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Show BLM Releases GSENM Draft Management Plan For Comment The Draft Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement State-ment (DEIS) for Grand Staircase-Escalante Staircase-Escalante National Monument is now available for a 90-day public review and comment period. The draft plan analyzes several different differ-ent foreseeable management alternatives al-ternatives for the 1.9 million-acre federal preserve created to proteol a spectacular array of scientific, historic, biological, paleontologi-cal paleontologi-cal and archaeological objects found on BLM-administered public pub-lic lands in south-central Utah. "The ultimate outcome of the planning process is to provide both a set of decisions to resolve land management issues and to create a framework for future planning and decision making," said Monument Manager Jerry Meredith. The plan offers a range of alternatives al-ternatives on issues such as; transportation and off-highway vehicle travel designations, major and minor visitor facilities, Wild and Scenic River recommendations, recommenda-tions, recreation management, vegetation management and scientific sci-entific research activities. The draft plan outlines five different approaches to the future management of Grand Starcase-Escalante Starcase-Escalante National Monument. Options include: continuing current cur-rent management; emphasizing recreation opportunities; emphasizing empha-sizing research activities; empha sizing the primitive character of the land itself; and a "preferred" alternative that emphasizes the conservation of the Monument as an unspoiled natural area, while recognizing its value as a resource re-source for scientific research and appropriate recreational uses. "Collectively, the management manage-ment alternatives proposed in the draft plan contain the ingredients needed to create a strong, balanced bal-anced foundation for the future management of the BLM's first national monument," said Meredith. Mere-dith. "Establishing the Monument as a preeminent outdoor laboratory, labora-tory, maintaining the frontier character of the land, and accommodating ac-commodating use while adhering to a strict mandate for resource protection are among the key future fu-ture desired outcomes woven throughout the draft management approaches identified thus far," he said. But Meredith cautioned that no decisions have been made yet. "This is not a decision document and we're looking forward to the next round of public involvement to help us achieve the best possible possi-ble final blueprint for the Monument." Monu-ment." Based on the public comments, com-ments, the Monument planning team will prepare a Proposed Management Plan and Final EIS which is scheduled for release sometime next summer. An Approved Ap-proved Plan is expected to be completed by Sept. 18, 1999. The draft management plan will be distributed extensively in order to maximize the opportunities opportuni-ties for public participation. Hundreds Hun-dreds of copies of the 450-page document were sent out from the printer today, but those who have not already requested a copy can easily obtain one. Printed or CD ROM disk versions ver-sions of the Draft Management Plan and DEIS can be obtained by writing Pete Wilkins-Team Leader, Grand Staircase-Escalante Staircase-Escalante National Monument, 337 South Main Street, Suite 010, Cedar City, UT 84720 or calling (435) 865-5100. Electronic copies cop-ies are available on the Web at http:www.ut.blm.govmonument. Written comments will be accepted ac-cepted at the address listed above or through the web site. In order to be considered in the Proposed Management PlanFinal Environmental Envi-ronmental Impact Statement, comments must be received by Feb. 12, 1999. Public open houses are scheduled sched-uled for eight Utah towns and cities, Albuquerque, Flagstaff, San Francisco, Denver and Washington Wash-ington D.C. between December 1 and January 12. These meetings will be held in an "open house" format to facilitate a better understanding under-standing of the plan and provide tips on how to make comments that will be most useful in the preparation of the final plan. Public Meeting Schedule Kanab, UT, Kanab Middle School, Dec. 1,1998 (6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.) (See GSENM PLAN on Page 3A) GSENM PLAN From Front Page Albuquerque, NM, Winrock Inn, 18 Winrock Center, N.E., Dec. 1, 1998 Escalante, Ut., Escalante High School, Dec. 3, 1998 Denver, Colo., Hyatt Regency Re-gency Tech Ctr., 7800 Tufts Avenue, Ave-nue, Dec. 3, 1998 Salt Lake City, Ut., Salt Lake Hilton,150 W. 500 S., Dec. 8, 1998 Tropic, UT, Bryce Valley High, Dec. 8, 1998 San Francisco, Calif., San Francisco Marriott, 55 Fourth Street, Dec. 10, 1998 Big Water, Ut., Big Water Town Hall, Dec. 1 0,1998 Orderville, Ut., Valley High School, Jan. 5, 1 999 Panguitch, Ut., Panguitch High School, Jan. 5, 1999 Flagstaff, Ariz., Flagstaff Radisson, Woodlands Plaza, 1175 West Route 66, Jan. 7,1999 Cedar City, Ut., Southern Utah University -Charles Hunter, Jan. 7, 1999 Washington D.C., The Capital Capi-tal Hilton, 16th and K Streets Northwest, Jan. 12, 1999 Except for Kanab, all open houses will be held from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM. |