The Mojave Trails National Monument has started scoping for the monument management plan. The Mojave Trails National Monument was designated in 2016 and encompasses 1.6 million acres in California with lava flows, sand dunes and mountain areas. This area is popular for off-roaders as well as rock hounders. There have been years of concern over losing access to routes and areas for rockhounding and other recreational pursuits. There are currently 15 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC’s) within the monument boundaries and the BLM is requesting feedback to designate even more ACEC’s. This management strategy often reduces public use through restrictions of camping and road closures. More than 350,000 acres within the monument are already designated as Wilderness by Congress. Because such a large portion of land already restricts motorized use, the BLM should not designate anymore ACEC’s, areas with wilderness characteristics, or decommission any roads.
Submit comments using the tool below letting the BLM know that implementing management designations that restrict any form of recreation use even more than the current heavy restrictions is unnecessary. The needs identified by the BLM do not include recreation and protecting access for the various forms of recreation. To comply with NEPA, the BLM should be analyzing expanding access in at least one of their alternatives.
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Submit comments using the tool below letting the BLM know that implementing management designations that restrict any form of recreation use even more than the current heavy restrictions is unnecessary. The needs identified by the BLM do not include recreation and protecting access for the various forms of recreation. To comply with NEPA, the BLM should be analyzing expanding access in at least one of their alternatives.
Continue reading...