NEPA Number: DOI-BLM-CO-N030-2008-0001-RMP-EIS
Project Name: Grand Junction Field Office Resource Management Plan

Project Information 

  • NEPA Number
    DOI-BLM-CO-N030-2008-0001-RMP-EIS
  • Project Name
    Grand Junction Field Office Resource Management Plan
  • Project Type
    RMP - EIS
  • NEPA Status
    Completed - Completed
  • Lead Office
    Grand Junction Field Office
  • Last Updated


Project Description

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Grand Junction Field Office Resource Managment Plan Revision
The BLM Grand Junction Field Office has completed the revision of its Resource Management Plan (RMP) to guide management of about 1 million acres of public land it administers primarily located in Mesa and Garfield counties, with small amounts in Montrose and Rio Blanco counties. GJFO planning area contains more than 1 million surface acres and 1.2 million acres of subsurface mineral estate administered by the BLM Field Office primarily in Mesa and Garfield counties, with small amounts in Montrose and Rio Blanco counties.

Due to changing resource conditions, changes in the use of public land, and new environmental concerns, the BLM prepared an updated resource management plan. The Grand Junction planning effort provided a collaborative, community-based planning approach to assist the BLM in updating the existing management decisions and resource allocations.

The Draft RMP was released in January of 2013. The Draft RMP was made available for a 90-day public comment period (extended to June 24). The BLM received 3,307 written submissions during the comment period, of which 986 were unique submissions, and 2,538 individual substantive comments were identified and considered. The Proposed RMP and Final EIS were released on April 10, 2015 for a 30 day protest period and a 60 day Governor's Consistency review. The BLM received 19 protests and all of the protests on the Proposed RMP were dismissed. The Appproved RMP and Record of Decsions were released on August 24, 2015. A full description of the public involvement in the RMP revision process is included on the Public Involvement page. The BLM deferred implementation level route designation decision on most of the routes in Zone L and on 209 miles of Mesa County's high interest recreation routes (see the Travel Management pages for more information).

The Approved RMP was released on August 24, 2015 along with the Record of Decision and is based upon the Proposed RMP and Final EIS. In the Proposed RMP and Final EIS BLM created a proposed alternative (Alternative B) that was based upon the four alternatives that were anazlyzed in the draft plan and public comments. The proposed RMP and final EIS were released for a 30 day public protest period. Alternative B in the Proposed RMP used the Alternative B (Preferred Alternative) from the Draft RMP/EIS as its foundation. It carried forward the same theme as the Draft RMP/EIS, but also included elementsof the other four alternatives analyzed in the Draft RMP/EIS. Alternative B sought to allocate limited public land resources among competing human interests, land uses, and the conservation of natural and cultural resources. Goals and objectives focused on environmental, economic, and social outcomes achieved by strategically addressing demands across the landscape. Management direction under this alternative was broad to accommodate a variety of values and uses. This alternative sought to provide an overall balance between the protection, restoration, and enhancement of natural and cultural values, while allowing resource use and development in existing or reasonable locations.
 
The Approved RMP allocates limited public land resources among competing human interests, land uses, and the conservation of natural and cultural resources. Goals and objectives focus on environmental, economic, and social outcomes achieved by strategically addressing demands across the landscape. Management direction is broad to accommodate a variety of values and uses. The Approved RMP provides an overall balance between the protection, restoration, and enhancement of natural and cultural values, while allowing resource use and development in existing or reasonable locations.

Travel Management Plan
Travel and transportation are an integral part of virtually every activity that occurs on BLM-administered public lands within the GJFO. Recreation, management of livestock, wildlife, and commodity resources, rights-of-way, access to private inholdings, maintenance of electronic sites, and the day-to-day management and monitoring of the GJFO all rely on effective travel management planning.  Travel management includes all forms of transportation, including travel by foot, horseback, and mechanized vehicles such as bicycles as well as the numerous forms of motorized vehicles from two-wheeled (motorcycles) and four-wheeled all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) to cars and trucks. 

Two overall types of travel management decisions were completed in the RMP revision:
   1.  Planning Level RMP Decision: geographic areas, or “polygons” are designated open to cross country travel, closed to one or more modes of travel, or limited to designated routes to one or more modes of travel (see Approved RMP Comprehensive Trails and Travel Management section).

   2. Implementation Level Decisions/Appealable: Within limited polygons, all routes were designated to appropriate modes of travel.  For example, open to all uses, limited to specific uses or dates of use or closed (see Appendix M and Approved RMP Comprehensive Trails and Travel Management TRV-IMP-01 implementation action).  

Limitations to travel or modes of travel by area or route are a reflection of management objectives found in other resources or programs.  These commonly include: significant habitat for plant and/or wildlife protection; extreme slopes and other soils concerns; special designations like wilderness study areas or Areas of Critical Environmental Concern; and recreation related objectives.

The initial route inventory completed in 2009 found roughly 4,000 miles of existing routes within the field office.  Each alternative in the Proposed RMP weighed the use or purpose of the route with resource objectives or conflicts in the analysis to determine designations.  “Limited to designated routes” is the default allocation for motorized and mechanized use in the planning area. All areas outside of the open and closed polygons by alternative are limited. Limitations vary by modes of travel, seasons of use, and types of user.

Generally, horse and foot travel is not limited to designated routes. Certain areas with high use, sensitive resources, or potential conflict with other users require that foot and horse travel is limited to designated routes or, in some instances, excluded all together.

 
Contact Information
BLM Grand Junction Field Office
2815 H Road
Grand Junction, Colorado 81506
(970) 244-3000

Project Location

City State/Territory Zip Code County(ies)
Grand Junction Colorado 81503

Application Information



Project Office Information

  • Lead Office
    Grand Junction Field Office
  • Offices
    Grand Junction FO


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