Resource Management Plan Amendment

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 1 (Monday, January 4, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 174]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-34796]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management


Resource Management Plan Amendment

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Glenwood Springs Field Office, 
Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102 of the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969 and section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act of 1976 and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regulations in CFR 
1610.2 and 1610.5-5., BLM intends to write an Environmental Assessment 
which proposes to amend the Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the 
Glenwood Springs Field Office (GSFO) approved in January 0f 1984.
    The amendment will consider management changes to the Red Hill 
area, approximately 3,093 acres, north of the town of Carbondale. It 
includes all BLM managed public lands bounded on the west by Highway 
82, on the north by the Cattle Creek Road, on the east by County Road 
112 and on the south by State Highway 82. The concerns of residents, 
the residential development on nearby private lands, new recreation 
information and the increase use has prompted BLM to consider amending 
the Resource Management Plan. A change in management strategy is needed 
to reduce conflicts between users, address adjoining private landowner 
concerns and enhance the experiences of visitors taking part in hiking, 
mountain biking and horseback-riding. The plan amendment will address 
the administrative recognition of the Red Hill area as a Special 
Recreation Management Area (SRMA), closure of the area to unauthorized 
motorized vehicles, and the designation of routes open for mountain 
bike riding. The amendment will also consider no surface occupancy 
(NSO) stipulations to maintain the current physical, social and 
managerial setting.

DATES: The BLM is accepting written comments concerning this Notice 
until February 3, 1999. Comments or requests to be placed on a mailing 
list should be mailed to the address below.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to the Area Manager, Glenwood 
Springs Field Office, Bureau of Land Management, 50629 Highway 6 & 24, 
P.O. Box 1009, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Brian Hopkins, (970) 947-2840.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Red Hill area is important to visitors 
and the community of Carbondale. Use and user conflicts in the Red Hill 
area have increased significantly with the population growth in the 
Roaring Fork Valley.

    A group of concerned users and neighbors formed the Red Hill 
Planning Committee to look at the area's future. The final report of 
the Red Hill Project produced a series of proposed recommendations for 
management of Red Hill. Public meetings were held to discuss the 
recommendations. It was concluded that the current open travel 
designation and dispersed recreation management emphasis was inadequate 
for preventing resource damage and reducing user conflicts.
    Visitors to the Red Hill area can generally expect to enjoy a 
mostly natural setting and see fewer people, largely due to challenging 
or difficult access. It was also advocated that the Bureau not 
authorize new roads and development that would negatively change the 
undeveloped setting that favors non-motorized activities and the 
desired recreational experiences of the users.
Michael S. Mottice,
Glenwood Springs Field Office Manager.
[FR Doc. 98-34796 Filed 12-31-98; 8:45 am]
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