Departments of the Air Force and the Navy apply to extend and expand military withdrawal for Barry M. Goldwater Range
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PHOENIX – The Bureau of Land Management is working with the U.S. Department of the Air Force and the U.S. Department of the Navy, acting on behalf of the U.S. Marine Corps, to allow for the continuation of military testing, training and national defense at the Barry M. Goldwater Range in southern Arizona.
The BLM is processing the military’s request to extend the current reservation of 1,743,426 acres of public lands along the U.S.-Mexico border in southern Arizona for defense purposes – and the withdrawal of this acreage from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws, including the mining laws, the mineral leasing laws, and the geothermal leasing laws, subject to valid existing rights. The USAF has also requested the withdrawal of an additional 2,366 acres of contiguous public lands. These requests must be approved by Congress.
“The Barry M. Goldwater Range is an important component of our national defense, and the BLM is committed to working with Congress, the Air Force, Navy and Marines to ensure that the range remains available for training and testing of air crews and aircraft for years to come,” said BLM Arizona State Director Raymond Suazo.
A Notice of Application for Withdrawal Extension and Expansion was published in today’s Federal Register, which initiates a 90-day public comment period. The USAF, USN and BLM will hold two joint virtual (online/telephone) public meetings on Thursday, May 26 at 5:00 p.m. and Thursday, May 28 at 3:00 p.m. The BLM will publish the instructions on how to access the virtual public meetings in Phoenix, Tucson and southwest Arizona newspapers, and online at www.blm.gov/arizona.
The USAF and the USN seeks to extend the Military and Withdrawal Act of 1999 (Public Law 106-65) withdrawal and reservation of public lands for the range indefinitely. The existing withdrawal expires October 4, 2024. Under the current withdrawal and under the proposed indefinite withdrawal, livestock grazing is permitted. Moreover, the public is and will continue to be granted access across the range to access wildlife refuges, private land inholdings including municipalities, the international border with Mexico, and for recreational purposes.
The USAF and USN will prepare a Legislative Environmental Impact Statement evaluating the environmental consequences associated with the withdrawal extension and 2,366-acre expansion of the range. The BLM will be a cooperating agency for the environmental analysis of the impacts of the proposed withdrawal and any alternatives considered prior to the Secretary of the Interior making a recommendation to Congress. Congress will make the final decision regarding extending the existing withdrawal and adding 2,366 additional acres to the withdrawal.
The public may submit comments on the proposed withdrawal extension from today until July 20, 2020. Comments may be submitted through:
- Email: BLM_AZ_AZSO_BMGRWithdrawal@blm.gov
- Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Arizona Attn: Eddie Arreola, One North Central Avenue, Suite 800, Phoenix, Arizona 85004
- Fax: 602-417-9454
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.