The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) Utah Moab Field Office is seeking public comment on a proposed Master Leasing Plan and other draft documents that map out the future of oil, gas and potash development on about 785,000 acres of public lands near Moab.
The plan, along with draft amendments and a draft environmental impact statement, is now available online for public review at: www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/moab/MLP.html.
Hard copies of the plan and other documents are also available at the Grand County Public Library at 257 E. Main St. They can also be viewed at the BLM’s Moab Field Office at 82 E. Dogwood Ave.
The 90-day public comment period for the MLP, Draft Resource Management Plan Amendments, and Draft Environmental Impact Statement formally began on Friday, Aug. 21, and closes on Monday, Nov. 23.
In the coming weeks, members of the public are invited to comment at an open-house meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 23, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Grand Center, 182 N. 500 West. Other open house meetings will be held in Monticello on Sept. 24 and in Salt Lake City on Oct. 6.
The draft plan is designed to serve as a roadmap that facilitates balanced and orderly leasing and development of energy resources on public lands in southern Grand and northern San Juan counties, while protecting important conservation areas that support outdoor recreation opportunities for local communities and visitors.
The BLM says that the most useful comments are those that contain new technical or scientific information relevant to the proposed action. Comments should be as specific as possible; those that contain only opinions or preferences will not receive a formal response, but may be considered in the BLM decision-making process. Written comments may be mailed to: Bureau of Land Management Canyon Country District Office Attn: MLP Comments 82 East Dogwood Moab, Utah 84532. They can also be emailed to: blm_ut_mb_mlpcomments@blm.gov. Please reference “Moab MLP” when submitting comments.
For more project-specific information, contact Brent Northrup at 435-259-2100.
Editor’s note: The Moab Sun News reached out to local residents and elected officials over the last two weeks for their comments about the proposed Master Leasing Plan, but did not receive any specific responses by press time this week.
BLM sets Sept. 23 open house on proposal to balance land uses
