BLM extends comment period on load-out facility

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) Moab Field Office is giving the public more time to comment on a proposed water load-out facility off state Route 279, or Potash Road, on the north side of the Colorado River.

The extended public scoping period will now end on Friday, Jan. 8, 2016, and the BLM will then prepare an environmental assessment (EA) to analyze potential impacts associated with the project. The BLM encourages the public to provide comments to help it identify relevant issues that will influence the scope of the analysis and guide the development of the EA. Once it has prepared the document, the agency will provide another opportunity for public review and comment.

The proposed facility would be located at mile marker 13.7, about 1.5 miles south of the intersection with U.S. Highway 191. The facility would serve multiple user groups that currently extract water from the City of Moab’s culinary water facility, or from an existing load-out facility at the upstream Moab boat ramp.

The project information and map can be accessed, and comments can be submitted electronically, on the BLM’s ePlanning website at www.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/nepa/nepa_register.do.

Click on “text search,” then “advanced search,” and enter “Water Load Out Facility” in the “Project Name” field. Open the project webpage at the bottom of the page and click on “Documents.” Select the “Comment on Document” button to provide a comment.

All scoping comments received to-date on the project will be considered in the process and do not need to be resubmitted. Comments which contain only opinions or preferences will not receive a formal response, but they may be considered in the BLM’s planning process.

Written comments can also be mailed to: Bureau of Land Management, Moab Field Office, Attn: Water Load Out Facility ROW, 82 East Dogwood, Moab, Utah 84532.

For more information, contact Jan Denney at 435-259-2100.