The Bureau of Land Management’s Carlsbad Field Office in New Mexico has begun a process to revise and update its Resource Management Plan (RMP) for public lands in Eddy, Lea and southwestern Chaves counties, the federal agency said Friday.

The revised RMP would give BLM an “overall management direction” for the next two decades for about 2.2 million surface acres and 4.1 million acres of federal mineral estate. About 1.9 million acres of the managed land is split estate, with private or state surface ownership, and federally owned minerals.

“It’s really important for anyone who uses or enjoys public lands in Eddy, Lea and southwestern Chaves counties to participate in our planning process,” said Jim Stovall, who manages BLM’s Carlsbad Field Office.

The BLM said it was revising the RMP because of changes that have taken place in the resource use and protection arena over the past 20 years.

Continuing natural gas and oil development, changing demands and types of uses of BLM-administered public lands, and the conditions of the resources they contain were cited as some of the top reasons.

An environmental impact statement (EIS) also would be developed during the planning process. A formal announcement initiating scoping and preparing an EIS for the proposed project was published in the Federal Register in June.

During the scoping period, the BLM also is seeking ideas about the uses of public lands, possible protection measures and recommendations on special designations such as potential special recreation management areas or areas of critical environmental concern. In addition, the public may comment on the preliminary planning criteria, which will help guide the planning process.

Scoping provides the first opportunity for public comment and helps BLM identify issues to be addressed in the plan revision, as well as offer potential solutions. BLM would use the information it receives during scoping as it prepares the draft RMP and an associated draft EIS.

The BLM will accept public comments through Aug. 30. To submit written comments send an e-mail to nm_cfo_rmp@blm.gov; a fax to (575) 885-9264; or mail to BLM, Carlsbad Field Office, Attention: James B. Smith, 620 E. Greene St., Carlsbad, NM 88220.

More information is available from the Carlsbad Field Office website.

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