Saturday, June 9, is National Get Outdoors Day

Saturday, June 9, 2012 is National Get Outdoors Day.  The BLM, along with our sister agencies will waive fees at the listed sites.  In addition, the public is reminded to be extremely careful when enjoying the outdoors, and check the fire restrictions before heading out.  Please share this information with your audience.  Remember, you can follow us at Facebook.com/BLMArizona and for the latest BLM fire information you can follow us on Twitter @BLMAZFire

 

National Get Outdoors Day Saturday

Check Fire Restrictions Before Going Out to Have Fun!

 

PHOENIX – Summer may not officially start until June 21, but with triple digit temperatures and school over until August, many people are heading out to enjoy the outdoors.  This Saturday, June 9, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will celebrate National “Get Outdoors Day” by waiving fees at the sites listed below.  “BLM invites the public to enjoy these campgrounds and other lands across the state, but ask the public to be aware of the fire restrictions in place and the need to be extremely cautious when recreating this summer” said Ray Suazo, BLM Arizona State Director.

Area	Site Name	Contact Number
Arizona Strip	Virgin River Gorge Recreation Area	(435) 688-3200
Kingman	Burro Creek, Wild Cow Springs and Windy Point Recreation Sites (The purchase price of the Desert Garden Brochure and campsite dump fees will also be waived)	(928) 718-3700
Lake Havasu	Crossroads Campground and Bullfrog, Bass Point and Quail Hollow Day Use Areas	(928) 505-1200
Phoenix	Painted Rock Campground and Painted Rocks Petroglyph Day Use Area	(623) 580-5500
Safford	Hot Well Dunes Recreation Area	(928) 348-4400
Tucson	St. David Cienega/Land Corral, Fairbank Historic Townsite, San Pedro House and Hereford Bridge Trailheads	(520) 258-7200
Yuma	Squaw Lake Campground and Boat Launch, Senator Wash Boat Ramp and Day Use Area, Senator Wash North and South Shore Campgrounds, Betty’s Kitchen Watchable Wildlife Area, Oxbow Recreation and Wildlife Area and Ehrenberg Sandbowl Off-Highway Vehicle Area	(928) 317-3200

 

Fire prevention restrictions greatly reduce the risk of fire on public lands. People who enjoy public lands can reduce the risk of fire by practicing safety and strictly adhering to these fire prevention restrictions until sufficient rain has been received to reduce the fire danger significantly.

 

·         Fires, campfires, charcoal and wood stove fires are only allowed in agency provided fire rings or grills in developed campgrounds.  The use of petroleum-fueled stoves, lanterns, or heating devices is allowed if the device meets the fire underwriter’s specification for safety. (All open fires, including in developed campgrounds, are prohibited in the Arizona Strip and Gila districts).

·         Smoking is restricted to enclosed buildings, within a vehicle on a paved or surface road, within a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least six feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material.

·         Using tracer ammunition, explosives or any incendiary devices (including exploding targets) and fireworks are always prohibited on BLM public lands in Arizona.

·         Discharging a firearm (no target shooting or other shooting) outside of taking game in accordance with Arizona hunting laws in hunting season is prohibited on BLM public lands in the Phoenix District.  This includes Agua Fria National Monument, Table Mesa Recreation Area, Boulders Staging Campground, the Harquahala Back County Byway, Sonoran Desert National Monument, Saddle Mountain Recreation Area, and the Painted Rock Petroglyph Site.

 

Be aware that driving off-road over dry grass could ignite a fire; be sure that all vehicles and tires are in excellent working order; chains or other recreational equipment must not drag or dangle from the truck or trailer to the ground; secure all recreational equipment; it’s always a good idea to carry a fire extinguisher.

Fire prevention restrictions are in effect until further notice for all public lands administrated by the BLM.

Violation of Fire Restrictions is punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000, or imprisonment of not more than 12 months, or both (43 CFR 9212.4).

Active duty military offered free annual pass to BLM lands

Thanking America’s Armed Forces

Active Duty Military Offered Free Annual Pass to All BLM Public Lands

 

 

Phoenix, AZ - To show our appreciation for those who serve in the U.S. military, on May 19--Armed Forces Day--the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will begin issuing an annual pass offering free access to all BLM-managed public lands for active duty military members and their dependents.

 

“We all owe a debt to those who sacrifice so much to protect our country,” said Ray Suazo, BLM Arizona State Director. “This new pass is a way to thank military members and their families for their service and their sacrifices.”

 

Active duty members of the Armed Forces can pick up their pass at any BLM field office, visitor center, or public contact station.  Military members and their dependents must show a current, valid military identification card to obtain their pass. More information is available at http://www.recreation.gov/.

 

This military version of the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass also permits free entrance to sites managed by the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Forest Service. The pass is also available at these locations. 

 

“BLM public lands are America’s backyard and offer the widest range of recreation opportunities of any public land agency.  This spectrum of traditional and new outdoor recreation activities contributes to the health and well-being of millions of Americans including members of the military,” State Director Suazo said.  “We are proud to recognize these brave men and women and hope that a visit to these lands will offer an opportunity to unwind, relax, rejuvenate, and just have fun with their families.”

 

In Arizona, BLM manages 12.2 million acres of public land filled with a myriad of recreational opportunities to enjoy.  For more information on recreation and visitor services please visit the Bureau of Land Management http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/recreation.html.

-BLM-

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency.  This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska.  The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation.  In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs.  The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends.  In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget.  The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.  The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.

 

BLM celebrates 200 years of the General Land Office

Public Events and New Websites Commemorate BLM’s Historic Roots

Wednesday, April 25, 2012                             

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today celebrated the 200^th anniversary of the General Land Office (GLO) with a public tour of the vaults where millions of land records are stored. The BLM also launched a new history website and BLM offices around the United States scheduled commemorative events through the year.

The GLO was established April 25, 1812 to handle the business associated with the sale of public lands for private ownership, transforming wilderness to agricultural use, and generating income for the Federal government.  The GLO, in fact, became the “Gateway to Land Ownership” for millions of people.  In 1946, the GLO and the U.S. Grazing Service merged to create the BLM under the U.S. Department of the Interior to manage the public lands for the benefit of current and future generations.

“The BLM has played an important role over the course of our young nation’s history. Today we not only celebrate the past, but we also commend the BLM for their ongoing efforts to carry out their critical mission to protect and manage America’s natural resources and heritage,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.

BLM Director Bob Abbey led the public tour of the vaults containing the land records, which are at the BLM-Eastern States Office in Springfield, Virginia.  The tour also included a stop at the modern facility that scans and preserves the documents.

“With all these records and unique history available to us, the BLM also serves as a storyteller,” Abbey said.  “These events will play a central role in helping us to understanding how important land stewardship is to America’s future.”

As part of the celebration, the BLM launched a companion website named Our Heritage, Our Future. The site features essays from BLM employees around the United States who share their “living histories,” an interactive timeline of BLM history, and other features showcasing the BLM’s growing mission.  The website also links to other BLM websites that commemorate the GLO and the 150^th anniversary of the Homestead Act on May 20.

“These websites give people a chance to learn about the challenges of modern multiple-use management, especially considering the breadth and diversity of today’s public land resources and what they mean to the public,” Abbey said.

Over the coming months, the BLM will broaden the celebration of the GLO and the Homestead Act with regular updates to Our Heritage, Our Future and two major public events.

In September, the Public Lands Foundation (PLF), the BLM, the Center of the American West, and the University of Colorado will host a symposium in Boulder, Colorado, to commemorate the GLO and the Homestead Act.  Also in September, the PLF, the BLM, and the Morrison Institute for Public Policy, Arizona State University, will host a symposium in Phoenix, Arizona.  That symposium, in addition to discussing the GLO and the Homestead Act, will include sessions about the 100^th anniversary of Arizona’s statehood.

Other BLM state offices are planning events marking the GLO and the Homestead Act.  Information about those events can be found here.

$8,000 reward offered for information on killing of five wild burros

Reward grows to $8,000 for information on wild burro shooting

PHOENIX — As federal law enforcement rangers continue an investigation on the March shooting of wild burros within public lands in the Lake Pleasant area, local citizens continue to support the effort by increasing reward amounts for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator(s).

A Phoenix based C.E.O., Jonathan Thompson, added $1000.00 to the reward this week, bringing the total offer for information up to $8000.00.

On March 13, 2012, rangers found five dead burros in the Lake Pleasant Herd Management Area northwest of Phoenix in Maricopa and southern Yavapai counties.  The evidence collected indicates other animals may have been shot.  Wild burros and horses on public lands are protected by law under the Wild Free - Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971.
People who have any information on the burro shootings may call:  1-800-637-9152.  All calls are confidential.  If convicted of this Federal crime, the Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971, as amended, allows that the perpetrator(s) may be subject to a fine of up to $2,000 and/or imprisonment for up to one year for each violation.

BLM seeks bids to manage wild horses and burros in western U.S.

BLM Seeks Bids for New Type of Contracts for Wild Horse and Burro Management

As part of its responsibility to manage and protect wild horses and burros, the Bureau of Land Management, in collaboration with the USDA Forest Service (FS), is soliciting bids for several contracts that will help manage wild horses and burros located across the western United States.  The contracts are for a new bait trapping method that is intended to relieve areas of excess wild horses and burros where helicopter drive trapping is not an effective method.  The bids are the first of their kind, in that they involve six zones across the West, with a potential for multiple contractors simultaneously bait trapping animals over an extended period of time.

Bait trapping is not a new method of gathering animals for the BLM; it has been implemented in areas where timeliness is not an issue, as bait trapping usually occurs over several weeks or months, and in locations where BLM personnel can easily monitor the progress from their duty locations.  Many times it occurs in areas where water is already scarce and the animals are lured by the water provided, or in areas where a helicopter cannot easily move the animals out of densely wooded areas.  Bait trapping involves capturing wild horses and burros by setting up panels and using food, water, salt or sexual attraction (a mare in heat) to lure animals into a trap.  Allowing contractors to execute the bait trapping over lengthy amounts of time in a variety of locations simultaneously, however, is a new strategy for the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program. 
“The BLM is committed to continuously improving its management of wild horses and burros,” said BLM Wild Horse and Burro Division Chief Joan Guilfoyle.  “Deploying this new method of bait trapping enhances our ability to gather animals more effectively in certain areas of the West, while minimizing the impact to the animals.”
The concept of the contract is not to capture large numbers of wild horses and burros in a short period of time, but rather to capture smaller numbers over a long period of time.  A benefit is that it reduces the impact to the BLM’s holding facilities—instead of large horse gathers with hundreds or thousands of animals entering the facilities at one time, this type of management involves very small amounts of animals trickling into facilities over a longer period of time.  Each contract is from July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013, with an option for four additional one-year periods.

The work consists of the capture, care and transportation of wild horses and /or burros from Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming.  It requires work to be accomplished in a safe and humane manner during all phases of the operation, including capture, handling and transport.  The contract is not set up for holding wild horses and burros for any length of time, but to have the wild horses and burros shipped to BLM facilities as soon as possible.  The contracts involve setting up a trap, capturing wild horses and burros and shipping them to the BLM preparation facilities.  The capture, care and handling must be completed by those who are knowledgeable and experienced about the behavior and trapping of equines.

 

The zones are determined by the location of FS territories, BLM herd management areas and proximity to BLM preparation facilities.  The goal is to employ contractors who live around the area where the wild horses and burros are located, so that they have short travel times from one trap area to another or to the BLM facility.  There can be more than one contract per zone and one contractor can bid on more than one zone.

The BLM’s bidding requirements are posted in solicitation L12PS00229, the details of which are available at http://www.fedconnect.net.  To obtain the solicitation: (1) click on "Search Public Opportunities"; (2) under Search Criteria, select "Reference Number"; (3) put in the solicitation number (L12PS00229); and (4) click "Search” and the solicitation information will appear.  The solicitation form describes what to submit and where to send it.  Applicants must be registered at http://www.ccr.gov to be considered for a contract award.

The BLM and FS manage wild horses and burros as part of their overall multiple-use missions.  Under the authority of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, the BLM and FS manage and protect these living symbols of the Western spirit while ensuring that population levels are in balance with other public rangeland resources and uses. 

To make sure that healthy herds thrive on healthy rangelands, the BLM must remove thousands of animals from the range each year to control the size of herds, which have virtually no predators and can double in population every four years.  The current free-roaming population of BLM-managed wild horses and burros is 38,500, which exceeds by nearly 12,000 the number determined by the BLM to be the appropriate management level.  Off the range, there are more than 47,000 wild horses and burros cared for in either short-term corrals or long-term pastures.   All these animals, whether on or off the range, are protected by the BLM under the 1971 law.

 

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land – the most of any Federal agency.  This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska.  The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation.  In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs.  The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends.  In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget.  The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.  The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.

BLM plans public meetings on renewable energy development areas in AZ

Public to get a chance to comment on Environmental Impactment Statement

 

PHOENIX, AZ – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Arizona is holding a series of public meetings on the draft environmental impactment statement (EIS) for its Restoration Design Energy Project.

 

The meetings are to inform the public and give them a chance to comment on the draft EIS.

 

Meetings are scheduled in March and April:

March 20:  Phoenix­­­­, Sheraton Crescent Hotel, 2620 West Dunlap Avenue

March 21:  Flagstaff, High Country Conference Center, 201 West Butler Avenue 

March 22:  Kingman, Hampton Inn, 1791 Sycamore Avenue

April 10:  Yuma, Yuma Civic and Convention Center, 1440 Desert Hill Drive

April 11:  Tucson, Holiday Inn, 4550 South Palo Verde Road

 

The open house meetings are from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. A formal presentation will be at 7 p.m. It will include an introduction to the Restoration Design Energy Project, or RDEP, and the alternatives that the BLM is considering. After the presentation, members of the public will be able to make comments.

 

The RDEP will identify lands across Arizona that may be suitable for renewable energy development and will establish a baseline for environmental protection measures for such projects. The focus is on previously disturbed sites and lands with low resource sensitivity and few environmental conflicts.

 

As part of the project, the BLM is identifying renewable energy development areas, or REDAs. Those areas would be designated in the BLM’s resource management plans, making the siting and permitting of renewable energy projects more efficient. 

 

Among the considerations for the identification of REDAs:

·         Using formerly disturbed sites or lands with low resource sensitivity;

·         Limiting renewable development to areas within 5 miles of designated utility corridors and existing or proposed transmission lines;

·         Designating lands near cities, towns, or industrial centers;

·         Addressing water issues by instituting design features to avoid negative impacts to watersheds, groundwater supply, and water quality;

·         Identifying suitable areas for development on BLM-managed lands that have been identified for disposal.

 

The BLM’s preferred alternative in the draft EIS is for the designation of lands within 5 miles of utility corridors and existing transmission lines or near a point of demand and includes features to protect water resources. It also includes lands identified for disposal. The BLM manages 237,100 acres in Arizona that meet that criteria.

 

The REDAs could be used for wind or solar projects, both utility-scale (more than 20 megawatts) or smaller distributed-scale development.

 

In addition to the REDA evaluations, the BLM is also evaluating a solar energy zone near Dateland in Yuma County, Arizona, about 70 miles east of Yuma.  The solar energy zone evaluation is a complement to BLM’s six-state Solar Energy Programmatic EIS.  The Solar Energy EIS focuses on utility-scale solar development.

 

In considering establishing the Agua Caliente Solar Energy Zone, the BLM looked for these characteristics:

·         an expanse of available BLM land larger than 2,500 acres;

·         proximity to an electrical transmission system with available capacity;

·         limited known environmental or cultural issues;

·         proximity to roads and infrastructure;

·         adjacent to existing solar developments.

 

The RDEP draft EIS analyzes three footprints for the solar energy zone:  2,760 acres, 6,770 acres and 20,600 acres.  The 6,770-acre site is the BLM’s preliminary preference.

 

An electronic copy of the draft EIS is available at http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/energy/arra_solar.html.

 

The RDEP EIS does not evaluate specific sites and does not eliminate the need for further environmental review of individual sites. The BLM will make decisions on a case-by-case basis as applications are received.  Proposed renewable developments outside of a renewable energy development area or a solar energy zone will also be considered on a case-by-case basis and are subject to applicable BLM state and national policy being developed for utility-scale solar energy development through the Solar Energy Programmatic EIS.

 

The BLM is taking comments on the draft EIS through May 16. All comments will be considered and addressed in the final EIS, which is planned for release later this year.

 

Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:

·         E-mail:  az_arra_rdep@blm.gov;

·         Fax:  Attn:  Lane Cowger, (602) 417-9454;

·         Mail or other delivery service:  BLM Arizona State Office, Attn:  Restoration Design Energy Project, One North Central Avenue, Suite 800, Phoenix, AZ 85004-4427.

BLM Arizona reports on its fourth law enforcement and resource protection surge

Two-week BLM operation yields 7.5 tons of trash, nearly 4,000 pounds of marijuana seized, 233 illegal immigrants and eight U.S. citizens arrested in Ironwood Forest and Sonoran Desert National Monuments

 

As part of its continuing battle to protect public lands from illegal border-related activities, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Arizona has completed its fourth law enforcement and resource protection surge since October.

 

Here are some statistics from the two-week focused operation in the Ironwood Forest and the Sonoran Desert National Monuments:

 

·        7.5 tons of trash collected in the Ironwood Forest and Sonoran Desert National Monuments.

·        228 law enforcement events

·        3,976 pounds of marijuana seized in 13 different incidents

·        233 suspected undocumented immigrants arrested

·        8 U.S. citizens arrested

 

The two-week surges bring additional BLM law enforcement rangers to the national monuments. Both monuments, among the most beautiful lands in southern and central Arizona, are used by smugglers of drugs and humans to get to Interstate 8.

 

The surges are part of a coordinated, focused effort called Operation ROAM (Reclaim Our Arizona Monuments). Under Operation ROAM, the BLM looks at areas in the monuments where the needs are greatest and where law enforcement surges can have the greatest effects.

 

Under Operation ROAM, cleanup and resource rehabilitation operations are done during the law enforcement surges. Additional manpower means a ranger can be on hand for security. Crews composed of BLM fire personnel and youth employees of the Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC) are mobilized to maximize the cleanup time during the surge.

 

Melinda Mahoney, a BLM park ranger who does much of her work in the Sonoran Desert National Monument, had a hand in nearly all the trash cleanup. She managed BLM fire crews and the contracted crews from the SCC; together they removed 275 bags of trash. 

Mahoney said the cleanup crews find all kinds of things. “We’ve found everything from toothbrushes to underwear to … you name it,” she said.

 

One of her crew members found what appeared to be a 40-pound bale of marijuana. Another found an automatic rifle, along with loaded magazine clips.

Cellphones are a common find.

Those kinds of things are turned over to investigators who check them for intelligence data.

 

Much of the trash came from areas near Interstate 8. One of the areas where Mahoney’s crews worked had been cleaned about a year ago. This year, they gathered 120 bags of trash, most of it new stuff, Mahoney said.

 

That’s an indication that while strides are being made, the fight is ongoing.

 

Another law enforcement surge in the monuments is now underway. Two more are planned before hot weather forces a sharp decline in illegal activities.

 

Still, Mahoney is optimistic. “I think we’re making a difference. We’re hearing from the rangers, especially those that are returning from last year, that it looks a lot cleaner,” she said.

 

Here are some results of the recently completed surge and the overall totals:

  

	Surge 4	Current fiscal year
Pounds of trash collected	15,095	34,700
Bags of trash collected	296	740
Law enforcement events	228	1,008
Marijuana seizures	13	32
Pounds of marijuana seized	3,977	14,922
Undocumented arrests	233	556
U.S. citizen arrests	8	14
Vehicles seized	19	36
Human remains discovered	1	6
Firearms seized	5	11

 

Updated Operation ROAM statistics are available at

www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/law-enf/border/roam.html

 

A running log of serious incident reports from BLM rangers is available at www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/law-enf/incidents.html

BLM law enforcement patrol yields archaeological find

"An interesting rockpile" was a site where ancient people lived and farmed.

A law enforcement officer’s background in archaeology has paid off for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and those concerned with recording and protecting cultural and historic sites.

BLM Ranger Grady Cook was on patrol in the Ironwood Forest National Monument in November. His partner was BLM National Chief Ranger Jason Caffey, who was in Arizona participating in a law enforcement surge against smuggling activities in the national monuments.

“We had seen a smuggling road and just followed it to see where it went, to see if there was anything out there worth looking at, anything stashed up,” Cook said. The patrol was uneventful, but on the way out, Cook saw an interesting rockpile.

Cook, who now is chief law enforcement ranger for the BLM’s Gila District Office, has a degree in anthropology and archaeology. He worked as an archaeologist during and for a while after college. He still works closely with the BLM archaeologist in Tucson.  

Because of that background, Cook knew that it was more than a rockpile. “I knew it was something historic, most likely prehistoric. I wandered around a little bit to see if it was just an isolated feature or something bigger and I saw several other features,” he said.

What Cook had discovered was a site where an ancient group of people likely lived year-round and farmed.

In keeping with federal law and policy of protecting cultural sites from looters, the BLM is not providing specific information on the site’s location. Federal laws, including the National Historic Preservation Act and the Archaeological Resource Protection Act, make it a crime to disturb or damage such sites. 

Cook advised Amy Sobiech, the Tucson Field Office archaeologist, of his find. She reviewed records and found that the site had not been previously recorded. In other words, this old site was new territory for archaeological study.

Sobiech and Cook took a closer look at the site in January. Then in early February, about 20 people – archaeologists, land managers, law enforcement officers and others – gathered to make a more detailed exploration of the site.

What they learned is that there is a lot more to learn. Sobiech said that the site’s boundary has not even been firmly established yet. That will be a priority for her. Then comes mapping and documenting what’s within the boundaries. BLM staff and law enforcement rangers will monitor the site regularly to make sure it remains undisturbed.

Michael Johnson, the archaeology program lead in the BLM Arizona State Office in Phoenix, said the site was probably used by successive groups of prehistoric Hohokam people over perhaps 200 years. “It may have been several small sites that were reoccupied over time. That’s what makes it so wonderful,” he said.

Sobiech and Johnson and others familiar with the culture and the history of southern Arizona are excited about the opportunities to learn from the site.

For Cook, the site offers another opportunity to educate his officers in protecting sites and artifacts – a key part of their jobs.

During the exploratory visit in early February, Cook trained several rangers that were in the area on temporary assignment from other states and other parts of Arizona. The rangers were working in the Ironwood Forest National Monument and the Sonoran Desert National Monument to combat smuggling and the associated damage to natural and cultural resources. Operation Reclaim Our National Monuments (ROAM) draws rangers from throughout the BLM for two-week surges during the peak season for smuggling operations. The increased workforce means more patrols and more opportunities for catching lawbreakers. It also means more security for cleanup and resource rehabilitation operations.   

On the day in early February, the law enforcement intent was to ensure safety for those exploring the newly found site. But it was also to educate the rangers.

Cook walked around the site and showed the rangers different artifacts that were evident to him: pottery sherds and chipped stones. “Almost unanimously, the comments from the other rangers were ‘how do you even know? … I wouldn’t know what that was’,” he said.

But after a bit of explanation and training, the rangers were finding objects on their own and pointing them out to Cook.

That’s a valuable experience for the rangers, Cook said.

“If you’re not used to seeing those things, if you haven’t been trained in it, then you don’t know what you’re looking at,” he said. “You can’t protect something you don’t know about.”

Caffey appreciated being part of the find.

“I don’t want anything out there damaged. I want everything to be as pristine as possible,” he said. “Finding this site in a location so exposed to damage by the impacts of illegal smuggling, yet still undamaged, confirmed that all the efforts and sacrifices by rangers really are beneficial to the public lands. Getting Ranger Cook’s firsthand interpretation of the site and glimpse into the past was a great added bonus.”

He added, there is a distinct difference in the loss of a single mesquite tree and the potential danger to a major archaeology site from greedy people, whether they are smugglers who care nothing about historic artifacts or looters who care nothing about preserving sites.

“It’s nice to have some firsthand evidence of exactly what you’re trying to protect,” he said.

Secretary of Interior Salazar: "Arizona has great potential to build a strong renewable energy economy."

                 

Salazar Advances Blueprint for Renewable Energy Development in Arizona

Public invited to comment on draft document that seeks to identify previously disturbed public lands appropriate for solar and wind development

WASHINGTON – As part of President Obama’s initiative to spur renewable energy development, the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today released the draft plan for the Restoration Design Energy Project (RDEP). The initiative seeks to identify lands across Arizona most suitable for wind and solar power projects, with a focus on areas that are previously disturbed or have low natural and cultural resource conflicts.

Today’s publication of a notice of availability in the Federal Register marks the beginning of a 90-day public comment period on the BLM’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Project.  The Draft EIS, including maps, will be made available online at http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/energy/arra_solar.html.

"With some of the most significant solar resources in the world, Arizona has great potential to build a strong renewable energy economy,” Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said.  “This blueprint for Arizona will help focus activity in the places where it makes the most sense to develop renewable energy, both for the companies and for the environment.  Early, comprehensive analysis of things like resource potential, transmission, and environmental conflicts is simply good government.  I am confident this smart planning will pay dividends for the state now and far into the future.”

The Project seeks to establish Renewable Energy Development Areas on lands that are previously disturbed or have low resource sensitivity, including former landfills, brownfields, mines, isolated BLM parcels, and Central Arizona Project canal rights-of-way.  The Draft EIS also proposes a baseline for environmental protection measures for facilities sited in these areas. The Areas could be used for wind or solar projects, both utility-scale (more than 20 megawatts) or smaller distributed-scale development. 

While the final plan will only apply to BLM-managed lands, the Draft EIS examines all lands in Arizona and can serve as a resource for the public, policy makers, and energy developers.

The preferred alternative identified in the Draft EIS calls for designating lands within five miles of utility corridors and existing transmission lines or near a point of power demand, such as a city, town or industrial area; and addresses water issues by instituting design features to avoid negative impacts to watersheds, groundwater supply, and water quality.

The BLM manages about 237,100 acres in Arizona that meet these criteria. If adopted, the preferred alternative would amend several BLM resource management plans in the state to provide directed, landscape-scale planning for future solar and wind projects and allow for a more efficient permitting and siting process. 

The Restoration Design Energy Project complements a parallel process being undertaken by the BLM to conduct a comprehensive environmental analysis to identify ‘solar energy zones’ on public lands in six western states, including Arizona.  As part of RDEP Draft EIS, the BLM is evaluating an additional Solar Energy Zone, Agua Caliente.  If adopted, the BLM’s preferred alternative would designate a 6,770 acre Zone near Dateland in Yuma County, about 70 miles east of Yuma. 

Previous public comments on the Restoration Design Energy Project were gathered in 2010, when the BLM held a series of scoping meetings to help determine what should be evaluated in the EIS.  At that time, more than 60 specific disturbed sites were identified in 11 Arizona counties that are included in the analysis of potential Renewable Energy Development Areas.

Completion of the EIS for the Restoration Design Energy Project does not eliminate the need for further environmental review of individual sites.  Proposed renewable developments outside of a Renewable Energy Development Area or a Solar Energy Zone will also be considered on a case-by-case basis and are subject to applicable BLM state and national policies for utility-scale solar energy development.

Public meetings on the Draft EIS will be held throughout Arizona during the public comment period.  Residents can learn about the Restoration Design Energy Project and comment on the draft EIS at the meetings listed below, which will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

March 20:  Phoenix­­­­, Sheraton Crescent Hotel, 2620 West Dunlap Avenue

March 21:  Flagstaff, High Country Conference Center, 201 West Butler Avenue 

March 22:  Kingman, Hampton Inn, 1791 Sycamore Avenue          

April 10:  Yuma, Yuma Civic and Convention Center, 1440 Desert Hill Drive

April 11:  Tucson, Holiday Inn, 4550 South Palo Verde Road

Comments on the draft EIS may be submitted by any of the following methods:

Email-az_arra_rdep@blm.gov

Fax - Attention Lane Cowger, (602) 417-9454

Mail or other delivery service - BLM Arizona State Office, Attention Restoration Design Energy Project, One North Central Avenue, Suite 800, Phoenix, AZ 85004-4427