Lewistown Field Office releases draft Resource Management Plan
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(LEWISTOWN, Mont.) –The Lewistown Draft Resource Management Plan and associated Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft RMP/Draft EIS) has been released by the Bureau of Land Management.
and Environmental Impact Statement to guide future management of
BLM-administered in central Montana.
(BLM Photo by Ken Dickerson)
The BLM is revising current RMPs to reflect changing needs and uses of public lands in the planning area over the next several decades.
The Draft RMP/Draft EIS planning area covers 651,200 acres of BLM-administered surface and 1.2 million acres of federal mineral estate in Cascade, Judith Basin, Meagher, Petroleum, Pondera, Teton, and portions of Fergus, Chouteau, and Lewis and Clark counties.
“Management of these lands is complex,” said BLM Lewistown Field Manager Brett Blumhardt. “The BLM strives every day to find a balance that allows for economic gain that supports communities, while preserving the resources that make these lands special.”
The Lewistown Draft RMP proposes a range of management options for minerals and energy resources, livestock grazing, recreation and visitor services, transportation and access, and forest products. The Lewistown Draft RMP/Draft EIS also balances resource requirements for: fish and wildlife; soils and vegetation; visual resources; wilderness characteristics; and cultural, paleontological and heritage resources. The associated Lewistown Draft EIS analyzes the environmental effects of each alternative on resources including potential economic and sociological impacts.
The draft documents, as well as information about upcoming public meetings and instructions for submitting comments, will be available online at: https://go.usa.gov/xUPsP. For more information, contact Al Nash, at 406-896-5260.
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.