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BlueRibbon Magazine
The Official publication of the BlueRibbon Coalition.
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BRC Action Alerts
Please Send Email To Help Protect Chili Challenge Trails!
February 8th, 2010
BLUERIBBON COALITION ACTION ALERT! Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber, The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Las Cruces District Office, is preparing a new Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the new Prehistoric Trackways National Monument. The establishment of the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument near Las Cruces, New Mexico last year -- via the odious Omnibus bill -- was a bitter disappointment. But when two powerful Senators want a Monument, and both are on the Senate natural resource committee and both are from New Mexico, I guess it was an up-hill battle from the get-go. Still, OHV advocates in New Mexico were successful in getting recreation identified as a monument value as well as a section directing the BLM to allow permitted events such as the Chili Challenge. BUT.... Monument status gives the anti-recreation crowd the opportunity to go after the Chili Challenge trails. And they WILL try to close them via the RMP for the new Monument. The BLM is beginning the planning process, which means they are in the "scoping" phase. At its basic, the scoping phase is about issues and alternatives. The BLM will identify issues that the new RMP will address and then develop a range of alternatives each addressing the issues slightly differently. The BLM will also develop a "preferred alternative." We've put together another one of our INSANELY EASY 3-step action items below. Please send your comment email today. The comment deadline is February 10, 2010! As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact BRC. Brian Hawthorne Ric Foster BRC ACTION ALERT: SITUATION: Comments on issues may be submitted in writing by any of the following methods: Online: http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/fo/Las_Cruces_District_Office/trackways_rmp.html E-mail: lcfo_rmp@nm.blm.gov Mail to: Bureau of Land Management Fax: (575) 525-4412 For more information, or to have your name added to the BLM's Prehistoric Trackways mailing list, contact Lori Allen at (575) 525-4454, or by e-mail at Lori_Allen@blm.gov.
BRC'S THREE-STEP ACTION ITEM NOTE: Please be polite and, if possible, make your comment letter as personal as you can. STEP 1: Open your email program and start a draft email. Address the email to STEP 2: Use the comments below as a guideline for comments in your email. STEP 3: Please take a minute to express how valuable OHV use and high difficulty 4x4 trails in particular is to you and your family. If you've visited the Chili Challenge trails, please include a bit about how valuable that trip was to you, and also how much money you spent in the area. Then click "send" and you're done!
Bureau of Land Management
Dear Monument Planner: 1. It is inappropriate for the BLM to incorporate concerns regarding "Possible Upcoming Legislation" into the planning process. The BLM is required to develop land use plans based on existing law and regulation, not speculation regarding what Congress may or may not do in the future. Please do not incorporate this into the final planning issues. 2. It is also inappropriate for BLM to incorporate "Expanded Boundary Possibilities for Adjacent Areas" into the final planning issues. Including this "planning issue" or "management concern" to go forward is inconsistent with the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009. Only Congress can adjust the boundaries of a National Monument. Nothing in the Act even mentions let alone directs the agency to consider potential expansion of the Monument. Nothing in BLM's planning regulations directs the agency to consider modifying Congressionally established boundaries. If BLM is going to consider expanding the boundaries, then I formally request that the BLM also consider reducing the current boundaries to better reflect the location of the Paleozoic Trackways. 3. Suggested Planning Issue: Please incorporate the issue of "Cumulative Loss of Motorized Recreation" into the final planning issues and concerns. Motorized recreational opportunity has been significantly reduced throughout the region. Through the past several decades, there have been literally thousands of miles of roads and trails closed to motorized use in Southern New Mexico and Arizona. Additional closures are being proposed by BLM and adjacent land managers, including the Gila National Forest, a popular OHV destination for residents of Las Cruces. The amount of closures has reached a critical mass. Every single mile of motorized route that is open today is extremely important. Further closures will have a larger impact than those in the past. Furthermore, high difficulty 4x4 trails (also known as rock crawling trails) are extremely valued - and extremely rare. The "Chili Challenge" trails are world class rock crawling trails which are valued by visitors from all over the United States. These trails should remain open for the general public for access and recreation. The cumulative loss of motorized recreational opportunity should be brought into the analysis and incorporated into the decision making process. Significance criteria could include number of miles closed, number of acres closed or other similar quantifier. 4. My family and I enjoy high difficulty 4x4 trails that are unique to the Monument. These trails are extremely valuable and rare. It is equally important that general public be able to access these trails as well as that the "Chili Challenge" event be allowed to continue. 5. Given the popularity of OHV use in the region, as well as the significant closures in the past, I think it is appropriate for the BLM to consider adding additional motorized and mountain bike trails via this planning effort. YOUR NAME
The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national (non-profit) trail-saving group that represents over 600,000 recreationists nationwide The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) season is beginning. Federal employees, please mark BlueRibbon Coalition and Check #11402 on your CFC pledge form to support our efforts to protect your access. Join us at 1-800-258-3742 http://www.sharetrails.org _______________________________________________________ As a non-profit, grassroots organization funded primarily by membership dues and donations, we greatly appreciate your support. Visit http://www.sharetrails.org/make-a-difference-now to help fund our efforts to protect your trails! |