Okay, boys and girls, now is the time. If you want to comment on the new RMP for the Grand Junction BLM, you have until Friday. This Friday, the 9th of January. You may E-mail your opinions to the BLM at:
gjfo_rmp@blm.gov
Here is a short list of ideas to work from. It would be better if your e-mail was not copied an pasted but rather, put into your own words. If you are pressed for time pick the one that means the most to you and write to the BLM. Speak now, or forever .... well, you know.
Principles we of the OHV community would like to see incorporated in
the Resource Management Plan (RMP) for Motorized Recreation on Bureau of Land
Management Administered Lands in the Grand Junction Field Office area include
but are not limited to:
1. The RMP acknowledges that
motorized recreation is an appropriate form of recreation BLM lands.
2. The RMP will determine that
decisions concerning motorized recreation on BLM lands can best made at the
local level, with the full involvement of Federal, tribal, State and local
governments, motorized and non-motorized users, and other interested parties.
3. RMP will make “motor vehicle use
maps” available to the general public and will endeavor to post this same information
on the local BLM website.
4. The RMP will reject the notion
that all areas should be closed to OHV recreation until such time as the
implementation process is completed.
5. The RMP will continue to
encourage and rely on volunteer assistance for the construction, improvement
and maintenance of “primitive” roads and trails for motorized recreation.
· The BLM will make available heavy
equipment to qualified users for use in upgrading “primitive” roads and trails
including, but not limited to: removal
of fallen rocks blocking access, filling and/or rerouting around washed-out
areas of a road, run-off control, and other upgrades not requiring engineering
to fulfill the purpose.
· This “upgrading” would primarily be
for maintaining the “primitive” road for the safe passage of users and making
it environmentally friendly to the area (run-off control). Making it a “highway” is not in the scope of
this. These “upgrades” will not require engineering nor necessarily BLM direct
supervision.
6. The RMP will allow the BLM to work with and train volunteers
of organized OHV users to monitor and report unlawful uses of the public lands.
· BLM will train Volunteers in the
proper and safe collection of evidence to have violators prosecuted.
7. The RMP will require that designation
decisions at the local level will determine the appropriate consideration of
other Federal laws, such as issues relating to threatened or endangered
species.
8. The RMP will seek public comment
on the directives prepared for BLM personnel to use for the implementation of
this RMP.
9. The RMP will provide that actual
designation of routes and areas shall be the responsibility of the local
offices. In other
words, BLM Supervisors and District Rangers will be making these determinations
after receiving public input.
10. The RMP
will agree that decisions regarding NEPA compliance for the implementation
phase of the RMP will be determined at the local level depending upon
site-specific factors including: the local history of travel planning, public
input, and environmental impacts at the local level.
11. The RMP
will acknowledge that some user-created routes should be incorporated in the
final designation process. However, such determinations should be made at the
local level by officials with first-hand working knowledge of the area after
working closely with local governments, users and other interested parties.
12. The RMP will
not suggest that a complete inventory of all roads and trails must be completed
prior beginning the implementation/designations process.
13. The RMP
will recognize that designations of roads, trails and areas for motor vehicle
use will not be permanent. Such designations could be revised depending
upon environmental impacts, changes in public demand, route construction and
usage.
14. The RMP
will request public input prior to making final decisions regarding any
closures of areas, roads and trails with the exception of emergency closures
for good cause.
15. The RMP
will not require local officials to reconsider previous decisions designating
existing areas, roads and trails for motorized recreation. Such
reconsideration is at the discretion of the local official after consultation
with the public and user community.
16. The RMP
will not set a specific deadline for the completion of implementation.
The RMP, however, will state that the BLM hopes to complete the process as
quickly as possible.
17. The RMP
will require the BLM to seek public involvement in the designation process.
18. The RMP
will confirm that the prohibition of motor vehicle use off of the
designated system only goes into effect at the administrative unit or Ranger
District once that unit or District has completed the designation
process. Completion means having motor vehicle user maps identifying
those areas so designated available to the general public.
19. The RMP
will not consider that immediate closure of all user-created routes, without
local evaluation and public input, is necessary or appropriate.
20. The RMP
will determine that certain units or Ranger Districts will be able to complete
the designation process earlier than other Districts and that prohibition on
cross country travel will be become effective at different Districts at
different times.
21. The RMP
will say that licensing issues affecting motor vehicles remains the
responsibility of the State governments where each area is located.
22. The RMP
will indicate that it may consider developing national safety standards for OHV
use on BLM land sometime in the future, but not at this time.
23. The RMP
may develop a national standard for OHV noise levels in a future rulemaking.
24. The RMP
will address all forms of motor vehicle use and not just OHVs.
25. The RMP will
address the specific designation of routes for non-motorized use.
26. While the
RMP addresses motor vehicle use on BLM land and snowmobiles are “motor
vehicles,” the RMP exempts snowmobiles from the cross-country travel ban.
However, it leaves such restrictions to the discretion to the local manager on
a case by case basis.
27. The RMP
will permit temporary, emergency closures of trails without public notice for
purposes of resource protection, to protect public health and safety, to
facilitate cooperative work and for volunteer work and mitigation.
28. Nothing
in the RMP revokes any existing rights-of-way held by private parties or alters
any treaty rights held by tribal governments.
29. The RMP
will anticipate that local BLM units will publish new motor vehicle use maps
annually and update signs as necessary or appropriate to reflect any change in
designated routes.
30. The RMP
will allow for users of designated routes to voluntarily maintain those routes
by reasonable means as the users traverse these routes. The maintenance may be reported to the BLM
for recordation of volunteer hours.
31. The RMP
will allow for commercial and non-commercial uses of designated routes and
areas. Permits may be required for
commercial use only.
32. The RMP will make allowance for
public input regarding the alteration of existing routes, and the creation of
new designated routes as resources will allow for.
33. The RMP will oppose the “conservation area surrounding the
Dominquez WSA”.
34. The RMP will allow for qualified
volunteers to use equipment to maintain roads and trails for proper drainage
and passage.
35. The RMP will define what constitutes
a “Road” and a “trail”.
36. The RMP will reflect resistance to
closures of existing roads and trails without very good reason. Simple statements of concern and desire for
closure of an area will not be given weight in determining a closure. A factual, well reasoned argument must be
presented showing why such a closure would be in the best interest of the
public, the lands, or the environment.
37. The RMP will allow the BLM to
re-consider the status of “roadless area” designations. Areas with existing trails and roads should
be reconsidered for reintroduction to “open to motorized vehicles” or “limited
OHV use” status.
