The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Roswell Field Office is announcing that the Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area (NCA) Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment has been approved by the BLM New Mexico State Director. The decision has been made to approve the Proposed RMP Amendment and to select Alternative A (Preferred) as presented in the Proposed Environmental Assessment (EA).
The NCA was designated in the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, in order to conserve, protect, and enhance the area’s “historic, cultural, scientific, archaeological, natural, and educational subterranean cave resources." Congress mandated that the BLM develop a comprehensive plan to manage the NCA. Therefore, the BLM prepared an RMP Amendment to the 1997 Roswell RMP, and prepared an EA for the plan in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act.
The Proposed RMP Amendment was circulated for a 30-day protest period, which began Aug. 23, 2013, and ended Sept. 22, 2013. No protest letters were received.
The Decision Record, Finding of No Significant Impact, and Final (Approved) EA are available for review on the Roswell Field Office website at: http://www.blm.gov/nm/roswell. Hard copies are available at the Roswell Field Office, 2909 West Second Street, Roswell, NM 88201.
For questions about the NCA, please contact Glen Garnand, at (575) 627-0209.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
