This week, the Bureau of Land Management held public meetings to discuss a proposed Dolores Travel Management Plan, which would “designate a comprehensive travel network of motorized routes and trails” for the 130,000 acres east of Moab. A public scoping period for the plan has been open since May 22.
The BLM is working on management plans for motorized use for many areas in the region as part of a 2017 lawsuit settlement agreement. The public scoping period for a plan for the San Rafael Swell was also announced on June 6.
“Previous BLM travel management plans heavily favored motorized recreation at the expense of biological and cultural resources as well as non-motorized recreationists,” Laura Peterson, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance staff attorney, said. “This plan is an opportunity for BLM to bring a more balanced approach to where vehicle use should and should not occur.”
Plans can be viewed and commented on at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2032758/510.