County Sends Letter to BLM with Concerns on Dolores River Travel Management Plan

At their June 18 public hearing, the Board of Mesa County Commissioners approved a letter to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Moab Field Office with concerns about the impacts the Dolores River Travel Management Plan (TMP) could have on the well-being of Mesa County’s residents and communities. 

The TMP, currently in the Public Scoping Period, includes 26,829 acres of BLM-managed land and 280 miles of inventoried travel routes in eastern Utah along the Colorado-Utah border and would analyze many routes connected to Mesa County. The Public Scoping period is an opportunity for stakeholders to provide comments, which the BLM will evaluate and eventually utilize in designating a comprehensive travel network of motorized routes and trails based on each route's purpose and need.

Any route closures could limit access to popular outdoor activities in Mesa County, such as four-wheeling, hunting, mountain biking, hiking, and camping. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has also identified that the area could potentially contain uranium, vanadium, lithium, magnesium, and potash deposits — the County believes that limiting access to these resources could have unintended consequences.

The Commissioners’ letter includes the following statements regarding the TMP:

• All currently open trails, rights-of-ways, and roads designated in the most recent TMP should remain open unless they pose public safety or health concerns.
• The County should be notified of any planning process or activity that limits access to federally managed lands.
• Historic stock trails should be designated as valid access routes for the purpose of trailing livestock between grazing areas.
• Roads on federally managed lands should remain open, and closure proposals should be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• The network of roads within the boundaries of the County is necessary and essential for the health, safety, welfare, and commercial opportunities of all people within the County.
• The County supports the use of off-highway vehicles (OHVs) for recreational use on public roads as adopted in travel management plans through cooperation with the County.

The letter urges the BLM to collaborate closely with local groups to ensure that access to important areas is maintained in future plans and requests a comprehensive economic analysis for each alternative plan that identifies potential risks and opportunities for Mesa County and its residents.

We encourage residents to stay engaged and informed. Read the full letter here.