and Travel Management Plan
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MEEKER, Colo. – Today the Bureau of Land Management announced a public scoping period for travel and transportation management in the White River Field Office in northwestern Colorado.
The White River Field Office is beginning an Environmental Assessment that would amend its 1997 Resource Management Plan to determine which areas within the 1.5 million-acre field office would be open to cross-country motorized and mechanized use, which would be limited to designated routes, and which would be closed to motorized and mechanized vehicles.
“Our ultimate goal is to identify a comprehensive travel network that balances current and future transportation needs while managing for other resources and uses,” said White River Field Manager Kent Walter.
Once the amendment is complete in 2017, the field office will begin route-by-route analyses in those areas where travel is limited to designated routes.
“Public involvement will play a key part in this travel management planning effort,” Walter said. “During this first opportunity for public involvement, called scoping, we are hoping the public can help us identify issues to be addressed in our analysis.”
The BLM will host public meetings to provide more information and accept written comments Nov. 16 at the White River Field Office in Meeker, 220 E. Market St.; and Nov. 18 in Rangely at the Recreation Center, 611 S. Stanolind Ave. Both meetings run from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Public comments on the preliminary planning issues and criteria found at http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/wrfo.html will also be helpful. Comments will be most effective if received by Dec. 4, 2015.
More information about how to comment can be found athttp://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/wrfo.html. Comments may also be sent toblm_co_wrfo_tmp@blm.gov or by mail to Heather Sauls, BLM White River Field Office, 220 East Market St., Meeker, CO 81641.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
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.