The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) signed the Decision Record, approving an amendment for a 1.5 million-acre White River Field Office in northwestern Colorado that will provide access to outdoor recreational activities.
The new oasis will allow motorized vehicles on 1.29 million-acres, with two areas open to cross-country motorized travel and 12 areas would still allow access to non-motorized.
“We worked very closely with local officials and the public to develop this comprehensive approach,” said White River Field Manager Kent Walter. “It offers a variety of opportunities balanced with protecting sensitive areas and resources.”
The BLM's White River Field Office administers nearly 1.5 million BLM surface acres and more than 2.1 million subsurface acres in Rio Blanco, Moffat and Garfield Counties.
“Rio Blanco County's socioeconomic well-being, health, safety and culture are strongly affected by how public lands within the county are managed. The county appreciates the efforts of the BLM White River Field Office to address our concerns, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with BLM in the implementation of this plan,” said the Rio Blanco County Board of County Commissioners.
These lands include 14 recreation sites: One National Scenic Byway and one National Historic District; six Wilderness Study Areas (81,000 acres); habitat for eight federally protected endangered, threatened and candidate species (seven listed, one candidate); 122,000 acres of priority habitat and 180,200 acres of general habitat for Greater Sage Grouse; as well as more than 1.4 million acres of livestock grazing.
Last year, recreation on BLM-managed lands in Colorado generated $652 million and supported more than 5,000 jobs.
To view the signed Decision of Record, click here.
To view the approved plan, click here.
Established in 1946, the BLM lands were initially used to encourage homesteading and people to migrate west. Their website states that "Over time, values and attitudes regarding public lands shifted, and President Harry S. Truman, by means of a government reorganization, merged the GLO and another agency, the U.S. Grazing Service, creating the BLM."
