BLM Boulder Public Meeting
Wyoming's House District #22 Representative Jim Roscoe talks with BLM Planning and Environmental Coordinator Kellie Roadifer during the BLM Boulder Landscape Plan public meeting on Monday.
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Boulder Landscape Plan
by Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online!
April 27, 2009
The Bureau of Land Management Pinedale Field Office held a public meeting on Monday, April 27th, for the Boulder Landscape Plan.
The BLM has broken their district into twelve management areas, each of which will be reviewed for management decisions via a Landscape Plan. The Boulder Landscape Plan is the first area to go through the process. The land involved is east of US 191, south of the Boulder Highway to the border with the Rock Springs Field Office south of the New Fork and Big Sandy areas.
The BLM is soliciting comments from the public about any issues and concerns that should be considered in the process. Management decisions will be made regarding road and transportation planning, cultural and historic sites, wildlife values, recreation, work and other uses by the public of this area. In addition, the BLM will review rangeland health in the management area and make decisions on the renewal of grazing permits on 21 allotments in the area. There will not be any oil and gas drilling activity in this area. There will be an evaluation done regarding sand and gravel resources and boulder availability.
Historical considerations include the Lander Cut-off of the Oregon Trail, a national historic trail, emigrant graves and Native American sites. The BLM would also like input on the idea of creating a backcountry scenic byway on the Boulder Highway road to Buckskin crossing. That would link into the road portions that travel over into the Rock Springs BLM management areas. The backcountry scenic byway would include interpretive signs along the length that explain the history and other information about the area.
Ultimately, the BLM will produce an Environmental Assessment management document based on the public input. This meeting was the first public meeting as part of the process. The BLM will host other public meetings later as the process moves along, which is expected to take approximately two years to completion.
Comments should be in to the BLM by May 20th. Written comments should be sent to the BLM at:
Pinedale RMP/EIS
BLM Pinedale Field Office
1625 W Pine St
P.O. Box 768
Pinedale, WY 82941
For more information, contact Kellie Roadifer, BLM Planning and Environmental Coordinator, at the BLM Pinedale Field Office, 307-367-5309.
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