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BLM Plan Could Significantly Reduce Motorized Access

by KREX News Room
by Amanda Brandeis

Story Created: Jan 21, 2013 at 12:14 AM MDT

Story Updated: Jan 21, 2013 at 12:14 AM MDT

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. Roughly every 20 years the Grand Junction Bureau of Land Management releases a Resource Management Plan (RPM). This month they released the RPM draft, with four alternatives.

Dave Grossman, coordinator for the Grand Valley Trails Alliance, said, "They're trying to balance all the different factors in public lands, so it's not just recreation, [there's] cultural issues, oil and gas, grazing, water issues."

The BLM has a preferred option, alternative B, but some say it has serious implications.

Brandon Siegfried, a public lands access advocate, said, "Currently we have about 3,300 miles of motorized access in the area, that'll be reduced to about 1,100, we're looking at about a 66 percent reduction. We enjoy 12,500 acres of designated for OHV, motorcycles, jeeps, trucks. That'll be reduced to 5,400 acres."

Steve Chapel, president of the Western Slope ATV Association said, "We have pinpointed three routes in particular that are set to be closed that are just not acceptable."

"I see the direction that things are going nationally on our public lands and it scares me," said Siegfried.

Sigfried says one of the many closures includes the Whitewater Hills Trail Head. A portion of intensive use land at 27 1/4 Road could also face closure.

Others say that closing off some land isn't necessarily a bad thing.

"Travel is going to be restricted to designated routes, so there's still going to be wonderful recreation opportunities, you're just not going to be able to drive anywhere you want to on a whim, and I think that's a good thing for public lands," Grossman said.

The next step is for the public to get involved.

"Some people are going to be sad about some of the trails that are currently proposed to be closed, and if they are, this is their opportunity to say 'hey I love this trail', I want to make sure that it stays open," said Grossman.

"They also need to express themselves to the Mesa County Commissioners. If the Mesa County Commissioners get pressure from the public they can in turn put pressure on the BLM," said Chapel.

If the public takes advantage of 90-day window to comment, a battle for public lands could be avoided down the line.

For more information on commenting and to read the RPM in full, head to the Grand Valley Trails Alliance page here.

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Dirt Rider said on Monday, Jan 21 at 2:03 AM

What group in town is the best organized to fight these changes?

jim said on Monday, Jan 21 at 6:49 AM

western slope atv club

Free said on Monday, Jan 21 at 9:37 AM

Has Hitler returned?

Stop Hidden Gems said on Monday, Jan 21 at 10:52 AM

Keep Public lands open to the Public.

JoJo said on Monday, Jan 21 at 12:26 PM

Closing over 60% of existing roads will be very expensive. i thought the government was out of money.

Disgusted said on Monday, Jan 21 at 12:35 PM

Answer to Free: Yes.

Desert Rat said on Monday, Jan 21 at 12:43 PM

There must be a way to stop all this government takeover...Our privacy, our guns, and now the desert??? NO WAY WE MUST FIGHT BACK

Nobbies said on Monday, Jan 21 at 4:25 PM

The GJ Regional Airport aka Tippetts wants the BLM to cede over 2000 acres of land to the west and north of the airport runway. 27 1/4 Road will be closed if he gets his way. This resource plan is about getting that land. Having the BLM reclassify it is step one. All of that great riding that lies within a one mile boundary of the airport will be gone. Target shooting will be gone. We've got to do something. I'm ready to donate. Who has the best chance putting the kibosh on this?

Desert Rat Bro said on Monday, Jan 21 at 10:54 PM

Can't take away the guns take away where u can shoot them first.1 step at a time they are taking it all away.We Need to stand up rise again and be heard together, Tell all your friends get word out fast we got 89 days. Remember BLM is federal land That is another tactic of OBAMA it is another way to control u .OBAMA NEEDS TO BE IMPEACHED or we are doomed. He keeped one promise he made He bought his kids a dog!Back to the desert now BLM wants to save money quit flying drones over the desert and encourage kids to enjoy it instead of Chasing them out of it. A FAMILY THAT RIDES TOGETHER STAYS TOGETHER!!!!WAKE UP PEOPLE THEY ARE TRYING TO MAKE THE USA A POLICE STATE, DEPARTMENT HOMELAND SECURITY RECENTLY PURCHASED 1.6 BILLION THATS RIGHT BILLION ROUNDS OF BULLETS IS THAT NOT THE JOB OF THE MILITARY TO PROTECT US POLICE STATE COMING

Sensible Person said on Wednesday, Jan 23 at 1:41 PM

Really? Hitler? The BLM has to take the long view and all uses and protection of resources into account. You are not helping your case.

Geezer said on Thursday, Jan 24 at 9:31 AM

It costs the taxpayers money to keep up a big system of routes. BLM is wise to reduce the system to a manageable size, consisting of routes that need little maintenance.

Just another Obama "grab" -- but this one is the land in our own backyards! said on Saturday, Jan 26 at 10:48 AM

I live in southeastern Utah and we are sharing in the threats of losing access to millions of acres in our state. We all need to fight these closures together. The closures are led by small, well-funded radical enviro-employees (most of whom are paid political parasites feeding off the "non-profits"). Identify them and their connections. Publicize their agenda and then surround them with 100 to one of "us". Utah has had good success in fighting wilderness designations and trail closures since we started actively exposing these parasites. USA-ALL (Utah Shared Access Alliance) has done a great job of helping us keep access to our public lands and your West Slope ATV group has helped us so I would be they have a plan for helping you. Our motto should be your motto too: JOIN, PARTICIPATE, DONATE! That is the answer.

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