MORENO VALLEY, Calif. - The Bureau of Land Management is hosting several virtual public and stakeholder meetings to gather input on the development of off-highway vehicle (OHV) grant proposals for submission to the California State Parks, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation (OHMVR) Division. Grant applications are currently being prepared by BLM staff for the 2021 grant cycle.
“As stewards, the BLM manages public lands for the benefit of current and future generations, supporting conservation as part of its multiple-use mission," said California Desert District Manager, Andrew Archuleta. “We welcome visitor input on these important grant funds, which will be used to support projects and activities of importance to the outdoor community."
The OHMVR Division’s Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program bolsters well-managed off-highway vehicle recreation by providing financial assistance to cities, counties, districts, educational institutions, state agencies, federal agencies, federally recognized Native American Tribes and nonprofit entities.
The BLM applies for grants from the California Department of Parks and Recreation OHMVR Division each year to help fund and coordinate its OHV programs. The grants support OHV management activities such as visitor services, law enforcement, resource protection, planning and monitoring, and maintenance on BLM-managed public lands throughout the state.
With the exception of El Centro, scoping meetings are scheduled for the first 45 minutes of each session; the stakeholder meeting will immediately follow. Stakeholders and members of the public are invited to attend either session, or both. The Zoom meeting schedule is as follows and participants are invited to join either by using the Zoom virtual meeting platform or by phone using the dial-in information below:
El Centro Field Office: Feb 9, 3:30 - 4:00 p.m. scoping meeting, and 4:00 - 4:30 p.m. stakeholder meeting
Phone: 833-568-8864 / ID: 161 936 1494 / Passcode: 099547
Needles Field Office: Feb. 11, 5 - 6:30 p.m.
Phone: 833-568-8864 / ID: 161 207 5095 / Passcode: 524063
Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office: Feb. 17, 5 - 7 p.m.
Phone: 833-568-8864 / ID: 161 829 0522 / Passcode: 724142
Barstow Field Office: Feb. 18, 2 - 4 p.m.
Phone: 833-568-8864 / ID: 160 161 0703 / Passcode: 596221
Ridgecrest Field Office: Feb. 25, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Phone: 833-568-8864 / ID: 161 314 1240 / Passcode: 261383
Preliminary applications must be submitted to OHMVR Division no later than March 1, 2021 and will be available on the OHMVR Division’s website at www.ohv.parks.ca.gov/ for additional public review and comment, March 2-May 3, 2021. The website will provide detailed instructions for accessing the preliminary applications and submitting comments. Public comments should be submitted to both the OHMVR Division and to the appropriate BLM field office by May 3, 2021.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
