BLM to host scoping meetings

The Bureau of Land Management's St. George Field Office will host four public scoping meetings to kick off the preparation of management plans for the Beaver Dam Wash and Red Cliffs National Conservation Areas and an amendment to the St. George Field Office Resource Management Plan approved in 1999.

A single Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared to support these planning efforts.

The St. George BLM Field Office is excited to lead the development of the 45,000 acre Red Cliffs area and the 63,500 acre Beaver Dam Wash area, both established with the passage of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009.

The BLM says the planning efforts will strive to protect, enhance and conserve the ecological, natural, cultural, historical, recreational, scenic, educational and scientific values of public lands with an emphasis on the protection of federally listed-threatened and endangered species. These planning efforts will allow the BLM and communities to creatively develop management goals and objectives for these unique and popular local ecosystems. This planning effort would also identify one or more alternatives for a "northern transportation route" in Washington County.

As part of this multi-faceted planning process, the St. George Field Office will also amend its plan to address specific public land uses and other legal requirements. The plan amendment will consider changes to the off-highway vehicle area designations approved through the 1999 plan. Implementation planning for specific routes within the area designations will occur through a separate Environmental Assessment.

The meetings will be in an open house format and representatives from the BLM St. George Field Office will be available to answer questions.

The meetings are scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. on the following dates at these locations: Dixie Center on Monday, Mesquite Community and Senior Center on Tuesday and Hurricane city office on Wednesday.

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Source: http://www.thespectrum.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20106110320

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