The Bureau of Land Management, in a statement released Tuesday, invites the public to play an important role in helping the BLM determine where motorized transportation is allowed on public land in eastern Utah.
The Bureau of Land Management is seeking comment on a travel management plan for the Book Cliffs. Photo by Carter Pape
The BLM Vernal Field Office announced the start of a 30-day period to update Book Cliffs’ travel management plan as well as online open house dates to learn more.
The goal of the Travel Management Plan is to help the BLM provide a public motorized transportation network that serves visitors and local communities while protecting natural resources. While Vernal’s 2008 Resource Management Plan considered landscape-scale use of public motorized vehicles, this plan focuses on managing individual routes. In some parts it will determine whether the routes are open, restricted or closed for public motorized use.
The Book Cliffs travel management area in eastern Utah comprises approximately 813,446 acres in Uintah County, 5,518 acres in Grand County, and 1,906 miles of routes.
“We look forward to hearing from the public during the scoping period of the Book Cliffs Travel Management Plan,” said Roger Bankert, Vernal Field Manager. “The information submitted at this stage will help support the initial draft travel management plan and environmental impact assessment. The most helpful comments are specific and provide new information. “
The BLM organizes online open days from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm on June 23rd and from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm on June 24th. For more information, access to meetings, login details and / or online comments, visit ePlanning. the BLM website: go.usa.gov/xNKuZ.
Relevant maps and materials are published on ePlanning, including a map with the full route inventory for the Book Cliffs travel management area. Please note that the routes will be assessed for possible inclusion in the Book Cliffs TMP. This does not mean that these roads can be used as part of travel management decisions in Vernal’s resource management plan.
Comments help the BLM formulate problems and alternatives that are included in the travel management plan. Specific information about the use of the route, resource impacts of an existing route, and / or new information about the area are particularly useful at this stage of the planning process. The travel management plan will address issues related to motorized travel, including recreation, cultural resources, wildlife habitats and fishing, soil and water quality, and wilderness characteristics.
The BLM will solicit public contributions during a 30-day validity period starting on Tuesday June 8th and ending on July 8th. Comments must be submitted or postmarked by July 8th via the BLM ePlanning website, by email, by post. Refer to Book Cliffs TMP when submitting comments.
ePlanning: go.usa.gov/xNKuZ
Email: blm.gov ‘target =’ _ blank ‘> [email protected]
Post Office: 170 South 500 East, Vernal, UT 84078
Before including an address, telephone number, email address, or other personally identifiable information in comments, you should be aware that the entire comment – including personal information – can be made publicly available at any time. Requests to withhold personal information from public scrutiny can be made, but the BLM cannot guarantee that this will be possible.
Comments are closed.