The BLM's Tres Rios field office in Dolores recently released its long-term resource management plan.
BLM manager Connie Clementson gave a report on its highlights to the county commission this month.
The plan covers 503,000 acres of BLM land stretching from Bayfield to Silverton, Mancos to Dove Creek.
It includes 2.6 million acres of federal mineral estate, more than half of which lies under the San Juan National forest. (The BLM manages oil and gas leasing under national forest lands.)
"Its has been a public planning effort initiated in 2004," Clementson said.
Between 2004 and 2013, there were 45 public meetings on the plan that attracted more than 1,000 participants. The public submitted a total of 54,000 comments, and 26 Native American tribes were consulted.
Two grazing allotments were abandoned as part of the plan, Clementson said.
One was closed because of bighorn sheep habitat near Silverton, and the other was closed within the wild horse management area in Disappointment Valley.
But overall, cattle grazing acreage went up, going from 272,725 acres to 273,511 acres.
The plan designated the Willow Creek Wildlife Management Area along the Colorado-Utah border.
"It is good habitat for the Gunnison sage grouse," Clementson said, which was listed as a "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act in December.
Accommodations were made for the struggling bird species within oil and gas development areas.
For example, there will be no surface occupancy within occupied habitat. In unoccupied habitat, there will be controlled surface use for oil-and-gas leasing, with proposals reviewed to protect the bird's habitat needs.
There will be seasonal timing restrictions, a buffer zone, and noise restrictions for mating areas called leks. Nesting areas, and winter habitat will also have seasonal restrictions, under the plan.
Within the Tres Rios District, 92 percent of BLM land is available for energy development, or 758,512 acres. Under the national forest, 1,279,822 acres are available.
As a result of increased protections for Gunnison sage grouse, the amount of acreage with no surface occupancy status went from 100,000 acres to 289,000 acres.
In the new plan, the BLM developed oil-and-gas requirements to mitigate impacts to shallow ground water and surface water. The plan also requires disclosure of fracking materials.
The BLM plan carries forward the "suitability" status of the Lower Dolores River for a Wild and Scenic River designation. Congress has to approve a WSR, but in the meantime the river is managed to protect outstanding natural values.
Two areas of environmental concern (ACEC) were added, one around the Anasazi Cultural Center, and one in Gypsum Valley with special plant and animal species. Lands with wilderness characteristics were identified at Snaggletooth and Coyote Wash on the Lower Dolores River.
A big change for the BLM is switching from cross-country travel to existing routes only. Travel management plans specific to different BLM lands will be drawn up in the next five years.
The first one will focus on the escarpment lands on the north side of Mesa Verde.
"It will be timely because the county is considering providing access to those lands," Clementson said. "We want to know what type of transportation people want on that chunk of land."
jmimiaga@cortezjournal.com
